*Photo Contributed by Juan Carlos Wood – @photosbyjcw on Instagram
In the final weekend of the regular season, the Windigo traveled to Springfield, Illinois for two bouts against the Jr. Blues. The pair of games lived up to the rest of the season series, as both games went to overtime or beyond, marking the sixth time in the series where the two sides would need an extra period to decide a winner. In the end, the Windigo dropped both games 2-1, but played well defensively and are poised to turn things around in the first round of the Robertson Cup Playoffs.
Friday, April 10
Final Score: Windigo 1, Jr. Blues 2 (OT)
In the opening clash of the weekend, the game upheld the definition of a defensive battle. Neither side found the back of the net until there were less than seven minutes remaining in the third period. Until that point, the teams would trade a plethora of penalties and high-level saves. Windigo netminder Max Larsson tended to a very strong performance, as he stopped 34 shots on 36 attempts.
To place the first tally of the game on the board, Windigo winger Peyton Mithmuangneua tapped in a goal at the back stick to complete a strong offensive possession. After a rebounded shot from winger Jackson Ernst, affiliate forward Liam Grant picked up possession behind the crease before he slid the primary helper on Mithmuangneua’s quick strike for the goal. The tally was Mithmuangneua’s sixth goal of the season and his third over the team’s last 10 games. Grant earned his fourth assist of the season, and Ernst picked up his 17th helper for the rebounded shot.
From that point, the Windigo looked to shore up their defense for the late game. Each team had a few good attempts offensively down the stretch, but the Jr. Blues would ultimately be the ones to score with just 25 seconds remaining. With the game in overtime, Springfield struck the game-winning goal 44 seconds into the extra period.
By earning one point in the Midwest Division Standings, the Windigo kept their hopes for the No. 2 overall seed alive. They would need the Fairbanks Ice Dogs to lose one of their two games to the Kenai River Brown Bears, but would head into Saturday’s game with the ability to grab the higher seed.
Saturday, April 11
Final Score: Windigo 1, Jr. Blues 2 (SO)
In the team’s final game of the regular season, the Windigo lost in heartbreaking fashion during a shootout. Saturday’s outing resulted in the sixth consecutive game between the two sides that was decided halfway through the third period or beyond.
On the contrary to the opening contest of the weekend, both goals in regulation were scored early in the game. Springfield opened the scoresheet with a tally from winger Brady Turner just over one minute into regulation.
Two minutes after Springfield took the lead, Mithmuangenua wrote back with one of the best goals of the calendar year. After the puck was worked forward to him by center AJ Bongiorno and co-captain Alexios Georgaklis, Mithmuangneua toe-dragged the puck past Turner and shielded it with his backhand before scooping it up and over Springfield’s Amir Valiullin in net.
Mithmuangneua’s highlight-reel tally became his second goal of the weekend and his seventh twine finder of the season. Georgaklis picked up his 30th helper of the season on the play, eclipsing the 30-assist mark for the first time across his two years with the Windigo. Bongiorno earned his third assist in the team’s last four games, which leads the team in April.
After the pair of early goals, the game turned into a goalie battle. Windigo netminder played his part to keep the Jr. Blues scoreless across the remainder of regulation, making 23 saves along the way. The Windigo created more chances offensively, forcing Springfield’s Valiullin to make 38 saves. The game would see no goals in overtime, leading to a shootout.
In the shootout, Larsson and Valiullin continued to trade saves, as they stopped each team’s first three attempts respectively. After Valiullin saved Wisconsin’s fourth attempt, Jr. Blues winger Logan Sutton gave the home team the win with the lone tally of the shootout.
Despite Springfield taking both games, the Windigo kept their hopes alive for the No. 2 seed with another point in the shootout loss. They would ultimately end up with the No. 3 seed when Fairbanks completed its sweep over the Kenai River Brown Bears.
Standings
With the weekend slate concluded, the Windigo finished the regular season with a 34-21-4 record and 72 points across 59 games this season. They would finish third in the Midwest Division out of eight teams, securing them a spot in the 2026 Robertson Cup Playoffs.
Up Next
The Robertson Cup Playoffs have arrived! With the Windigo obtaining the No. 3 seed in the Midwest Division, they will travel to Fairbanks, Alaska for up to three games against the No. 2 seed Ice Dogs. The first two games are slated for a puck drop at 7:30 PM AKDT on Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18. If the Windigo sweep the first two games or the two sides split the pair of matchups, Game 3 will be hosted by Fairbanks on Sunday, April 19 at 4:00 PM AKDT.
If you can’t be there in person, all Windigo home and away games can be streamed on NATV. Visit nahltv.com for more details. When you tune into the broadcast, make sure to select “Away Feed” to watch the Windigo livestream with Play-by-Play Broadcaster Ben Buttrick.
