The Minnesota Wilderness scored in dramatic fashion to tie the game Saturday night, but still could not pull out a victory as it fell to the Chippewa Steel in overtime, 4-3.
Peteris Purmalis’ second goal of the game as time expired allowed the Wilderness to even the score at 3-3, and force extra time. Purmalis took advantage of some net-front chaos that was initiated by a shot from Beau Janzig on the left point, as the Wilderness attacked with 6 skaters and its goaltender on the bench. After a drive from Harper Searles was blocked by Steel netminder Carter Wishart, the puck deflected to Purmalis in the right circle, and he fired it into the back of the net, just as the buzzer blared to end the game.
The excitement from that dramatic tally, however; was quickly extinguished as the Steel (3-3-0) won the game thanks to a wraparound from Tomas Trunda 2:16 into the 5:00 extra frame.
The contest was a back-and-forth battle, as the teams traded goals throughout, with Chippewa taking the first lead when Trunda scored his first goal of the game 5:18 into the first period.
The Wilderness tied the game 7:07 into the 2nd stanza when Janzig forced a turnover and, after a save by Wishart, Ashton Dahms pounced on the rebound and buried the puck for his first goal of the season in his first game.
The Steel would regain the lead over 3:16 later when Aidan Willis cashed in to make 2-1. Purmalis answered with his first of the game when he one-timed a shot into the net with 4:24 left in the middle frame. Dahms and Searles both assisted on that 2nd period Purmalis goal.
The Steel took its third lead of the game when Alex Lunski sniped a shot from just below the left face-off circle between Wilderness netminder Loris Uberti’s right shoulder and the adjacent post. That goal at the 10:00 mark of the third made it 3-2.
The Wilderness penalty kill stood strong, keeping Chippewa off the scoreboard when three straight minor infractions were called over a 6:13 span beginning when there was 1:29 left in the 2nd period.
Meanwhile, Minnesota’s power play could not capitalize on its lone opportunity, which came in the 2nd period.
Uberti had arguably his finest game of the season, making several spectacular saves, as he stopped 31 of 35 shots to see his record fall to 1-2-2.
The Steel outshot the Wilderness 35-34.
The Wilderness (1-3-2) will next return to its temporary home at the St. Luke’s Sports and Events Center in Proctor for two games next weekend. A series versus the Springfield Jr. Blues will kick off Friday night at 7:15 p.m.