Wilderness beat Blizzard 6-3

Posted

BROOKINGS – The chance of a Blizzard weekend sweep over the Wilderness looked bleak as the visitors built a four-goal lead in the first 10 minutes of Saturday’s Central Division matchup at Larson Ice Center.

Brookings pulled within 4-3 early in the second period, but the Wilderness tacked on two third-period goals for insurance in a 6-3 win.

Isaac Kobenia, C.J. Regula, Gino Lucia and Josh Fricks all lit the lamp with only 9 minutes, 33 seconds of game play to put the Blizzard in a deep hole, but Connor Koviak back-handed the puck into the net with 4:09 left to get Brookings within 4-1 at the first break as Josh Boyer earned the assist.

Boyer cashed in on a power-play opportunity early in the second as Max Sasson and Doug Larson picked up the assists, and then Koviak notched his second goal of the game with an unassisted, short-handed tally with 14:33 to play as the Blizzard closed within 4-3.

But the Wilderness extended their lead with 13:42 on the clock when Luke Dow scored an unassisted goal, and then, Edward Lindelow provided for the final margin with an unassisted, empty-net goal with 1:12 left in the game.

The loss dropped the Blizzard to 21-28-2-5 on the season and they sit in last place in the division with 49 points. The Wilderness, third in the Central Division with 64 points courtesy of a 29-21-3-3 mark, have qualified for the playoffs.

Brookings closes out March with a pair of home games against the Coulee Region Chill. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. both Friday and Saturday.

MN WILDERNESS 6, BROOKINGS 3

Wilderness 4  0  2  –  6

Brookings 1  2  0  –  3

First Period

Scoring: 1. MNW – Isaac Kobienia (Tyler Watkins), 17:47. 2. MNW – C.J. Regula (Isaac Kobienia), 15:20. 3. MNW – Gino Lucia (Eric Gotz), pp, 14:31. 4. MNW – Josh Fricks (Gino Lucia), 10:27. 1. Brookings – Connor Koviak (Josh Boyer), 4:09. Penalties: B, Ryan Dickinson (Holding), 14:33; M, C.J. Regula (Slashing), 2:57; B, Doug Larson (Slashing), 2:57.

Second Period

Scoring: 2. Brookings – Josh Boyer (Max Sasson, Doug Larson), pp, 17:39. 3. Brookings – Connor Koviak (unassisted), sh, 14:33. Penalties: M, Andrew Troy (Interference), 18:36; B, Haiden Karnick (Kneeing), 16:08; M, C.J. Regula (Tripping), 8:30; B, Haiden Karnick (Tripping), 6:01.

Third Period

Scoring: 5. MNW – Luke Dow (Unassisted), 13:42. 6. MNW – Edward Lindelow (Unassisted), en, 1:12. Penalties: M, Alex Truscott (Hooking), 8:39; B, Brendan Aird (High Sticking), 7:25; B, Cameron Teamor (Tripping), 1:12; M, Nicholas Michel (Hooking), 0:28.

Shots on goal: M 14-7-13 – 34; B 11-10-8 – 29. Saves: M, Jacob Sibell 26-29; B, Liam Murray 5-8; Adam Brizgala 23-25.

Register photo: Brookings’ Doug Larson (16) battles for the puck with Minnesota’s Brennan Couet (18) during the first period of the Blizzard’s 6-3 loss to the Wilderness in NAHL Central Division action Saturday night at Larson Ice Center.