West Salem-Bangor upsets Onalaska - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

ONALASKA, Wisconsin (WXOW) - It's becoming one of the better playoff rivalries on the ice, and it ended once again in similar fashion.

After West Salem-Bangor played Onalaska to a 1-1 tie in the regular season, something had to give in the postseason meeting. It did in the first period when the Panthers took a 1-0 lead on the powerplay goal from Taylor Trapp.

Onalaska went 0-2 on their powerplay opportunities in the first, but capitalized on their third in the second period. Gabe Flood banged in a rebound to make it 1-1. It stayed that way until the third period.

Penalties were few (only five total through two periods) but they proved costly. On a Panther powerplay in the third, Hunter Meyer broke the tie with a laser-beam goal that ricocheted in off the post.

Flood, though, answered the call once again for the Hilltoppers. His second goal of the game tied the score at two.

A costly turnover in the Onalaska zone late proved their undoing. WS-B Freshman Bailey Martin went top-shelf for the game-winning goal. The 3-2 victory means the Panthers move on to face Wisconsin Rapids (at Wisconsin Dells) on Friday with the winner earning a trip to state.