Dawson Kuhlman, playing his first game of the season, scored the winner with 17 seconds to go in regulation, giving the expansion Wisconsin Wilderness a 4-3 win over the Fort Frances Lakers in their Superior International Junior Hockey League home debut on Friday.
It was Kuhlman’s second of the night, having started the scoring midway through the first, the only goal of the period.
James Kline scored 7:53 into the second to put Wisconsin (2-1-0) up 2-0, but the Lakers stormed back with three straight to go up one with seven-and-a-half minutes to go in the third.
Byron Katapaytuk put the Lakers (1-2-0) on the board at the 10:21 of the second. Ryan Wildman tied the score 7:15 into the third and Katapaytuk answered again to give Fort Frances the lead.
Lucas Hendrickson evened the score at 15:41 of the third, beating Lakers goalie Tyler Ampe. John McLean earned the win for Wisconsin, stopping 25 shots.
