NAHL Weekend Preview

December 7, 2018

22 games are on tap this weekend in the NAHL as the month of December kicks into full gear.

So far during the 2018-19 season, the NAHL has had 128 NCAA commitments, which included three more this past week.

Just over two months remain until the 2019 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, which will take place from February 18-19, 2019 at the New England Sports Village in Attleboro, Massachusetts.

This weekend’s results could go a long way in determining who will be making the playoffs come April. All the series feature divisional games with several series highlighting teams that are right next to one another in the standings.

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In the Central Division, it is a treasure trove of exciting games. The 1st place Aberdeen Wings will have their hands full with the Minnesota Wilderness, who pay a visit for two games. Like the Wings, the Wilderness are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games, but find themselves four points out of the 4th and final playoff spot in the Central with 36 games to go. The standings are sure to be affected and altered as Minot and Bismarck battle in a home-and-home series this weekend. The Minotauros are tied for 2nd place with 33 points, which is just two points ahead of the 4th place Bobcats, who enter the weekend riding a four-game winning streak. The Austin Bruins look to keep the pressure on Aberdeen as they face a road test in Brookings against the Blizzard. The Bruins are riding a three-game winning streak, while the Blizzard are on a seven-game skid.

In the East Division, the 2nd place Jamestown Rebels will take their turn in trying to stop the Johnstown Tomahawks’ 17-game winning streak as they host the NAHL front-runners for a two-game series in Jamestown. The Rebels are coming into the series playing very well, posting a 5-0-1 record in their last six games. The Tomahawks last loss was on October 12th. The New Jersey Titans, who are one point behind 2nd place Jamestown, will host the Maryland Black Bears in a two-game series as the Black Bears look to snap a five-game losing streak. The final series is a battle for the 4th and final playoff spot in the division as the red-hot Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights and the Northeast Generals. The Knights have won three straight games and are in 4th place, while the Generals are winless in their last five and two points back.

In the Midwest Division, the Kenai River Brown Bears gave their playoff hopes a shot in the arm with a 2-1 win against the division-leading Minnesota Magicians on Thursday night. The two teams play twice more on Friday and Saturday. The Fairbanks Ice Dogs are tied for 2nd place and on a roadtrip to the lower 48 to face the Janesville Jets on Friday, whom they are tied with for 2nd place, and then the Chippewa Steel for a pair of games on Saturday and Sunday, with the Steel looking to snap a three-game slide. The Springfield Jr. Blues are idle.

In the South Division, the Amarillo Bulls have opened up a seven-point lead atop of the division thanks to a 8-0-3 run in their last 11 games. The Bulls will play host to the Lone Star Brahmas, who are holding onto 3rd place in the South despite a three-game losing streak. Also looking to break a three-game slide are the Shreveport Mudbugs, who face a tough road test in Topeka against the 2nd place Pilots. The final series features the Odessa Jackalopes looking to extend their winning streak as they travel South to face the Corpus Christi IceRays with the two teams separated by just two points in the standings.

FRI, DECEMBER 7

Johnstown at Jamestown - 7:05 PM EST

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Northeast - 8:00 PM EST

Lone Star at Amarillo - 7:05 PM CST

Austin at Brookings - 7:05 PM CST

Odessa at Corpus Christi - 7:05 PM CST

Fairbanks at Janesville - 7:05 PM CST

MN Wilderness at Aberdeen - 7:15 PM CST

Minot at Bismarck - 7:15 PM CST

Kenai River at MN Magicians - 7:15 PM CST

SAT, DECEMBER 8

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Northeast - 7:00 PM EST