Wilderness chasing final playoff spot

The Minnesota Wilderness are now within striking distance of the Midwest Division’s final playoff spot. Minnesota completed its first sweep of the season against the Chippewa Steel in a home-and-home series this weekend. A pair of 4-3 victories, Friday in Cloquet and Saturday in Chippewa Falls, WI, has moved Minnesota to two points behind the Steel for 4th-place in the Midwest Division standings.

The division’s top four teams qualify for the NAHL’s Robertson Cup playoffs.

The Wilderness (27-24-4) will play their final four games of the 2024-25 regular season schedule at home, while Chippewa (28-22-4) travels to Alaska for its final five contests. Minnesota must gain three more points than the Steel before the end of the regular season, and stay ahead of the sixth-place Springfield Jr. Blues to qualify for the post-season. Springfield is only one point behind Minnesota and three points away from Chippewa.

The Wilderness will host Janesville in a Thursday-Friday series before entertaining Springfield in a season-closing two-game series April 11 and 12.