Wilderness Improve To 7-1 With Win Over Iron Rangers

Oct 10, 2012

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

CLOQUET- When the Wilderness relocated from Wisconsin to Minnesota, expectations were high for the two time defending champions of the SIJHL, and so far on this early season the Wilderness have lived up to those expectations.

Wednesday night the Wilderness took to the ice looking to improve on their league best 6-1 record as they were ready to face the Minnesota Iron Rangers for the first time this season. The Wilderness started fast as they defeated the Iron Rangers by a score of 5-3.

The Wilderness took off fast Wednesday night scoring three first period goals and held off a scrappy Iron Rangers team for the two goal victory at Northwood’s Credit Union Arena. Jake Larson scored his 4th goal of the season only two minutes into the 1st period to give the Wilderness a 1-0 lead.

The Wilderness continued to dominate the 1st period by outshooting the Iron Rangers 17-8 in the first stanza. Brian Drapluck put the Wilderness ahead by a score of 2-0 at the 12:45 mark of the first period. A little over one minute later Jake Maxson scored to give the Wilderness a 3-0 lead after one period.

The second period saw the Iron Rangers come out on the ice with a new sense of determination as they would cut the Wilderness lead down to two goals by the end of the second period. After cutting the Wilderness lead to 3-1 it was Mike Mackinnon scoring his first of two goals on the night to put the Wilderness more comfortably in front 4-2.

The Iron Rangers made it close, cutting the lead to 4-3 after killing off three penalties that left the Iron Rangers two players short for four minutes and one player short for another three minutes. With the Iron Rangers pressing to tie things up, the Wilderness put the game away when Mackinnon scored again and gave the Wilderness the 5-3 lead, which is how the game ended.

The win puts the Wilderness in first place of the SIJHL with a record of 7-1 overall. The Wilderness is back in action again on Saturday when they will face the Dryden Ice Dogs in Dryden Canada. The Wilderness will be back at home on Friday and Saturday nights as they will face the Ice Dogs over the weekend both nights a Northwoods Credit Union Arena.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com