Friday Win Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive
April 7, 2025 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Minnesota Wilderness News Release
The Minnesota Wilderness used the momentum from a goalie fight to get past the Janesville Jets Friday in a 5-3 win.
Wilderness starting netminder Nick Erickson's tilt with his Janesville counterpart Matthew Alberti late in the 2nd period lit up the home crowd at Northwoods Credit Union Arena and the Minnesota bench. The Wilderness went on to break a 2-2 tie in the third period, outscoring the Jets, 3-1, in the final frame.
With 22 seconds left in the 2nd period, as officials were tending to a scrum in the Wilderness zone, Erickson and Alberti converged at center ice for a battle of fisticuffs. Erickson managed to get the upper hand quickly as Alberti fell to the ice on his back, allowing Erickson to land several blows. Alberti answered with one shot as officials were in the process of breaking up the bout, but it appeared Erickson was the winner, and the home audience, acting as unofficial fight judges, agreed. The crowd erupted in cheers which energized Erickson's teammates.
The fight resulted in Erickson's and Alberti's ejection from the game. Valdemar Andersen finished as the winning goaltender, making 10 saves on 11 shots over 20:21.
Avery Anderson broke the 2-2 tie 2:56 into the third period. Anderson converted on a centering pass from Caleb Kim for his 6th goal of the 24-25 season, with another assist going to Ryan DeAngelis.
Minnesota then made it 4-2 when Karson Young scored on a sharp-angled shot from the extended goal line below the right circle. Brady Zugec and Jakeb Lynch assisted on Young's third tally of the season 8:56 into the final frame.
After Murray Marvin-Cordes lit the lamp to cut the Wilderness lead to 4-3, Ben Roulette added an empty-net goal just as time expired to make the score 5-3. It was the 2nd red-lighter of the contest for Roulette who also scored Minnesota's first goal of the game, 4:38 into the 2nd period, which then tied the game at 1-1. Roulette, a forward from Rivers, Manitoba, now has 13 goals on the season and 4 in the last three games. Nate Murray and Olle Karlsson assisted on Roulette's 2nd period goal.
The Wilderness received another 2nd period tally from Lucas Jendek, who fired in his 13th of the season at the 13:14 mark with helpers going to Lynch and Frantisek Netusil.
Along with Marvin-Cordes, Janesville had goals from Hans Hedlund and Joseph Hyten-who scored short-handed in the first period for the first goal of the game.
Alberti was replaced by Christian Kirsch in the Jets net, who suffered the loss making 7 saves on 9 shots over 19 minutes and 10 seconds. Alberti made 22 saves on 24 shots before his fight with Erickson playing 39:38.
Erickson stopped 18 of 20 Janesville shots in his 39:38 in net.
Neither team managed a power play goal, with four chances going to Minnesota and three for Janesville.
The win allows Minnesota to remain in contention for the final Midwest Division playoff spot. The Midwest's top four teams will make the NAHL's Robertson Cup playoffs, and the final spot is currently held by the Chippewa Steel. Chippewa holds a 3-point lead over the Wilderness, who remain in fifth place. Both teams have two games remaining on the regular season schedule. For the Wilderness to make the post-season, they must win their final two contests while Chippewa cannot gain more than one point in its final two games.
The Springfield Jr. Blues, who occupy 6th place and are also still in contention for the post-season, will be Minnesota's final opponent on the regular docket. Springfield takes on the Wilderness in Cloquet on April 11-12.
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North American Hockey League Stories from April 7, 2025
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