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NAHL 2020-2021 Thread

February play is completed, with just 2-1/2 months of the NAHL 2020-21 season to go. Time for another look at the NAHL's top teams, as the races in 3 of the 4 divisions have started to tighten up …
  • Central Division: Let’s get this one outta the way … It’s the Aberdeen Wings (29-1-0-1 for 59 pts.) … and all the rest. Only the 2nd place Bismarck Bobcats (18-11-2-3 with 1 OT win for 41 pts.) have a frozen puck’s chance in a blast furnace of catching them in the Division race; but even they will be better off concentrating on holding their position & hoping for Aberdeen to be upset by one of the lower seeded teams in the first playoff round. The Wings’ single loss of the 2020-21 season came at the hands (and sticks) of the still-last place St. Cloud Norsemen back on December 19th, a 4-0 shutout. Each team had a full roster for that game, and nothing else in the Game Report presents itself as the primary reason for the upset (other than the final score). I guess everybody is allowed a night off. :boredom:
  • East Division: With a Sunday afternoon victory over the Northeast Generals, the Maine Nordiques (22-11-1-0 with 3 OT wins for 45 pts.) jumped back ahead of the Johnstown Tomahawks (20-6-2-2 with 2 OT wins for 44 pts.). Maine’s goalie Avery Sturtz is ranked 11th in the League (13-8-5-0, 2.51 GAA, 0.916 SV%), and the team has kept their PIM count down to help Sturtz’s cause. Johnstown is second in the League in Goals For (117) trailing only Aberdeen, with three Tomahawks forwards among the Top 6 scorers: Jay Ahern (18G + 21A = 39 points for 2nd place & leading the NAHL in pts/game @ 1.34); Brendan Clark (10G + 26A = 36 points); and John Gelatt (18G + 16A = 34 points).
  • Midwest Division: The Janesville Jets (14-7-2-0 with 1 OT win for 30 pts.) defeated the 3rd place Kenai River Brown Bears on Sunday evening, breaking the 1st place tie with the Minnesota Magicians (14-5-0-0 with 2 OT wins for 28 pts.). The Jets are on a 7-3-0-0 run in their past 10 games. The Magicians are backstopped by 10th ranked goaltender Andy Beran (9-3-0-0, 2.50 GAA, 0.925 SV%).
In Other MWD News … The Brown Bears (12-14-1-1 = 26 pts.) continue “home” play in Breezy Point, MN, with no recent web evidence that I could find regarding plans to return to Alaska any time soon. KR’s fellow Alaskans, the 4th place Fairbanks Ice Dogs (11-14-1-1 with 1 OT win = 24 pts.), recently announced their scheduled stay in Marshall, MN, will be extended until at least late March. So maybe the Bears are letting the Dogs take the lead in pulling the sled. :dunno:​
  • South Division: It’s a 3-way race for 1st place among the Shreveport Mudbugs (20-3-2-2 with 3 OT wins for 44 pts.), the Lone Star Brahmas (21-11-1-0 with 1 OT win for 43 pts.), and the Amarillo Bulls (18-8-2-3 for 41 pts.). The newest NAHL entry, the Wichita Falls Warriors, are not far behind those three front runners (17-8-1-3 with 3 OT wins for 38 pts.). Shreveport netminder Cole Hudson has an impressive 12-4-0-1 record, with 2.18 GAA & a 0.932 SV%, while Bugs’ forward Braiden Dorfman is ranked 7th in League scoring (13 G + 20 A = 33 pts. in 30 games played). Lone Star forward Andrew DeCarlo continues to lead the Brahmas’ offense (14G + 24A = 38 pts. in 33 games), and 1st-year goalie Graham Burke (12-7-0-0) is ranked 6th in the League with a 2.27 GAA & a SV% of 0.918. Bulls goaltender Cal Sandquist also impresses, with a GAA = 2.28 & SV% = 0.908.
 
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A snap of the NAHL standings & team stats. This unforgettable season is scheduled to end on Sunday, May 16th. Hockey gods willing & the rinks don't melt ...

NAHL Division Standings (23 Mar 2021).JPG


ETA: Note that the Aberdeen Wings have clinched a playoff spot in the Central. What took them so long? ;)
 
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From: The Odessa (TX) American Online > Sports
NORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE: Ice Wolves adapt to playing away from home

Posted: Monday, March 29, 2021 9:12 pm
By Michael Bauer ...

