Photo by Josiah Phifer
Written By: Ryan Baker, Journalist
After a week of rest, the Minnesota Wind Chill have a tough divisional road trip doubleheader this weekend with games against the Indianapolis AlleyCats on Friday at 7 p.m. EST and the Chicago Union on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT.
Minnesota begins the weekend facing Indianapolis, meeting the new-look AlleyCats for the first time. Coming off a dominant win over a depleted Union squad in Week 2, the Wind Chill surged with a 15-2 run after conceding the first three points.
Outside of those first three points, the Wind Chill’s defense did exactly what they have been doing for the last couple of years, scoring so much that a majority of the weight gets lifted from the offense’s shoulders.
After producing 16 blocks and 15 breaks in their season opener—highlighted by Justin Burnett’s four blocks and contributions from six other players with two blocks—the defense aims to carry this momentum into both games. However, challenges are expected.
Photo by Josiah Phifer
The AlleyCats have big names and exciting talent. Minnesota will have to contain Cameron Brock, whose offensive impact challenges defenses, and face former teammate James Pollard, known for his versatility. Familiar defenders like William Wettengel, Xavier Payne, Jake Felton, and Jonathan Mast each bring different threats Minnesota must address.
“We're thankful that we actually have some footage available of Indianapolis after their past weekend's game against Madison,” Head Coach Ben Feldman stated. “While they'll have some lineup changes in place, it still helps us prepare and work on match-ups and our game plan heading into Friday.”
Transitioning to offensive adjustments, Friday's game in Indy will require extra focus as Feldman expects wind and gusts. "We're going to need to be very intentional with our throws and decision making in that game to be successful," Feldman said.
I expect Will Brandt and Bryan Vohnoutka to improve after combining for just one assist, one goal, and five turnovers in the opener; their ability to control possessions and finish plays is crucial. Alongside Josh Klane, who handles windy conditions well, these three play key roles under pressure.
“Everyone knows we’ve had some offensive struggles, so we’ll look to cleaning that up in these games,” said pull specialist Cameron Lacy. “We’ve found great success in our offense as the season progresses. So, each game is building towards better efficiency offensively.”
Photo by Josiah Phifer
The doubleheader adds another layer of complexity, as playing two unfamiliar teams on consecutive days is demanding. Although Minnesota faced Chicago earlier, the Union’s offense will look different with several key players returning.
Henry Goldenberg, Charlie Vukovic, Pawel Janas, and Jack Shanahan all will be returning, and their ability to create scoring chances strongly influences Chicago’s offense. Jace Bruner and Ben Preiss might also return; their defensive and offensive skills can shift momentum quickly. Minnesota must match this impact after a tough first game and overnight travel.
“Obviously, the Chicago lineup includes a few folks who weren't around for the opener but also is missing a couple others who played notable roles for them,” Feldman said. “It's going to be a big test and major challenge for us this weekend. This is by far and away the most challenging doubleheader we've ever faced during the regular season.”
Despite these challenges, if any team is equipped to handle this doubleheader—especially with a week to rest and prepare—it’s the Wind Chill. Even with taking advantage of Chicago’s inexperience in the opener, Minnesota showed plenty of flashes of superior talent.
Photo by Dart Weaver
New additions Noah Coolman and Lukas Ambrose were unbelievable in their debuts with the team, combining for five assists, one goal, four blocks, and plenty of highlight plays. Dylan DeClerck continued his two-way prowess, producing two blocks and two goals, and Lacy looked insanely comfortable on the transition offensive attack.
“We need to win with our athleticism defensively and win with our experience, offensively,” Lacy stated. “Both these teams are capable competitors, but we should win if we stay focused and play to our strengths.”
Mind you, this doesn’t mention some of the top producers from 2025 of Klane, Brandt, Vohnoutka, Gordon Larson, Noah Hanson, or Paul Krenik. All guys who can change the game, light up the stat books, shift momentum in just a single play. The depth Minnesota has is second to none.
Photo by Steve Kotvis
“I think a key thing to having success when playing a doubleheader is not thinking about the second game,” Lacy stated. “Deal with whatever might pop up when preparing for the second game, but never let the second game take away from what you need to give for the first.”
Roster-wise, things don’t change much between the two games. Guys that will play in Indy but not in Chicago include Kristian Johnson and Jordan Taylor (however, Taylor is listed as dressed for the Chicago game).
We will see 2026 debuts from Sebastian Brauer, Zach Morton, Mickey Walsh, and veteran Greg Cousins (the latter two are listed as dressed for Indy but active for Chicago).
Cousins stands out due to his veteran presence, reliable hands, and ability to make pivotal plays. Having some fresh players for game two will be valuable for Minnesota and could influence their success this weekend.
“It's going to be really important for us to tackle one quarter at a time and focus on the little things to be successful this weekend,” Feldman said. “We'll have a few fresh bodies in the lineup on Saturday as well, which will hopefully help us give us a spark heading into the matchup against Chicago on Saturday evening.”
To watch the Indy game on Friday night, go here!
To watch the Chicago game on Saturday night, go here!
Join other Wind Chill fans for both the Indy and Chicago matchups at the team’s official watch party at New Bohemia in Golden Valley! Each fan in attendance at the beginning of Friday’s game will have the opportunity to guess the exact score of the contest to win a $250 Wind Chill Digital Gift Card! If no one wins, the prize will increase by $100 for the next Road Game watch party.
