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NAHL Minnesota Wilderness

Wilderness Sweep Kenai to Roll into Holiday Break on 5-Game Winning Streak

December 17, 2024 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Minnesota Wilderness News Release


The Minnesota Wilderness closed out the 2024-25 season's first half playing its best hockey of the campaign, completing a 2-game sweep of the Kenai River Brown Bears and stretching its winning streak to a season-high five games.

The Wilderness (14-13-3) also moved back above .500 after their 7-4 and 6-1 victories Friday and Saturday nights over Kenai River (11-15-3). Minnesota is now idle for the remainder of 2024, with its next games set for January 3-4 at home vs. the Anchorage Wolverines.

Friday night: Wilderness 7, Kenai River 4

A balanced offensive attack led the Wilderness to victory Friday night.

Seven different players scored goals for Minnesota. Newcomer Tyler Webb, who was recently called up from the NA3HL Minnesota Wilderness, broke a scoreless tie 9:20 into the first period with a goal in his first NAHL game. The Wilderness followed that with tallies from Zach Homer, Drew Beasley and Brady Zugec in the 2nd period, before Noah Dziver, Ben Roulette and Zach Howard finished off the scoring in the third.

The Brown Bears were led by three goals from Jack Clarke and a single red-lighter from Gavin Jensen.

While the Wilderness never trailed in the game, Kenai River made things interesting in the 2nd and 3rd periods. After Minnesota built a 3-0 lead in the early stages of the 2nd, the Brown Bears scored twice to make it 3-2. However, 2:09 after Kenai scored its second goal, the Wilderness fought back with Zugec notching a power-play marker to re-build the lead to two.

Kenai then started strong in the third period with Clark's second goal of the game 2:20 into the frame to make it 4-3, but this time Minnesota's response was even quicker, as Dziver fired in what ended up being the game-winner just 31 seconds later.

Webb and Beasley added assists to close the game with two points, while Joey Sylvester finished with two helpers. Single assists went to Patty Dunaiski, Owen Smith, Payton Struck, Ryan Warner and Thomas Manzella.

Kenai outshot the Wilderness, 36-29, which included a 26-19 advantage over the final two periods.

Nick Erickson earned his fourth straight win in goal making 32 saves.

The Brown Bears used two goaltenders. Starter Owen Zenone played the first 24:05 of the game before being replaced by Mitchell Mccusker who was in net for the next 20:32. Zenone then returned at the 2:51 mark of the third to finish the night for the Brown Bears. Zenone stopped 14 of 17, while Mccusker turned aside 7 of 10 Wilderness shots.

Minnesota went 1-for-4 on the power play and kept Kenai scoreless on its four chances.

Saturday: Minnesota 6, Kenai River 1

Noah Dziver posted two goals and added one assist for a three-point night in the series finale.

Nick Erickson had another strong contest, making 38 saves, as Kenai again outshot Minnesota, 39-37. That shot count includes an 18-7 advantage in the third period, where Erickson kept the Brown Bears scoreless.

Zach Homer also registered a 3-point game, with a goal and two assists. Others with multiple points were Nate Murray with one goal and one assist while Owen Smith posted two helpers. Single goals went to Lucas Jendek and Zach Howard - with Howard posting empty-net goals in both games of the series.

Joey Sylvester, Luke Margenau and Tyler Webb all recorded single assists.

Minnesota scored in all phases of the game: short-handed, power play, 4-on-4, 5-on-5 along with the empty net.

Jendek posted the game's first marker when he converted on a short-handed breakaway 4:06 into the opening frame. The Wilderness then made it 2-0 when Dziver slipped in a power-play tally with 7:45 left.

After former Hermantown Hawk Will Esterbrooks put the Brown Bears on the board at 1:36 of the second, Dziver made it 3-1 with a 4-on-4 goal at the 5:42 mark.

Zach Homer then scored the Wilderness' first 5-on-5 goal of the game with 3:44 left in the middle frame. Howard and Murray then closed out the scoring in the final period.

For the second straight night, both teams had four power play opportunities, and the two teams finished with the same results as Friday night-the Wilderness scoring once, and Kenai failing to convert on its chances.

Goaltender Owen Zenone took the loss for the Brown Bears with 31 saves.

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North American Hockey League Stories from December 17, 2024


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