Trio of Games Set to Close 2025-26 Rivalry with Chippewa
NAHL Minnesota Wilderness

Trio of Games Set to Close 2025-26 Rivalry with Chippewa

Published on March 19, 2026 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Minnesota Wilderness News Release


In its first set of games after clinching first place in the Midwest Division, the Minnesota Wilderness will conclude the season-series vs. its closest rival.

The Wilderness will meet the Chippewa Steel in a 3-game series set to begin Thursday night. Minnesota and Chippewa will open in Chippewa Falls, WI, head to Cloquet for game 2 Friday night before meeting again in Chippewa Falls on Saturday. Both games in Chippewa Falls will start at 7 p.m. Central time, while the Cloquet contest has puck drop scheduled for 7:15.

The Wilderness (37-9-4) have won all nine games played thus far vs. Chippewa (10-38-3) this season. In their most recent weekend matchup, Minnesota won both nights in a home/home 2-game series on Jan. 16-17 by scores of 4-0 in Chippewa Falls and 9-1 at home.

Last weekend (March 13-14), Chippewa split a home weekend series vs. the Wisconsin Windigo, beating the Windigo Friday, 4-2, before falling Saturday, 7-1.

The Wilderness have won five in a row. They completed a sweep last weekend at the Springfield Jr. Blues by scores of 4-1 and 6-2. Those victories allowed Minnesota to claim its first ever NAHL Midwest Division regular season championship. They also gave the Wilderness a franchise record 20 road victories on the season, extended their streak of consecutive road games with a point to a new record of 12, and set a new single-season mark of 35 regulation wins.

Wilderness Birthday: March 17 - Olle Karlsson (21), March 22 - Cayden Neice (18)

Media: Watch all games on NAHLTV.com.

Tale of the Tape

Team GF GA PP PK

Wilderness 217 (4.34 GFPG) 121 (2.42 GAPG) 37 for 192 (19.3%) 33 for 193 (82.9%)

Chippewa 109 (2.14 GFPG) 235 (4.61 GAPG) 21 for 174 (12.1%) 51 for 236 (78.4%)

Midwest Division standings

Place Team Games Played Points This week's opponent (all games Fri./Sat. unless otherwise noted)

1 xy-Wilderness 50 78 3 vs. Chippewa: Thurs./Sat. away, Fri. home

2 Fairbanks 53 65 2 vs. Janesville

3 Wisconsin 51 62 2 vs. Springfield

4 Anchorage 53 62 3 vs. Kenai River

5 Springfield 51 55 2 @ Wisconsin

6 Janesville 50 45 2 @ Fairbanks

7 Kenai River 51 39 2 @ Anchorage

8 Chippewa 51 23 3 vs. Wilderness: Thurs./Sat. home, Fri. away

x=clinched playoff spot, y=clinched division

Check out the Minnesota Wilderness Statistics

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North American Hockey League Stories from March 19, 2026


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