Minnesota ends skid; on to Alaska

The Minnesota Wilderness ended a five-game losing streak on Saturday, getting a pair of goals from Sawyer Scholl to beat the Springfield Jr. Blues 4-1 at Cloquet’s Northwoods Credit Union Arena.

The win gave the Wilderness a split in the weekend series, having lost 5-3 to the visitors from Illinois on Feb. 24.

Minnesota now travels to Alaska for the next two weekends, with four games beginning March 3.

Against Springfield on Saturday, Scholl opened the scoring midway through the second period. He intercepted an errant backhand pass and swooped into the offensive zone, beating goalie Aksel Reid between his left arm and the post for a 1-0 lead.

Scholl was recently acquired to bolster the team for the run to the playoffs. A three-year league veteran, Scholl, 20, has an NCAA verbal commitment to play at the University of Wisconsin.

After giving up two goals on the penalty kill Friday, along with a shorthanded goal, Minnesota executed a more disciplined game a day later to end its slide.

The Wilderness was whistled for a single penalty Saturday and managed to kill the power play.

Gustavs Ozolins and Cole Gordon added goals in Saturday’s winning effort, as Minnesota (24-15-7) outshot Springfield (21-23-1) 30-19. Scholl’s second goal was an empty netter to end the scoring. Goalie Isak Posch got the win with 18 saves.

The Wilderness now embark on the team’s final regular season visit to Alaska, taking on the Kenai River Brown Bears for a pair of games Friday and Saturday, followed by two more the following weekend against the Anchorage Wolverines.

With 55 points, Minnesota trails Wisconsin Windigo (59), and Fairbanks (57) in the Midwest Division. Kenai River (53 points) and Anchorage (49) file in closely behind.