It’s a routine that’s become all too familiar for the players and coaches.

Pack their stuff, get on the bus and endure long bus rides to Odessa, North Richland Hills, Amarillo, Wichita Falls, or Shreveport, La. to play in front of an opposing crowd.

It’s a normal part of any schedule for most teams but it’s been part of the season-long routine for the New Mexico Ice Wolves.

The team has played every game away from its normal home at Outpost Ice Arena in Albuquerque due to COVID-19 restrictions in the state. Most of the Ice Wolves’ “home games” have taken place at the NYTEX Centre in North Richland Hills, home of the Lone Star Brahmas.

It hasn’t been easy but Ice Wolves head coach and general manager Phil Fox says his team has found ways to adapt to the unusual situation.

“ They’re learning how to play on the road and we’re playing more effectively as a team,” Fox said. “We’re learning what it takes, what works and what doesn’t. Honestly, it’s been long. They’ve been warriors. It’s not easy to do. I tip my cap off to these guys for being able to do it.” ...


Read more at: NORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE: Ice Wolves adapt to playing away from home
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From: The Bismarck (ND) Tribune > Sports > Bobcats
Bergsland makes big impact in lone season with Bobcats

DAVE SELVIG
11 hrs ago (March 31st, 2021)

Minnesota plays some of the top high school hockey in the country.

Tommy Bergsland saw it first-hand during his prep career at Wayzata, one of the many powerhouse programs in Minnesota. But when the Bismarck Bobcats' ace defenseman made the move to junior hockey last year in the USHL for the Fargo Force, his eyes were opened, he said.

It has continued this season for the Bobcats, where Bergsland has established himself as one of the top defensemen in the NAHL.

"There were some similarities, but the speed and the skill of the players took a noticeable step up. It was pretty eye-opening," Bergsland said. "With the speed that's on the ice, you have to make your decisions that much faster. There's a lot of great players out there. It tests you, for sure."

In this particular test, Bergsland has come straight A’s, literally. In his first, and only season with the Bobcats, he was named as an alternate captain on Wednesday. It's a rare feat for a first-year player to earn the distinction, but very well deserved, said Bobcats head coach and general man(a)ger Layne Sedevie.

"He's one of the top kids I've had in this program and we've had some good ones come through here," said Sedevie, in his 11th season running the Bobcats. "His on-ice production is as good as any player in the NAHL, if not junior hockey. The type of guy he is off the ice is what makes him the total package." ...

Read more at: Bergsland makes big impact in lone season with Bobcats
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April is here, leaving just over 40 days in the NAHL 2020-21 ir-regular season (last games scheduled for May 16th). The current standings still feature a couple of tight races, while 3 teams have clinched spots to play in the 2021 playoffs. But there are some teams who are making their moves.
  • Central Division: To nobody’s surprise, the Aberdeen Wings (now 39-2-0-1 for 79 pts.) clinched a divisional playoff berth on March 22nd. The 2nd place Bismarck Bobcats (24-14-2-3 with 2 OT wins for 53 pts.) and the 3rd place Minot Minotauros (celebrating their 10th season while earning a 19-18-4-1 record including 2 OT victories for 43 pts) are very likely to end up in those spots, as the other three teams in the Central each struggle for W’s to secure the 4th seed for the “privilege” of facing Aberdeen in the first playoff round.
  • East Division: The Johnstown Tomahawks (30-7-2-2 with 4 OTW’s for 64 pts.) and the Maine Nordiques (28-16-1-0 with 3 OT victories for 57 pts.) continued to play leap frog (on frozen ponds) in March for the 1st place slot. The 3rd place New Jersey Titans (20-16-2-5 with 1 OT win for 47 pts.) have an 8-point lead over the Maryland Black Bears, with the NE Generals & Danbury close behind.
  • Midwest Division: This division has the tightest race at the top, partially owing to a late & staggered start, and will end their collective season with significantly fewer games played than the rest. The Minnesota Magicians (21-11-2-0 with 2 OT wins for 44 pts.) surged in March to take over 1st place, dragging the Fairbanks Ice Dogs with them (20-17-1-1 with 1 OTW for 42 pts.) and bumping the Janesville Jets (19-9-2-0 with 2 OT victories for 40 pts.) down to 3rd place. The Kenai River Brown Bears have a 10-point lock on the 4th slot.
Travel Bulletin: The Ice Dogs are scheduled to return to Alaska from their temporary home in Marshall, Minnesota, to play REAL home games starting 22 April. Their Alaska rivals, the Brown Bears, will host Fairbanks for a pair on April 16 & 17 to kick off the Kenai River team's return from exile in Blaine. MN.​
  • South Division: The 1st place Shreveport Mudbugs (29-7-2-3 with 3 OTW’s for 63 pts.) locked up a playoff berth in the last week, as did the 2nd place Lone Star Brahmas (29-13-1-0 with 2 OT victories for 59 pts.). The Amarillo Bulls (23-12-3-4 for 53 pts.) continue to jockey with the Wichita Falls Warriors (22-12-1-5 with 4 OT wins for 50 pts.) for the last two playoff slots.
 
