November 6, 2026
Cloquet, MN
For immediate release
The Minnesota Wilderness overcame a splendid goaltending performance Friday to slip past the Springfield Jr.
Blues 3-2 in the first of a 2-game home series.
The Wilderness put 50 shots toward Springfield netminder Leyton Rinehart, with 23 coming in the first period.
Rinehart knocked aside 22 of those attempts in the opening frame.
Max Edwards was the first to get one past the rookie netminder. Edwards shoveled in a shot from the slot after
receiving a pass from Cooper Siegert 5:32 into the opening frame. For Edwards, it is his third goal of the season.
and the first point in a Minnesota uniform for Siegert, who was skating in his first game since the team acquired
him earlier this week.
Rinehart then went on to act like a stone wall until the third period. In the meantime, his teammates tied the game
in the final minute of the middle frame. Tate Spaulding fired in a rebound with 25 seconds left, with assists from
Brady Anundson and Logan Smith.
The Wilderness responded soon after the final period puck drop. Frantisek Netusil put the Wilderness back in front
with his 14 th of the season at the 57 second mark. Netusil’s tally came shortly after Rinehart denied an attempt
from Jackson Lackas at the bottom of the right face-off circle. Lackas then retrieved his own rebound, sent the
puck to Kash Crawford at the top of the right circle, and Crawford then fed it to Netusil in the left circle, who one
timed the puck into the top right corner.
Minnesota (10-7-0) extended the lead to two goals when it caught Rinehart on his way off the ice for an extra
attacker. As Springfield was applying offensive zone pressure, Netusil lifted the puck out of his own end, and
caught Jackson Reeves as he was skating through center ice. Rinehart skating toward his bench and the Springfield
net empty, Reeves went to glide into the Springfield end and deposit the puck. That goal gives Reeves six on the
season and it came with 1:55 remaining in the final frame.
The Jr. Blues (1-16-1) cut Minnesota’s lead back to one just over one minute later. Anundson whipped in a wrist
shot from the hash marks near the right boards in the Wilderness zone with 52 seconds on the clock. The Wilderness managed to hold off Springfield over the final seconds to seal the victory.
Ryan Gerlich was the winning goaltender. The veteran from Brainerd kept away 26 of 28 shots.
Minnesota outshot Springfield, 50-28.
The Wilderness penalty kill denied the Jr. Blues on all four of their power play chances. On the power play,
Minnesota finished 1-for-3.
The final game of the weekend series will be on Saturday night at Northwoods Credit Union Arena, with opening
face-off set for 7:15 p.m. CST.