Two close games vs. the Wisconsin Windigo resulted in the Wilderness seeing their 8-game winning streak snap, as the Windigo were victorious both nights, 4-3 in overtime Friday and 4-2 Saturday.
The Wilderness salvaged the single point Friday in thrilling fashion, when Landon Cottingham notched a late game-tying goal.
Saturday night’s contest was highlighted by two second period tallies from Talan Blanck.
Blanck and Noah Dziver both extended point streaks in the weekend series. A goal Friday and 2 assists Saturday helped Dziver move his point streak to 11 games, while Blanck’s name is written on 10 consecutive scoresheets after earning an assist Friday and two goals Saturday.
Minnesota (12-2-2) closes a mid-autumn home stand Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 with two games vs. the Janesville Jets. Both games will begin at 7:15 p.m. CDT.
Wisconsin 4, Wilderness 3 OT
For the third time this season, the Wilderness performed some late game heroics to tie the game and force overtime. Friday night, it was Landon Cottingham who scored a goal to help ensure the Wilderness would leave the building with at least one point.
After Wisconsin scored to take a 3-2 lead with 8:06 left in regulation, the Wilderness severely tilted the ice to get the equalizer. That led to Cottingham charging to the Windigo goal where he jammed the puck through the pads of netminder Easton Cody to make it 3-3 with 2:40 left to play.
Unfortunately for Minnesota, it was the Windigo who would finish with two points, as they dominated the 3-on-3 overtime, outshooting the Wilderness 3-1 and constantly keeping possession on the Wilderness side of the ice. Michael Ryan would end the contest with his second goal of the game with 1:14 on the clock.
A tight grudge match of a hockey game saw the Wilderness capture the first lead. Andrei Gudin fired in his second goal of the season when Logan Nagle found him all alone by the left post of the Windigo net with 8:19 left in the opening period, with another assist going to Avery Anderson.
The Windigo then answered with a power play goal from Ronnie Hill with 1:03 remaining in period 1. That would be the only goal with the man-advantage for either team, as officials called only four minor penalties. Both teams finished with two power play chances.
Noah Dziver’s team-leading 11 th of the season put Minnesota back in front with game’s only 2nd period goal. Isaac Suh and Talan Blanck posted assists on the tally which came with 8:25 left in the stanza.
While the Wilderness outshot Wisconsin 15-8 in the final period, it was Wisconsin that had the edge on the scoreboard. The Windigo tied the game at the 5:40 with Ryan’s first goal of the contest, and that was followed by Steeles go-ahead marker 6:14 later.
For the game, Minnesota outshot the Windigo, 35-34. Valdemar Andersen made 30 saves in the Wilderness as his record suffered its first blemish, falling to 9-0-1.
For Wisconsin, Cody made 32 saves to earn the victory.
Saturday: Wisconsin 4, Wilderness 2
For the second straight night, the Wilderness held a 2-1 lead heading into the third period and once again, the Windigo came back to tie and take the lead. On Saturday night, Wisconsin held on to the lead and secured a regulation victory.
Talan Blanck scored both Wilderness goals and he was set up by Noah Dziver on both tallies.
His first goal came on the power play at 9:06 of the 2 nd period. With the Wilderness on a 2-man advantage, Dziver won an offensive zone face off and drew the puck to Blanck in the high slot who converted on a wrist shot to tie the game at 1-1.
Minnesota then took its first lead in the final minute of the middle frame. This time Dziver fed Blanck on a pass from the extended goal line to the right of the Wisconsin goal, and Blanck one-timed it past Windigo goaltender Casimir Weckstrom. That tally gives Blanck nine on the season, and was also assisted by Andrei Gudin.
Wisconsin (7-7-1) was led by Ryan Mottau who scored twice. Mottau registered the game’s first goal on the power play 4:32 into the second period and posted the game-winner with 10:30 left in the third period.
Wisconsin’s tying third period goal was scored by Brendan Finley, which came on the man-advantage 1:58 into the stanza. The Windigo completed the scoring when Callen Grilz posted an empty-net goal with 1:33 left.
Minnesota outshot Wisconsin, 29-19. Ryan Gerlich suffered the loss for the Wilderness stopping 15 of 18 shots. Weckstrom earned the victory making 27 saves.
On the power play, the Wilderness went 1-for-2 while Wisconsin finished 2-for-5.