2025 NA3HL Fraser Cup Championship Tourney

[JMCx4]

Game #1 starts in about 20 minutes ...

 

[JMCx4]

 

[JMCx4]

Game #1 went to the West Bend Power Central Division champs), 2-1 over the Helena Bighorns. The Power seemed low on energy & concentration in Period 1, allowing Helena to have a lopsided offensive advantage but yielding just one goal. Once the 2nd period started & to the end of play West Bend dominated in all 3 zones, playing like a different team than early in the game & putting the Bighorns on the backs of their skate blades.

This was also the loudest sustained hockey crowd response I've experienced in recent memory. Both sides' supporters were near-constantly cheering & ringing cowbells & blowing vuvuzelas, and the West Bend contingent had some sort of foghorn that out-amplified them all. I'm gonna need to find a "quiet zone" somewhere in the rink space for their next game.

 

[JMCx4]

Game #2 was even more lopsided, with the Granite City Lumberjacks defeating the Louisiana Drillers 6-2 which was a final score that didn't really reflect how much better the Jacks played. I lost track of how often the Drillers had just one touch of the puck during a possession, and they rarely had two touches during even strength play; they were either closely checked by GC defenders, or their passes were weak or misdirected. Both teams were distracted by frequent chirping & unnecessary stickwork on opponents & later in the game a lot of post-whistle engagements. The latter was the situation at the final whistle, a sign of things to come if these two teams meet on ice again in this tournament.

In the stands, it looked like the Louisiana supporters were the largest rooting group of Day 1 & they were vocal throughout all 3 periods. But the Granite City fans were equipped with a pair of snare drums and several cowbells to be heard loud & clear.

 

[Slowdive]

Thanks for the detailed recaps, really appreciate it.

 

[I am Bettman]

Thanks for the updates

 

[JMCx4]

Game #3 just ended, West Bend Power vs. Wild card entry New Mexico Ice Wolves. The game was physical from start to finish, sometimes bordering on nasty. NM built a 3-1 lead in the 1st & 2nd periods, and held it until 8 minutes into the 3rd when an infield pop up came down in the Wolves' paint & skittered through the goalie's 5-hole. There were extended discussions after the play, but the goal was upheld. The Power then tied it up 3-3 in the 13th minute, but couldn't score on a late regulation PP. Game paused for 3 minutes before a sudden-death OT scheduled for 10 minutes. New Mexico only needed a couple of those minutes, and won 4-3 in extra time with what was probably the most net front pressure they mustered for the whole match.

West Bend fans brought the heavy duty horn again tonight. No similar devices for the New Mexico crowd, but they did their best & left with all smiles.

 

[JMCx4]

Game #4 (Binghamton Buzz vs. GC Lumberjacks) was delayed by the previous game's overtime play, and further extended by a total of 12 minor penalty calls (generously restricted to 2 minutes each). The Jacks built a 4-0 lead in the first 23 minutes, all power play goals due to a series of purely emotional infractions committed by Binghamton. The Buzz swapped goalies 6 minutes into the 2nd, after GC's 5th tally (their only even strength goal).

Binghamton finally got on the scoreboard 14 minutes into the 2nd period on a PP to make it 5-1. The Lumberjacks wrapped up the netplay with a 5th PP goal early in the 3rd. From then on, the theme was general anger & frustration for pretty much everyone on the ice. Final score = 6-1. The linesmen oughta be good & tired when they hit their pillows tonight, after spending a large portion of the night sprint-skating to all areas of the rink & break up altercations.

The GC Volunteer Drummer was in good rhythm again tonight, while the Buzz fans slowly lost their buzz.

 

[JMCx4]

Game #5 was New Mexico vs. Helena. Bighorns came out very aggressively & seemed to intimidate the Ice Wolves in the first part of the opening period. But the Wolves stepped up & scored on a mid-period PP. From there, NM built a 3-0 lead and held it through the second. 3rd period brought energy back to Helena, and they eventually scored twice. Unfortunately pulling their goalie at just under five minutes to go all but killed their chances, as the Ice Wolves scored an ENG & then the Bighorns drew a 2-minute unsportmanlike conduct penalty for involvement in the Goal#4 celly for New Mexico. Final score = 4-2, Helena (Frontier Division champs) are headed back home.

