On Friday the Minnesota Wilderness avoided elimination defeating the Anchorage Wolverines 4-1 in Cloquet in game three of their round one North American Hockey League (NAHL) playoff series. The Wolverines entered the night trailing 2-0 in their best-of-five series.

Grand Rapids native Ren Morque opened the scoring off a Beau Janzig (Hermantown, Minn.) assist in the first period to put the Wilderness up 1-0 after one. In the second period, Payton Nelson and Daniel Astapovich each scored for the Wilderness to take the 3-0 lead. Astapovich would score his second of the game, and 15th of the season, in the third period.

Anchorage’s sole goal would come in the third from Duluth Denfeld alum Kade Shea. In net, Minnesota’s Adam Prokop made 32 saves, while Anchorage’s Liam Beerman made 35 saves.

The Wilderness now force a game four set for Saturday at 7:15 p.m. at Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet. The Wilderness need a win to tie the series at 2-2 and force a game five, which would be Sunday at 5:15 p.m. in Cloquet.