Playoffs: Whalers 5, Squirrels 4

The Squirrels made it back to the championship game for the first time since 2022, but came up short against the Whalers, falling 5-4.

Having only won four games all season and finishing in last place, the Whalers had their better players suit up and pulled away from the Squirrels in the third period.

The Whalers scored the first of the game about midway through the first period, but Geoff Grek, playing right wing, tied it moments later. Grek also nearly scored at the buzzer of the first period after swiping at a puck that a defenseman was carrying past the goalie.

The Whalers scored twice in the second period, including on the power play, to go up 3-1 going into the third period.

Don Marks’ slap shot found the net with eight minutes to go in the game, but the Whalers scored twice more in the next five minutes, including one that bounced off of a Squirrels defenseman.

Down 5-2, the Squirrels still didn’t let up, as Grek scored his second of the game with 1:17 remaining. With an empty net, Mike Bartock scored with 6 seconds remaining, but the Squirrels ran out of time.

The loss in the championship game was the first time since 2012 that the Squirrels fell in the Finals. They had won six since.