The first period opened on a positive note for the Magicians.  The Magicians’ Alexander Konnov had only played hockey in the Minor Hockey League (U20) in Russia until last night.  Last night’s game was the 1994er North American debut.  He quickly demonstrated his quick puck handling ability constantly beating the Wilderness defense crossing the blue line.

Konnov scored in the first two minutes of his first game in North America.  He picked off an errant Wilderness pass at the top of right faceoff circle and beat the Wilderness goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo/Finland in the upper right corner to put the Magicians up 1-0.  It was an unassisted goal.

The game became defensive after that goal for the remainder of the 20 minute first period.  Both teams succeeded in holding the puck in the offensive zone for a minute or so once they gained possession in the zone.

When the Magicians started to hit their neutral ice passes on the breakout, the Wilderness adjusted by keeping a third player high in the zone to pick off the passes.  It resulted in a Wilderness goal.  The Wilderness’ Jack Brandsetter/Minnetrista,MN scored a weakside rebound goal with 5 minutes left in the first period to tie the game 1-1.  Zach Jordan/Collinsville, IL and Tyler Lazarek/Saugus,CA got the assist.

As the first period was ending, the Magicians were being trapped more and more in their zone.
 

The Magicians’ put together a classic rush to take a 2-1 lead two minutes into the second period.  One Magician moved the puck along the left boards and drew the Wilderness’ defense to him and then slid a pass to a Magician breaking down the left slot.  The breaking Magician turned a fake shot into a quick weak side pass to Lalle Moisio/Finland.  The fake froze the goalie for a fraction of second giving Moisio enough time to bury the puck.  Eetu Karvinen/Finland and TJ Samec/St Thomas Academy HS got the assists.

The game started to get physical after that score.  Eight penalties were called in the second 20 minute period, five on the Wilderness.  The Magicians’ worked the perimeter on the power play well moving the puck quickly; but could muster few shots on net.  In the end, they failed to score on 10 power play opportunities; the Wilderness scored two power play goals and scored the winner playing shorthanded.

Both teams were slowing as the second period ended.  The Wilderness drew a 5 minute major and shortly after the Magicians drew a 2 minute major.  Four on four play ended as the second period ended with the Magicians up 2-1. Halfway through the second period, goal tenders were switched on both teams.  Frank Oplinger/Sewickley, PA replaced Kaskisuo and Jordan Moran/Prior Lake, MN replaced Nies.

The Magicians’ Matt Colford/Champlin, MN scored three minutes into the third period.  The puck bounced off goalie Oplinger and rolled through a defense man skates to Colford on the weak side.  Colford banged the rolling puck into the net to put the Magicians up 3-1.  Colin Hernon/Bloomington Jefferson, MN HS, and Logan VonRuden/Northfield, MN got the assists.

After scoring their third goal, the Magicians took charge of the game and played some of their best hockey.  Though they didn’t score over the next 8 minutes, they denied the Wilderness any real pressure and seemed on their way to a win.

The key play of the game started at the 9 minute mark.  The Magicians drew the second of two successive penalties creating a 5-0n-3.  Most of the play was in the Magicians’ zone.  They worked hard for over a minute to kill the first penalty.  At one point, the Wilderness had a six pass triangle going in front of the Magicians net and could not get a shot off.   The Magicians killed the 5-on-3 but it cost them.  They spent a lot of their energy in the process.  It showed.  They gave up a goal on the 5-on-4.

The Wilderness’ Zach Jordan scored on a rebound from the right side.  The puck, shot originally from the slot, rebounded weirdly and quickly through a defense man’s legs who was protecting the weak side to Jordan.  Jordan put the puck in the upper left corner off goalie Moran’s diving split legged glove save attempt.  Jordan’s goal cut the Magicians lead to 3-2.  Thomas Lindstrom/Brooklyn Park, MN and Lazazek got the assists.

The Magicians tried to come back strong and bottle the Wilderness offense in the Wilderness zone after that score.  The Wilderness countered and started to open the game up; focusing on the long pass to breaking wings beat the defense.  It worked twice.

Lindstrom scored the first goal breaking in solo down the slot.  He beat the goalie with a hard shot to the upper left corner to tie the game 3-3.  Johno May/Mahtomedi, MN got the assist.  Two minutes later, Ryan McNeely/Scottsdale, AZ broke down the slot and beat the goalie in the same corner.  It was the game winner, 4-3.

Lindstrom and McNeely had outstanding games for the Wilderness, but their overall team strength and discipline play brought them the win.  The younger Magicians simply tired in the last minutes of the third period.  Konnov and Colford played well for the Magicians.
 
Tonight (Saturday) the Magicians continue their exhibition season.  They will play the NAHL Austin Bruins at the Riverside Arena in Austin.  Game time is 7:00 PM.  The Wilderness will return to Cloquet.  They will play the Magicians next Friday, September 13 at Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet (game time is 7:00 PM).