Wilderness put an end to Ice Dogs’ season

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - On Sunday, May 1, the Minnesota Wilderness put an end to the Fairbanks Ice Dogs’ 2021-2022 season beating them in the fifth and final game of their play-off series.

After taking a 2 game lead back home in Fairbanks, the Ice Dogs would find a fiercer foe, playing their opponent in Wilderness territory, down in Cloquet Minnesota, at he Northwoods Credit Union Arena. The first game ended in a loss for Fairbanks, starting a negative trajectory for the rest of the series. The following night went to the Wilderness again with what would end as a shutout victory for Minnesota. The game ended 3-0 pushing the Ice dogs and the Wilderness to a full five game series.

In the final game held in Cloquet, the Ice Dogs started the night right, as Fairbanks found the first goal of the night in the first period. This goal came from the hands of Brady Welsch, who scored the opening goal unassisted. It was only a short matter of time however until the Wilderness wound up with an answering goal before the first period’s end.

Returning in the second, Minnesota managed to make three more goals, fueled by the fans and flames of victory from the previous two games. While there was still hope for Fairbanks, the Ice Dogs had lost their momentum and their mojo and failed to find the net again. The end result of game five was a 1-5 loss for the Dogs and they head home with their tails tucked.

This does mean however, that the Dogs will have to wait until fall to hit the ice again as with the fifth game loss, their season comes to an end. All is not wrought however, as the Ice Dogs will remain as the division champions for the regular season. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wilderness will have the chance to fight on for the Robertson Cup. Their next opponent will be the Anchorage Wolverines who beat their last opponent, the Springfield Junior Blues, just three games.

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