Minnesota Wilderness Win Longest Game in NAHL History

The first game of the North American Hockey League's final playoff series to determine the winner of the Robertson Cup was longer than two regulation games and spanned two days, but the Minnesota Wilderness were eventually victorious over the home Austin Bruins by a score of 2-1 in four overtimes. The Wilderness take a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three final series after winning what was the longest game in NAHL history.

Alex Toscano put the Wilderness up 1-0 in the second period, but Austin answered back with just 4:30 remaining in regulation on a goal by JC MacLean. The two teams headed to overtime with the score deadlocked, and would play more than another full game before a winner was decided.

Just over 16 minutes into the third overtime, the two teams broke the record for longest game in NAHL history, set last season by the Austin Bruins in a first round playoff series against Minot.

The game finally ended when the Billy Exell of the Wilderness was able to skate around the defense and bury a puck between the legs of Austin goalie Evan Smith.

The two teams meet again for the second game of their series in less than 24 hours, with the puck scheduled to drop at 7:05pm, again at Austin's Riverside Arena. Another win by the Wilderness would secure the the franchise's first Robertson Cup, while a rebound win by Austin would force a decisive Game 3 on Sunday.