West and Frontier Divisions lead the way on Day 1 of Showcase
Wisconsin Woodsmen goalie Dixon Ehlers helped his team pick up a 5-0 shutout on Day 1 of the NA3HL Showcase.
The NA3HL Showcase faced off on Sunday, December 17th at the Super Rink in Blaine, MN. Besides the over 100+ of NAHL, NCAA, and ACHA scouts that checked in and enjoyed some hockey during the first day of the event, the storyline of Day 1 was several close games, several outstanding defensive performances, and a great day for the West Division.
9 of the 17 games were decided by two goals or less and there were three shutouts. The West Division led the way on Day 1 followed by the Frontier.
Divisional Records on Day 1
West: 5-1-0
Frontier: 5-2-1
Central: 2-2-2
South: 4-4-0
East: 1-4-1
The NA3HL Showcase runs from December 17-19, 2023, at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota.
This season marks the 13th year the NA3HL will hold a league-wide Showcase, which features some of the best junior talent in the United States.
All NA3HL teams will play three regular-season games at the Showcase, which is annually one of the most well-attended and scouted events of the entire season for the league, attracting college and junior scouts alike. The NA3HL Showcase brings every NA3HL team under one roof, which allows scouts to see all the great talent the league has to offer.
The NA3HL Showcase was built to pair up evenly matched teams against one another based on the current standings and is also designed to have cross-divisional games with balanced competition. Not only does the showcase see a large presence of NCAA and ACHA scouts, but all the NAHL teams in attendance, furthering the chances for players to earn a call up to the NAHL.
For more details on the 2023 NA3HL Showcase, including hotel, rental car, scouting, venue, and schedule information, visit: na3hl.com/showcase.
All the games at the NA3HL Showcase will be broadcast live on NAHTV
There will be no admission fee for the 2023 NA3HL Showcase. Scouts will also receive complimentary admission to the NA3HL Showcase.
Monday Seminars: As an additional element to the program this season, an NCAA education and compliance seminar will be presented to all players, coaches and parents during the NA3HL Showcase on Monday, December 18th at 9:30am, 12:30pm, and 3:30pm. This will be the same presentation used in NAHL seminars and the focus will be on differences between NCAA Division I, Division III and ACHA, the breakdown of NCAA I conference landscape, NCAA Initial Eligibility information including important new rules going into effect this season and how future players will be affected, the recruiting process and how to market yourself.
Day 1 recaps
Helena 4 vs. TX RoadRunners 1 – Camden Cunningham recorded a goal and two assists to lead the Bighorns to a 4-1 win over the RoadRunners in the opening game of the NA3HL Showcase. Texas was first on the board as Logan Motz found the back of the net for his 2nd goal of the season. Helena answered with goals from Jason Hammett and Cunningham later in the 1st period to make it 2-1. Later in the contest, goals from Joe Feamster and Finn Theriault secured the 4-1 win. Alex Lamont made 13 saves in the win, while Jimmy Packee made 27 saves in the loss.
TX Brahmas 5 vs. Oregon 3 – Five different players scored for the Brahmas in a 5-3 win over Oregon. After Oregon scored first on a goal from Niko Kempa, the Brahmas rattled off three straight goals from Jake Malzone, Kaden Spaniol, and Joey Crowley. The Tradesmen tried to stay close with goals from Bryce Stensrud and Reid Watson, but goals from Sam Bailey and Chase Forry secured the win. Brahmas goalie Luke Romney made 36 saves in the win.
Louisiana 5 vs. Peoria 3 – The Drillers jumped out a 4-0 lead and held off a Mustangs comeback to win, 5-3. Louisiana got off to a great start with 1st period goals from Jake Bergstrom and Johnathon Berndt, and 2nd period goals from Brendan Johnson and Casper Rys Sakrisvold. Peoria mounted a comeback with goals from Johnny Switzer, Blake Mitchell, and Mason Buchanan, but another goal from Sakrisvold secured the win. William Carney made 36 saves in the win for the Drillers.
Wisconsin 5 vs. Badlands 0 – Wisconsin netminder Dixon Ehlers stopped all 18 shots that came his way in a 5-0 shutout of the Sabres. After a scoreless 1st period, Wisconsin scored twice in the 2nd period with goals from Jack Laser and Daniels Ratkevics. In the 3rd period, Hunter Nelson netted two goals and Landen Schwantes also scored. Sabres goalie Hunter Oger made 41 saves in the loss.
