Late Power Play Goal Lifts Wilderness Past Steel
NAHL Minnesota Wilderness

Late Power Play Goal Lifts Wilderness Past Steel

Published on December 15, 2025 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Minnesota Wilderness News Release


The Minnesota Wilderness extended a winning streak to five games Saturday night, thanks to a power play tally in the final seconds that sent them past the Chippewa Steel, 4-3.

With Minnesota on a 2-man advantage, Zach Homer received a cross-ice pass from Talan Blanck and converted on a one-time shot that rocketed past Steel netminder Max Kogler to put the Wilderness ahead to stay with 41 seconds left in regulation. Kevin Lysohir also assisted on the goal which was Homer's team-leading 18th on the season, and league-leading 6th game-winner.

That moment capped off a gritty back-and-forth contest, where the Wilderness saw 2-goal leads of 2-0 and 3-1 and evaporate.

A turnover led to the game's first goal. Talan Blanck applied a poke check in the neutral zone that sent the puck across the Chippewa blue line, where it was picked up by Jackson Reeves. Reeves then flung a shot past Kogler to give the Wilderness a 1-0 lead with his fifth of the season with 8:47 left in the first period.

Kevin Lysohir made it 2-0 just 1:17 later to give him power play goals in consecutive games and 10 th of the season. Owen Smith and Noah Dziver assisted on the marker which Lysohir fired in from the bottom of the right circle.

After Anthony Preskar got Chippewa got on the board early in the second frame, Dziver answered with his 14 th on the campaign. Dziver scored on a breakaway after intercepting a pass in the defensive zone with 9:57 remaining in period 2.

Former Wilderness Tom Manzella then cut Minnesota's lead to one before the end of the 2nd period, and the Steel followed by tying the game with a goal from Sam Schulte 17 seconds after the 3rd period puck drop.

Minnesota outshot the Steel, 31-17.

Wilderness goaltender Ryan Gerlich earned the win making 14 saves. Kogler took the loss with 27 stops.

On the power play, the Wilderness finished 2-for-6 while the Steel went 0-for-2.

Next weekend (Dec. 19-20), Minnesota will close its 2025 portion of the 2025-26 regular season schedule with a 2-game series in Brookfield, WI, vs. the Wisconsin Windigo.

Check out the Minnesota Wilderness Statistics

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North American Hockey League Stories from December 15, 2025


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