Saturday Scores: Wisconsin Clinches Spot at Midwest Division Final & Aberdeen Forces Game Five

Photo Credit: JC Wood

Fairbanks 2 @ Wisconsin 5 (Wisconsin wins series 3-2) - With an exhilarating third period scoring frenzy, the WIndigo punched their ticket to the Division Finals over the Ice Dogs. The contest kicked off when Jackson Ernst struck first for Wisconsin in the opening frame, with 1:18 left on the clock. The second period would be scoreless as both teams traded chances. Fairbanks outshot Wisconsin 10 to 8. In the final frame, Fairbanks scores two back-to-back goals to take the lead. Mason Knaffla and Luca Ricciardi both scored their first postseason goals for the Ice Dogs. However, Wisconsin did not back down from a one-goal deficit. The Windigo scored four goals straight in the last 10 minutes of the game. Ernst evens the score with an unassisted tally. Following him was Army-West Point commit Thomas Quast, lighting the lamp for the first time in the playoffs. The scoring would continue this time, Brayden Severin tallying a goal for the Windigo at the 3:18 minute mark. Finally, Wisconsin tops off the scoring following Fairbanks pulling their netminder. Ryan Mottau finds twine in an empty-netter style to seal Wisconsin's 5-2 victory.

Bismarck 3 @ Aberdeen 7 (series tied 2-2)  - Forcing a game five in the Central Division Semifinals was the Aberdeen Wings on Saturday night. The contest kicked off with East Edwards lighting the lamp quickly in the opening frame while on the man advantage. The scoring would pick back up in the second period as Aberdeen lights the lamp four times in the first 10 minutes of the frame. Lighting the lamp first was Jibber Kuhl 23 seconds into the period. A little over 30 seconds later, the captain, Owen Pitters, finds twine to give the Wings a 3-0 lead. Aberdeen would score two more in the period as Easton Edwards struck at the 12:46 minute mark. A few minutes later, Matthew Martin would score his second of the postseason for the Wings. The Bobcats would cut the deficit with two tallies in the middle frame. First, Hugo Kruse strikes at the 6:14 minute mark to break the scoring deadlock for Bismarck. In the final few seconds of the period, Teddy Richardson finds twine on the power play. In the final frame, the Bobcats would look to shift the momentum in their favor. Bismarck’s Nick Snyder lights the lamp midway through the frame to make the deficit two. However, Aberdeen would seal the victory with a tally by Cooper Anderson at the 8:18 minute mark and an empty-netter goal by Jibber Kuhl. The two Dakota rivals will square off one last time on Monday night in Bismarck.