Wilderness fall flat in Alaska

An overtime loss Friday resulted in the only point the Minnesota Wilderness gained in this weekend’s three-game series in Fairbanks. The Fairbanks Ice Dogs (24-7-5) won 3-2 in Thursday’s opening game, 3-2 again Friday in overtime and 5-1 in the Saturday finale.

The Wilderness penalty kill was perfect over the three games, going 18-for-18.

The Wilderness (17-18-4) are now winless in their last six games, and their record has fallen below 0.500 for the first time since Dec. 14.

Minnesota continues its final Alaska trip of the 24-25 season next weekend in Soldotna with a two-game series with the Kenai River Brown Bears.

Thursday, 3-2

After entering the third period 3-0, the Wilderness got back into the contest with an early goal in the final frame. Noah Dziver notched his 10th of the season 36 seconds into the period to make the score 3-1. Logan Nagle and Owen Smith assisted on Dziver’s 10th of the season.

Zach Homer added one more with less than five seconds to play. His 16th of the season was helped by Payton Struck and Jakeb Lynch.

Those tallies came on the heels of a period in which the Wilderness controlled the play, outshooting the Ice Dogs 13-6. For the game, Fairbanks finished with a 35-26 shot advantage.

Friday, 3-2

For the second straight night, Fairbanks had a lead going into the third period after keeping the Wilderness scoreless in the first two periods. On this night, the Wilderness managed to tie the game.

Zach Homer and Frantisek Netusil each scored late power play goals to even the score, 2-2.

Fairbanks’ Luc Plante was called for high-sticking late in the third period that carried into the extra frame. Minnesota could not convert and Plante ended up scoring the game-winner on a breakaway moments after exiting the penalty box.

Saturday, 5-1

Minnesota outshot the Ice Dogs, 37-28 in the final contest of the three-game set, but was limited to just one goal. Nate Murray scored his 13th of the season late in the second period when he completed a 2-on-0 short-handed breakaway with Lucas Jendek. Zach Howard also assisted on the goal, which came with 15 seconds left in the middle frame and cut Fairbanks’ lead to 3-1.

Wilderness goaltender Valdemar Andersen suffered the loss, stopping 19 on 24 shots. He was replaced by Nick Erickson after Fairbanks scored its fourth goal of the game in the third.