Who: Minnesota Wilderness vs. Janesville Jets
When: Feb. 23-24, 7:15 p.m. CST both nights
Where: Northwoods Credit Union Arena, Cloquet, MN
The lead: The Minnesota Wilderness hope to gain ground on the Janesville Jets this weekend in a home series.
Media: All of the action can be seen on nahltv.com.
Records: Janesville – 44 games, 27-14-3, 57 points; Minnesota – 46 games, 25-17-4, 54 points
Midwest Division Standings:
| Place | Team | Points | Games Played | This weekend’s opponent |
| 1 | Wisconsin | 66 | 46 | 2 games @ Springfield |
| 2 | Janesville | 57 | 44 | 2 games @ Wilderness |
| 3 | Anchorage | 54 | 42 | 2 games vs. Chippewa |
| 3 | Wilderness | 54 | 46 | 2 games vs. Janesville |
| 5 | Chippewa | 49 | 46 | 3 games @ Anchorage |
| 6 | Springfield | 36 | 43 | 2 games vs. Wisconsin |
| 6 | Fairbanks | 36 | 44 | 2 games @ Kenai River |
| 8 | Kenai River | 29 | 45 | 2 games vs. Fairbanks |
Last Weekend:
- Janesville hosted Wisconsin for two games Feb. 16-17. The Jets were victorious in game 1, 2-1 (SO), while Wisconsin won game 2, 4-2.
- The Wilderness split a two-game series in Springfield. Springfield took game 1, 4-2, while Minnesota countered with a 6-2 win in Saturday’s contest.
Cancer Awareness: This weekend, the Wilderness will be wearing special purple uniforms for cancer awareness. Each jersey is for sale with net proceeds going to the St. Luke’s Hospital Cancer Foundation.
Season series: This will be the final two games of the season between the Jets and Wilderness. The first four meetings were in Janesville in November, with each team winning twice. Janesville won the first two contests in Cloquet Dec. 30-31 by scores of 5-1 and 5-2.
Tale of the tape:
| Team | GF | GA | PP | PK | PIMs |
| Janesville | 176 | 131 | 21.6% | 85.1% | 606 |
| Wilderness | 123 | 124 | 18.8% | 86.5% | 584 |
Source: nahl.com
Peyton Paydirt: Peyton Nelson’s hat trick last Saturday marked only the sixth time in Wilderness history that a player scored three goals in a single road game. Prior to last weekend, the last time a Wilderness player posted a hat trick in an opponent’s home building was Jan. 28, 2022, when Max Neill notched three at Chippewa. Nelson’s hat trick was also the first hat trick for Minnesota dating back to when Kevin Marx Norén lit the lamp three times in a game vs. Anchorage on Oct. 2, 2022. There have now been a total of 13 hat tricks posted in Wilderness history. Those three goals Saturday were the first three of the season for the forward from Centennial, CO. Nelson finished the weekend with five points as he also recorded two assists—one Friday and another Saturday. On the season, in 11 games, Nelson has three goals and five assists for eight points.
Bluesbreaker Beau: Beau Janzig shook a monkey off his back Friday night. The defenseman from Hermantown, MN, snapped a 37-game goal drought with his third period tally. He followed that with another red-lighter Saturday night, and added two assists over the two games for a 4-point weekend. Prior to Friday night, the last time Janzig scored a goal was Sept. 29, which was also against Springfield. In 4 games vs. the Jr. Blues this season, Janzig has three goals and four assists for 7 points.
Hail Hayden: Hayden Walters broke a scoring drought last weekend. The forward from Sartell, MN, posted his first goal ever for the Wilderness. The 20-year-old is in his second stint with the Wilderness after being acquired last month from Kenai River. He first played with Minnesota during the 2021-22 season where he skated in 16 games, but did not register a point. In his 8 games since returning, Walters now has three points (1 goal/2 assists).
Jets Getting New Hangar: A new era is coming for the Janesville Jets. The team this week broke ground on a brand new arena coming to the southern Wisconsin city. Upon completion, the Woodman’s Sports and Convention Center (WSCC) will include a 1500-seat arena that will be the new home to the Jets. It will replace the Janesville Arena, where the Jets have played since entering the NAHL in 2009. The WSCC will be a 130,000 square foot facility that will also have space for conventions and other athletic activities. Projected cost will be about $23 million. Completion is expected in June or July of 2025.