Game #5 was the loudest of all games so far ... as it should be, because Day #3 is the win-or-go-home day.

 

[JMCx4]

Game #6 was the second elimination game on Friday night, Binghamton Buzz vs. Louisiana Drillers. The Drillers were physical from the first puck drop, and got into the Buzz players' heads early. While Bingo was distracted by chirping & stickplay and retaliation, LA built a 3-0 lead through 2 periods with a 26-11 SOGs advantage. The 3rd period was the same song, and the referees didn't help with their uneven penalty calling (which became the most popular topic in the stands). Binghamton did finally manage a goal on one of the many man advantages, but just a few shifts later their team D completely fell apart & the Drillers got their 3-goal lead back. Binghamton was awarded another PP @ 4 mins left, pulled their goalie, then committed their own minor infraction just seconds later. An ENG with 2:05 to go ended the goal total, Final score = 5-1.

I left as soon as the final whistle blew, because I didn't want to see fights break out in the handshake line nor listen to any more obscenities hurled at the officials (or at the players) from the stands. Wouldn't be a good look for the NA3HL in either case.

 

[JMCx4]

Headed to the Semifinals on Saturday are:
• Granite City Lumberjacks (West Division Playoff Champions & the only undefeated team in this Fraser Cup tourney)
• West Bend Power (Central Division Playoff Champions)
• Louisiana Drillers (South Division Playoff Champions)
• New Mexico Ice Wolves (Wild Card entry)

 

[Slowdive]

I did not see the Bighorns being eliminated already. Lumberjacks have looked solid all year. Thanks for the detailed insights.

 

[JMCx4]

Excerpt from: NA3HL Fraser Cup Championship | North American Tier III Hockey League | NA3HL

I'm looking forward to the New Mexico v Louisiana semi, because I think the Wolves have the team discipline in them to stay focused as the Drillers try to carve them up. The Granite City v West Bend match could easily become a bloodbath, in more ways than one.

 

[JMCx4]

I did not see the Bighorns being eliminated already. Lumberjacks have looked solid all year. Thanks for the detailed insights.

A side note to the Helena elimination, displaying both sadness & noteworthy sportsmanship. Their 19 y-o goaltender played for his St. Louis-area high school team for 4 years before advancing to NA3 this season. When the final whistle was blown on Friday night's first game, he broke down in tears in his crease. Several of his teammates consoled him for quite some time, then he was treated with visible respect from all of his New Mexico opponents in the handshake line. It ain't always about the hockey, folks.

 

[JMCx4]

Louisiana Drillers grab one spot in tomorrow's championship game. Never a contest until the closing 2 minutes. 4-1 after 20 mins, 5-1 after 40. A major key to the game was New Mexico's clearing passes & passing to spring rushes; rarely good, otherwise ranging from weak to unfortunate to atrocious. So they could never get a sustained offensive flow until very late, when they pulled their goalie while one skater was in the box (so 5-on-5 with their net empty). The score got to 5-4 with 25.5 secs left (after a series of game misconducts & other infractions on both sides), but the Ice Wolves' luck ran out with the game clock. Final score = 5-4.

 

[JMCx4]

West Bend Power eliminated the tourney favorite Granite City Lumberjacks in the second semifinal matchup. Very evenly played throughout (reflected in the 27-23 SOG difference), with a lot less chippy play than I expected between these two teams. The play was always physical, but didn't warrant too much referee intervention and the opponents mostly kept their cools as the game progressed. The Power took a 1-0 lead @ 4:24 left in the 2nd period, then scored the ENG clincher with 7 seconds left in the game. Final score = 2-0.

Championship final scheduled for 4 PM on Sunday. Severe thunderstorms are forecast for the afternoon & evening, with risks of the other usual springtime conditions in our area (high winds, hail, tornadoes). The real-time conditions may persuade me to miss the West Bend v Louisiana final, but I hope other attendees enjoy a game as entertaining as Saturday night's Game 2. I hope even more that all in attendance & those participating remain safe, and that they don't have an interruption in play for necessary sheltering-in-place. 🌪

 

[JMCx4]

Did not attend, but ... according to the League's box score the Louisiana Drillers are the 2025 NA3HL Fraser Cup Champions!