The Minnesota Wilderness came out hot Friday and Saturday and held on both nights to beat the Anchorage Wolverines.
Peteris Purmalis led the way with five assists combined over the two games, while goaltender Nick Erickson earned victories in both contests, stopping 84 of 89 shots.
On Friday, the Wilderness scored early in the first and second periods, and after an Anchorage rally tied the match, Aiden Shirey notched the game winner with 12:27 remaining in the final frame for a 3-2 triumph.
On Saturday, the Wilderness built a 3-0 advantage in the opening 20 minutes, and then needed a third period tally from Oliver Stümpel to survive, 4-3.
Logan Nagel opened the scoring Friday night, with Purmalis and Riley Mullen earning assists. Mullen helped set up the play when he delivered a hit in the defensive zone that forced a turnover. The goal was Nagel’s fourth of the season.
Purmalis then went on to help set up Daniel Astapovich to make it 2-0 just 17 seconds into the 2 nd period. Gustavs Ozolins also assisted on what was Astapovich’s 7 th of the year.
Anchorage then went on to score twice to tie the game. Romulus Riego De Dios cut the lead to 2-1 with a goal 5:52 into the second period, and that was followed by Bryce Monrean scoring to even the contest at 2-2 with a marker 1:46 into the third.
Shirey then posted his clincher, which came off a wrist shot from the high slot for his fifth of the year. Stümpel and Purmalis earned assists on the goal.
The Wolverines outshot the Wilderness 42-19, with much of its offense aided by seven power play chances.
Minnesota’s penalty kill held strong in eliminating each of Anchorage’s man-advantage opportunities.
The Wilderness also was scoreless with the extra man, going 0 for 5.
On Saturday, the Wilderness had another strong start, scoring twice in the game’s opening 3:47. It started with Oliver Band posting the team’s first short-handed goal of the season. Nagel picked up an assist when he forced a turnover along the end boards in the Anchorage zone and delivered a centering pass to Band who was positioned directly in front of the net. Band made no mistake in making it 1-0 just 2:03 after the opening face-off. It was Band’s fifth tally of 2023-24, which was also assisted by Shirey.
Connor Farren followed that with his first goal in ten games since being acquired by the Wilderness. Assisting on the goal was Shirey with his second helper of the night along with newly acquired forward and Cloquet native Patrick Dunaiski. Dunaiski returned to his hometown rink and played his first game with the Wilderness after beginning the season with Granite City of the NA3HL. Farren’s tally came 1:43 after Band’s opening goal.
Astapovich added one more before the period was over when he posted his eighth of the season, with assists from Slava Tugolukov and Purmalis with 6:32 left in the frame.
Anchorage countered with two power play goals in the 2 nd period. Bryce Monrean made it 3-1 4:13 into the stanza, while former Wilderness Cole Christian followed to cut the Wilderness lead to one with 6:36 remaining.
Stümpel proceeded to restore a 2-goal advantage with a power play marker of his own in the third period.
Purmalis and Tugolukov earned helpers on the red-lighter that came at the 6:35 mark.
Monrean added one more for the Wolverines as they mounted a comeback effort by pulling its goaltender for an extra attacker. His goal with 33 seconds left completed the scoring at 4-3.
Anchorage again dominated in shots on goal with a 47-26 advantage, with Erickson turning aside 44 Wolverine attempts. With the two victories, Erickson improved his campaign record to 8-2.
Liam Beerman suffered the loss in net in both contests for the Wolverines.
Both teams improved on the power play for Saturday night. Anchorage finished two-for-four, while Minnesota struck once on three chances.
Winning twice allows the Wilderness to keep pace with Janesville for first place in the Midwest Division. With a record of 21-11-3, the Wilderness is again even in points with Janesville at 45 but sits just outside of the top spot due to the Jets having played one fewer game.
After suffering two losses, the Wolverines remain in 4 th place with a record of 16-10-4.
Next weekend, Minnesota travels to 3 rd place Wisconsin for a 2-game series in Eagle River.