Staying Alive: Dziver Returns to Lead Game 3 Win
NAHL Minnesota Wilderness

Staying Alive: Dziver Returns to Lead Game 3 Win

Published on May 9, 2026 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Minnesota Wilderness News Release


In his first appearance in the second round of the playoffs, Noah Dziver jumped in and provided a spark the Minnesota Wilderness needed to avoid elimination.

Friday night, in Game 3 of the Midwest Division Finals, Dziver scored two goals and added one assist to lead the Wilderness past the Wisconsin Windigo, 6-4. It is the first win in the series for the Wilderness. The Windigo lead the best-of-5, 2-games to 1 with Game 4 Saturday night in Brookfield.

Dziver, who had been sidelined with an injury since the middle of game 2 of the first round, posted a late first period goal, assisted on one in the second frame and scored what turned out to be the game-winner in the third.

Avery Anderson also registered two goals and an assist, while Talan Blanck and Zachary Homer finished with a goal and assist.

Minnesota set the tone early. Anderson tapped in a rebound of a shot by Max Edwards 40 seconds after opening puck drop as the Wilderness notched the first goal for the sixth straight game in the 2026 playoffs.

The Windigo responded with a power play marker from Jackson Ernst to tie the score 1-1 with 7:10 left in period 1.

Dziver put the Wilderness back in front less than five minutes later. After receiving a pass from River Freeman after entering the Wisconsin zone, Dziver skated through the left face-off circle and slipped the puck through the legs of Wisconsin's Aidan Hickok before lifting a shot that beat goaltender Max Larsson high on the glove side to make the score, 2-1, with 2:44 left in the opening frame. Owen Smith also assisted on the goal which was the first in Dziver's junior career.

Dziver then assisted on the first of two power play tallies in the middle stanza. Dziver received a pass from Homer along the end wall in the offensive zone, then back handed the puck to Blanck who swooped in toward the top of the left circle and whipped a snapshot into the net with 6:14 remaining in the 2 nd period. That goal gives Blanck seven in the playoffs which ties a Wilderness franchise record for a single post-season.

More slick passing later in the period would give the Wilderness another power play goal. From the high slot Matt Hauser fed it to Anderson in the left circle who found Homer in front of the net, where Homer was able to redirect the puck past Larsson for his fifth playoff goal with 3:33 left to make the score 4-1.

That capped off a second period where Minnesota outshot Wisconsin, 15-6.

The Windigo tried to turn things around in the third and got things going early where Hickok scored to cut their deficit to two just 36 seconds into the session.

Minnesota restored its 3-goal advantage later in the period with Dziver's second of the contest that came seconds after a Windigo power play expired. Olle Karlsson began the scoring play when he broke up a Wisconsin offensive zone entry and sent the puck to Blanck along the right-wing wall. Blanck then skated across the Windigo blue line, slipped the puck to Dziver who cut across the front of the Wisconsin and sent backhander past a sprawling Larsson to make the score 5-2.

Two markers from Joshua Sardo, one on the power play and another with Larsson pulled for an extra attacker brought Wisconsin within one at 5-4. But Minnesota would finish the scoring when Anderson deposited an empty net goal with 1:02 left in the contest.

In the third period, Wisconsin outshot the Wilderness, 12-4. For the game, Minnesota had a 27-22 advantage.

Ryan Gerlich was the winning netminder finishing with 18 saves. Larsson took the loss denying 22 Wilderness attempts.

Both teams had a pair of power play tallies, with the Wilderness getting five chances, and the Windigo with four.

Puck drop for Game 4 at the Ponds of Brookfield Saturday night is set for 6:35 p.m.

Check out the Minnesota Wilderness Statistics

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North American Hockey League Stories from May 9, 2026


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