ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Wisconsin Woodsmen headed into Friday’s NA3HL showdown
against the Rochester Grizzlies in dire need of a pick-me-up.
And Nolan Mix delivered.
Mix scored two goals in the game’s final 2:57, lifting Wisconsin to a 6-4 victory over the Grizzlies
— and snapping the Woodsmen’s season-high five-game losing streak.
With the win, their first since beating the Peoria Mustangs 6-3 on Jan. 10, the Woodsmen
moved within four points of the third-place Grizzlies with five games remaining in the regular
season.
After a scoreless first period, the Woodsmen turned up the offensive heat, scoring three
unanswered goals to grab a 3-0 advantage. Justin Funk kicked things off at 4:44 of the middle
frame, and Patrick Bowser and Hugh Deinema added goals a minute apart midway through the
period.
The Grizzlies cut the Woodsmen advantage to 3-2 before the period ended on goals by Ben
Parent and Lennard Habeck.
Aiden Emerich found the back of the net at 6:17 of the third stanza to knot the game at 3-3, and
the two teams would then trade goals — Wisconsin’s by Johnny Thrasher — to make it 4-4 with
10 minutes to play in regulation.
Mix broke the tie at 17:03 and added an insurance empty-net goal with 30 seconds to play to
seal the Woodsmen victory.
Steven Kelley picked up the win in goal for the Woodsmen, kicking out 31 of the 35 Rochester
shots he faced. Andrew Dubin finished with 18 saves for the Grizzlies.
The Woodsmen and Grizzlies will go at it again Saturday night, as the two teams return to the
Rochester Rec Center in Rochester, Minn., for the 7:05 p.m. rematch.
