Alpena controlled the game from the start, outshooting Gladwin 39-19 and maintaining aggressive play throughout all three periods.

Owen Vandusen opened the scoring with 9:51 remaining in the first period, assisted by Garrett Hamp, giving Alpena an early lead.

“They have a lot of guys who can shoot the puck really well, so controlling the pace was key to the game,” assistant captain Gavin Winterstein said about the team’s ability to dominate possession.

The Wildcats continued their offensive pressure in the second period, adding a goal from Hamp, assisted by Samuel Bastow, with 12:49 left. Alpena’s defense held strong, preventing Gladwin from finding the back of the net for the first two periods.

News Photo by Leslianne Johns Alpena Gavin Winterstein looks for an opening to score his second goal of the game on Wednesday. The Wildcats passed Gladwin with a 5-1 win and are moving on to the quarterfinals.

Gladwin responded early in the third period when Jeffrey Zeitz scored with 16:19 remaining, cutting Alpena’s lead in half.

But the Wildcats quickly regained control.

Just under two minutes later, Winterstein, assisted by Lucas Weir and Ethan Walker, extended Alpena’s lead with a goal at 12:59.

“He’s a big player,” Winterstein said of Hamp’s impact on the ice. “He performs in these big games, so it was awesome to be able to play with him all night long.”

Hamp followed with a tip-in at 8:32, assisted by Winterstein and Clark Weir, then completed his hat trick with 6:20 remaining, assisted by Michael Kreis, to secure the win.

News Photo by Leslianne Johns Kaden Rivard looks for an opening to try and score a goal in Wednesday’s hockey game at Northern Lights Arena. Alpena High School played Gladwin, winning 5-1.

With the playoffs intensifying, Alpena is preparing for a matchup against Petoskey.

“We got another game,” Winterstein said, emphasizing the team’s drive to advance further. “We’re going for Plymouth, so this next team is just in the way. We got to get them out of the way.”

As the Wildcats gear up for Saturday’s game, they are staying focused on perfecting their play.

“This late, it’s tough to change anything in practice,” Winterstein said. “So we’re just working on getting everything perfect.”

With momentum on their side, Alpena now shifts its focus to Petoskey, aiming to continue their playoff run.