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Noteworthy news this week out of the NAHL's Central Division: On Tuesday night, the Minot Minotauros handed the other-worldly Aberdeen Wings their first road loss of the 2020-21 season with a 3-0 shutout. So the Wings had to wait for a Thursday night loss by the 2nd place Bismarck Bobcats to guarantee Aberdeen the division championship. Like there was ever any doubt. :thumbu:
 
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Out of curiosity, how do teams (Corpus, Springfield, etc) that took a hiatus this past season rebuild for next season? Do they start from scratch or do the players who were dispersed automatically return to the fold?
 
CB1 said:
Out of curiosity, how do teams (Corpus, Springfield, etc) that took a hiatus this past season rebuild for next season? Do they start from scratch or do the players who were dispersed automatically return to the fold?
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These teams still have tendered and protected players, etc. Not necessarily starting from scratch, but also different than having a returning roster.
 
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CB1 said:
Out of curiosity, how do teams (Corpus, Springfield, etc) that took a hiatus this past season rebuild for next season? Do they start from scratch or do the players who were dispersed automatically return to the fold?
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Barclay beat me to the answer. But they'll likely have a mix of new players, that they are signing to tenders and draft this summer, plus a few players returning to them.

KC will essentially be the only team "starting from scratch" whenever/if they return from hiatus
 
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CB1 said:
Out of curiosity, how do teams (Corpus, Springfield, etc) that took a hiatus this past season rebuild for next season? Do they start from scratch or do the players who were dispersed automatically return to the fold?
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"curiosity" on behalf of a close relative, CB1? ;)
 
JMCx4 said:
"curiosity" on behalf of a close relative, CB1? ;)
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LOL! Of course, all questions have a purpose! Ha ha ha! Said son..err...relative.. is actually skating in Detroit at the moment and a handful of NAHL head coaches are there running the teams. Corpus and Springfield are there (thus the question) , the new head coach for El Paso and others. Anyway, trying to get a foot in the NAHL door (like everyone else).
 
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Been awhile since we watched these together ... :popcorn:


Weekend Recap ...





Plays of the Week ...

 
From: The North American Hockey League > News > Top Stories
NAHL announces Prospects Challenge

APRIL 13, 2021

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced a new event, the NAHL Prospects Challenge, which will take place from May 28-30, 2021, at the NSC Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota.

The NAHL Prospects Challenge is an extension of the NAPHL Fall League, in which 18U and 16U teams, will be put together and represented by NAHL teams. The NAHL Prospects Challenge was strategically designed to take place during an extended holiday weekend under one roof, which will allow more NAHL teams to participate and attract prospects from a greater geographical area. ...

Teams will play a three-game round robin with top teams advancing and remaining teams playing a consolation game on Sunday. Games will be played with three, 20-minute run time periods. ...

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NAHL announces Prospects Challenge
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#HockeyBackHome :clap:
From: The Fairbanks Ice Dogs >News
Regular Season Games at Dip Sold Out

April 13, 2021

sold-out_edited-1.png


FAIRBANKS- The Fairbanks Ice Dogs sold out the seven home games to be played at the Big Dipper in 2021 in just over 24 hours. Tickets for the abbreviated home season went on sale at 10 a.m. on April 12. By 10:15 the following day, all available tickets for the games were sold.

“It’s just a testament to the loyalty of our great fan base,” said Ice Dogs general manager Rob Proffitt. “It’s humbling that the fans, sponsors and volunteers have continued to support the program despite us not playing a game in Fairbanks in over a year.” ...

Read more at: Regular Season Games at Dip Sold Out
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