NAHL Weekend Preview

February 15, 2019

This weekend in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) features 22 games on Friday and Saturday before teams take a break for the weekend and 108 players and all 24 coaches depart for the 2019 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, which takes place on Monday, February 18th and Tuesday, February 19th at the New England Sports Village in Attleboro, Massachusetts.

This weekend’s games feature plenty of intrigue as the standings continue to shuffle. This weekend also offers up another opportunity for more spots in the 2019 NAHL Robertson Cup Playoffs to be clinched.

It has been another big week for the NAHL, which saw four more players make NCAA commitments as the 2018-19 season total now stands at 178.

This past week also saw the announcement of the new and enhanced partnership agreement with USA Hockey.

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In the Central Division, the Minot Minotauros, who have won five straight and the Bismarck Bobcats, who have won four straight, are the hottest teams right now and both in playoff position. The Minotauros will have a big road series in Austin against the Bruins, who are just a point back of Minot for 2nd place. Meanwhile, the Bobcats have a chance to clear some room between them and the Minnesota Wilderness for the 4th and final spot in the Division as Bismarck plays host to the Wilderness for two games. The other series as the Aberdeen Wings looking to get closer to locking up a playoff spot with a pair of games in Brookings against the Blizzard.

In the East Division, #1 and #2 meet one more time on Friday in Johnstown as the Tomahawks host the Jamestown Rebels. The Rebels took the first game of the two game series on Wednesday by a score of 3-2 in overtime. The weekend series between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights and Maryland Black Bears may very well be an elimination series as both teams are on the outside looking in of the playoff picture. In the final series, the Northeast Generals are seven points back of 3rd place New Jersey as the Titans host a two-game series.

In the Midwest Division, it is a big series in Richfield this weekend, as the 1st place Magicians host the 2nd place Fairbanks Ice Dogs with Minnesota holding onto a five point lead atop of the Division. The Janesville Jets host the Springfield Jr. Blues in another important weekend series with Janesville just two points ahead of the Jr. Blues for 3rd place in the division. The final series in the Midwest concludes on Friday night between Kenai River and Chippewa. The Steel won the opening game of the series thanks to a 2-1 overtime win on Thursday night.

In the South, the 1st place Amarillo Bulls are just one win or a Topeka loss away from clinching the division’s first playoff spot as they will go on the road to face the 2nd place Shreveport Mudbugs in a two game set. One point behind Shreveport in the standings in 3rd place is the Lone Star Brahmas, who play host to the Topeka Pilots as the Pilots are looking to snap a seven-game losing streak. The final series has the Corpus Christi IceRays hosting the Odessa Jackalopes for a pair of games.

FRI, FEBRUARY 15

Jamestown at Johnstown - 7:30 PM EST

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Maryland - 7:45 PM EST

Northeast at New Jersey - 7:45 PM EST

Minot at Austin - 7:05 PM CST

Aberdeen at Brookings - 7:05 PM CST

Odessa at Corpus Christi - 7:05 PM CST

Springfield at Janesville - 7:05 PM CST

Kenai River at Chippewa - 7:10 PM CST

MN Wilderness at Bismarck - 7:15 PM CST

Fairbanks at MN Magicians - 7:15 PM CST

Amarillo at Shreveport - 7:11 PM CST