NAHL Weekend Preview
Four teams will see their dreams realized this weekend as the Robertson Playoffs enter the conclusion of the Division Finals.
The four divisional playoff champions will advance to play at the 2023 Robertson Cup Championship in Blaine, Minnesota from May 19-23. The Robertson Cup is awarded to the national playoff champion of the NAHL.
11 more players made NCAA commitments this week bringing the yearly total to 270 players who have committed to play NCAA hockey in 2022-23.
Division Finals (Best of 5)
The two Clubs in each division that won a division semifinal series shall compete in a best-of-five series against each other. The division finals may begin no earlier than Thursday, May 4, 2023, and conclude no later than Sunday, May 14, 2023. Clubs shall cooperate to schedule division final series competition. The higher seeded Club will have the right to host up to three games. The lower seeded Club must be able to host a minimum of two games.
After two games in the Central Finals, the series is deadlocked at 1-1. The Norsemen are trying to make a repeat trip to the Robertson Cup Championship, while the Bruins haven’t been in the Semi-Finals since 2015. The Norsemen took Game 1 in overtime, 4-3, while the Bruins got revenue in Game 2, 6-1. Bruins forward Walter Zacher has four points in the first two games and is tied for the NAHL Playoff scoring lead with nine points. St. Cloud defenseman Duke Kiffin leads the team with a +4 rating and four points thus far in the playoffs.
In the East Division, Maryland heads to Maine for Game 3 looking to wrap up the series and punch their ticket to the Robertson Cup as they have a 2-0 lead in the series. Black Bears forward Branden Piku is tied for the NAHL playoff lead in scoring with nine points and has recorded at least a point in all five playoff games to date. Maine was outscored 9-3 in the first two games. Filip Wiberg leads the team with seven points during the playoffs.
In the Midwest Division, the series is deadlocked 1-1 after the first two games. The series has been highlighted by the solid goaltending from both Isak Posch of the Wilderness and Maxwell Beckford for the Windigo. Beckford has stopped 51 of 54 in the series, while Posch has stopped 55 of 58 shots.
In the South, the Oklahoma Warriors are up 2-0 and were dominant in the first two games against the Mudbugs, outscoring them 9-2. Warriors forward Drew Sutton is tied for the NAHL playoff lead in scoring nine points in five games played, including four points in the first two games of the South Finals. Meanwhile, the Mudbugs have gone into the 3rd period of both games tied at 1-1, but Oklahoma has scored seven of their nine goals in the 3rd period.
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Robertson Cup Ticket Information
Central Division Finals (Series tied, 1-1)
#1 Austin Bruins vs. #3 St. Cloud Norsemen
Game 1: St. Cloud 4 @ Austin 3 (OT)
Game 2: St. Cloud 1 @ Austin 6
Game 3: Friday, May 12 @ St. Cloud, 7:00pm
Game 4: Saturday, May 13 @ St. Cloud, 7:00pm
Game 5: Sunday, May 14 @ Austin, 5:05pm*
East Division Finals (Maryland leads series, 2-0)
#1 Maryland Black Bears vs. #3 Maine Nordiques
Game 1: Maine 2 @ Maryand 4
Game 2: Maine 1 @ Maryland 5
Game 3: Friday, May 12 @ Maine, 6:00pm
Game 4: Saturday, May 13 @ Maine, 1:30pm*
Game 5: Sunday, May 14 @ Maryland, 6:00pm*
Midwest Division Finals (Series tied, 1-1)
#1 Wisconsin Windigo vs. #2 Minnesota Wilderness
Game 1: Minnesota 1 @ Wisconsin 0
Game 2: Minnesota 2 @ Wisconsin 3 (OT)
Game 3: Friday, May 12 @ Minnesota, 7:15pm
Game 4: Saturday, May 13 @ Minnesota, 7:15pm
Game 5: Sunday, May 14 @ Wisconsin, 6:00pm*
South Division Finals (Oklahoma leads series, 2-0)
#1 Oklahoma Warriors vs. #3 Shreveport Mudbugs
Game 1: Shreveport 1 @ Oklahoma 4
Game 2: Shreveport 1 @ Oklahoma 5
Game 3: Friday, May 12 @ Shreveport, 7:11pm
Game 4: Saturday, May 13 @ Shreveport, 7:11pm*
Game 5: Sunday, May 14 @ Oklahoma, 7:15pm*
*if necessary
Playoff Overtime Procedure: During the all Robertson Cup playoff games, if the score is tied after three periods of play the following overtime procedure shall take place. Teams shall return to their dressing room and the ice shall be resurfaced. A fifteen-minute intermission shall take place. A twenty-minute, sudden death, overtime period shall be played with five skaters a side. The game shall terminate upon a goal being scored and the Club scoring declared the winner. If no goal is scored, the same procedure as above shall be repeated until a winner has been determined.
