Split is a win after tough month

After struggling with only one win in the final month of the 2021, the Wilderness have started 2022 on the right foot.

After falling behind 2-0 and 3-1 in the first period Saturday, Minnesota came alive to outscore Fairbanks 4-1 for the game’s final 40 minutes to win, 5-4, forcing a split in the two-game weekend series and snapping the Ice Dogs’ nine-game winning streak.

Reid Conn was the hero, as he scored the game-winner with 6:57 remaining in the third period. Conn took advantage of a neutral ice turnover, picked up a loose puck in front of the Fairbanks bench, skated to the circle to the left of the Fairbanks net and unleashed a wrist shot that whipped past Ice Dog goaltender Tyler Krivtsov’s stick side into the back of the net.

The Wilderness (15-17-1) also had two goals from Bryce Howard and single tallies from Max Neill and Jackson Lucia. Three of those goals came in a 2:40 span in the second that turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead. Neill began the comeback with his fifth of the season from Cole Crusberg-Roseen and Matt McQuade at the 8:52 mark. That was followed by Lucia’s goal 1:37 later. Then Howard scored his second of the game and sixth of the year to give them their first lead of the night at 11:32.

Minnesota will return to the ice Saturday, Jan. 8, home against Chippewa.