Windigo continue winning ways against Wilderness, Steel

It’s been all about winning for the Wisconsin Windigo around the Thanksgiving holiday and the month of November.
The team concluded the month with nine wins in 11 games with five consecutive games against the Minnesota Wilderness the two weekends before Thanksgiving and a pair of games versus the Chippewa Steel at home last weekend. The team improved to 19-3-1-2 with an overtime loss and two shootout losses and leads the Midwest Division ahead of the Anchorage Wolverines.
With two dominant wins against the Wilderness Nov. 22-23, Wisconsin fell to Minnesota, 5-2, on Nov. 27.
Back home for weekend tilts with the Steel, the Windigo allowed two goals all weekend and came away with 4-1 and 3-1 victories.

Wilderness games

The Windigo has had Minnesota’s number this season after wrapping up a 4-1 stretch against the Wilderness after the two squads played five straight contests over the last three weekends, including two-weekend series and a game the day before Thanksgiving.
Minnesota struck first in game one, but that would be the last puck Lucas Szyszka would allow in the game. He picked up his 13th win of the year.
Five different Windigo skaters scored, including Jordan Brothers being the lone Windigo goal in the first period to enter intermission at 1-1.
Wisconsin scored two goals in the second and the third, with Elliot Gulley scoring the eventual game-winner at 13:58 of the second period. Gulley leads the Windigo in points so far this season.
Luke Baker scored one of his three goals of the weekend with an empty net late in the third period. The Windigo outshot the Wilderness 31-27 on the night.

It was much of the same in game two offensively. Both the penalty kill and powerplay units took advantage, as they scored four of the seven goals in the win.
Wisconsin took a 2-0 lead after goals in the first period and early in the second before Minnesota rattled off two-straight goals to tie things at 2-2 after the middle period.
Five third-period goals for the Windigo became the difference, including two power-play goals late by Brothers and Zachary Cline. Wisconsin outshot Minnesota 38-20 as the victors.

Steel

In game one, the two teams skated to a scoreless and even first period as the Windigo were outshot 13-11.

Jordan Brothers struck for the game’s first goal, giving the Windigo a 1-0 lead at 5:04 of the middle frame. Minnesota answered a handful of minutes later and Zachary Cline netted his eighth of the season to make it a 2-1 game at the second intermission.
Cline scored his ninth on a Windigo penalty kill late in the third before an empty-netter sealed the victory for good.
Game two on Saturday had a similar feel, as no team could beat the other’s goaltender in the first period.
The first goal didn’t come until 45 seconds left in the second, with Josh Sardo scoring his first NAHL goal for the 1-0 lead. Minnesota found the equalizer five minutes into the third before Sardo scored the eventual game-winner at 17:03. An empty net goal by Ronnie Hill sealed Saturday’s win late in the period.
The Windigo have an upcoming two-game tilt at home this weekend, Friday, Dec. 6-7, against the Anchorage Wolverines. Both games will start at 7 p.m.