Comeback Complete: Wilderness Outlast Windigo to Claim Division Playoff Title
NAHL Minnesota Wilderness

Comeback Complete: Wilderness Outlast Windigo to Claim Division Playoff Title

Published on May 14, 2026 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Minnesota Wilderness News Release


The Minnesota Wilderness are headed to the Robertson Cup Semi-finals for the third time in franchise history.

Valdemar Andersen stopped 24 Wisconsin Windigo shots Monday night for his first career playoff shutout, as the Wilderness defeated the Windigo, 3-0, to win the Midwest Division Final series, 3-games-to-2.

The win completes a comeback for Minnesota who fell behind in the series, 2-games-to-0, after dropping the first two contests at home. The Wilderness, while facing elimination, went on to win two games in Brookfield, WI, to tie the series, before finishing the series in game 5.

All three goals were scored in the second period.

Zachary Homer broke a scoreless tie when he lofted a backhander that beat Wisconsin goaltender Max Larsson high on the stick side at the 6:30 mark of the middle frame. His unassisted tally came on a 4-on-4 and set a new Wilderness franchise record with his eighth of the post-season.

A fortunate bounce led to Minnesota's second goal. A shot by River Freeman from the right circle deflected off the skate of Wisconsin's Henry Steele right to Landon Cottingham as he was positioned in front of the right post of the Windigo net. Cottingham tapped the puck across the goal line before a sprawling Larsson could snag the puck with 9:18 remaining. Owen Smith also assisted on the tally which was Cottingham's first of the post-season.

The Wilderness completed the scoring when Avery Anderson deflected in Matt Hauser's shot from the high slot with 2:32 left in the second period. Anderson's sixth of the playoffs was also helped by Talan Blanck.

Anderson went on to perform additional heroics in the final stages of the third period as the Windigo applied pressure with the goalie pulled and an extra attacker on the ice. The Wilderness co-captain stepped in front of four Windigo shots to keep them off the board and help his goaltender teammate preserve a shutout.

On special teams, the Wilderness for the first time in the series kept the Windigo power play off the scoreboard. Wisconsin went 0-for-2 with the man-advantage, while Minnesota finished 1-for-5.

The Wilderness outshot the Windigo 30-24. Larsson took the loss for Wisconsin stopping 27 Minnesota shots.

The next phase of the post-season will be in Blaine, MN, and the Robertson Cup semi-finals. Minnesota, the NAHL's third seeded team, will meet the Central Division champion and second seeded Austin Bruins in a best 2-of-3 series set to begin Friday night at Fogerty Arena. Game 2 will be Saturday night, and if necessary, game 3 will be Sunday night.

The other semi-final features the winners of the East Division, the Maryland Black Bears, taking on the South Division kings, the Lone Star Brahmas.

The winners of the two semi-final series will meet in a one-game winner-take-all final set for May 19, also at Fogerty Arena in Blaine.

Check out the Minnesota Wilderness Statistics

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North American Hockey League Stories from May 14, 2026


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