Great Falls 2 vs. New Jersey 1 – Americans goalie Ryan Stowe made 18 saves to lead his team to a 2-1 win over the Titans. Scoring was hard to come by in this contest, but the Titans were first on the board in the opening period with their lone goal from George Hinds. Great Falls equalized in the 2nd period on a goal from Aiden Kennedy. In the 3rd period, the Americans found the game-winner off the stick of Sebe Perez, who scored his first goal of the season. Titans goalie Aidan Patterson made 31 saves in the loss.
Austin 2 vs. Yellowstone 1 (OT) – The Ice Bats came from behind to pick up their second win of the year as they beat the Quake in overtime, 2-1. After two scoreless periods, the Quake were first on the board as Leo Carter scored unassisted off a turnover. The Ice Bats answerd late in the 3rd period on a goal from Rex Kronick. In overtime, Dylan Blouin netted the game-winner off a second chance on the side of the net. Austin goalie Bryson Frazee made 19 saves in the win.
Alexandria 7 vs. El Paso 2 – The Blizzard got two goals from Justin Wasvick in a 7-2 win over El Paso. The two teams were tied at 1-1 after one period as Wasvick scored first for Alexandria and Nick Jones answered for El Paso. It was all Blizzard after that as Wasvick added his second goal of the game and Gaborik Olson, Joe Gronholz, Eli Fletcher, Jack Carter, and Markus Olson also found the back of the net. Rocco Romita had the other goal for the Rhinos. Nolan LaCosse made 13 saves in the win.
Willmar 8 vs. Butte 1 – Hudson Zinda and Tyler Misialek each scored twice as the WarHawks handled the Irish, 8-1. It was all Willmar from the drop of the puck as Misialek scored twice in the 1st period in addition to a goal from Nik Johnson. Hudson Kilgore, Spencer Bergman, and Shane Dean all scored in the 2nd period, and Zinda added two goals in the 3rd period. Alex Ulyanov had the lone goal in the Irish loss. Jesse Easterwood made 20 saves in the win.
Mason City 3 vs. Danbury 0 – Devin Peck and Drew Black combined for a 16-save shutout as the Toros beat the Jr. Hat Tricks, 3-0. All the scoring came in the 2nd period as Mason City got goals from Jax Schauer, Stone Resch, and Aaron Sawicki. Danbury goalie Chris Panza played well in the loss, making 46 saves.
Granite City 6 vs. Norwich 2 – Patrick Dunaiski and Hayden Johnson each had three-point nights as the Lumberjacks picked up a 6-2 win over Norwich. The Sea Captains were first to score as Tim Hayden found the back of the net early in the 1st period. The Lumberjacks responded with three straight goals to make it 3-1 as Johnson, Easton Portner, and Christian Carto all found the back of the net. Norwich made it a 3-2 game on a goal from Carson Dutcher, but Granite City would pull away with three straight goals including two from Dunaiski and one from Connor Miller. Sam Schowalter made 16 saves in the win.
West Bend 2 vs. New Mexico 1 – Power goaltender Brooks Barofsky made 32 saves to lead his club to a 2-1 win over the Ice Wolves. West Bend took a 1-0 lead in the 1st period thanks to a goal from Max Mudge. In the 2nd period, the Ice Wolves equalized with their lone goal from Ethan Hull. The game-winner came later in the period off the stick of Riley Planey. Owen Zenone made 21 saves in the loss for New Mexico.
Gillette 3 vs. Wausau 2 (SO) – In one of the most exciting and anticipated games of the day, the Gillette Wild ran their winning streak to 21 straight games as they snapped the 11-game winning streak of the Wausau Cyclones thanks to a 3-2 shootout win. After Wausau opened the scoring in the 1st period with a goal from Anderson Brien, the Wild answered twice in the 3rd period on goals from Wylee Gladen and Adam Severson. The Cyclones tied the game with just :03 seconds remaining in regulation on a goal from Gabe Randel. In the shootout, Isaac Young netted the only goal of the six shooters to pick up the win. Weston Gerke made 27 saves in the win, while Tanner Bonjernoor made 34 saves in the loss.
Rochester 1 vs. Northeast 0 – In one of the other game’s of the day, a battle of division leaders didn’t let the capacity crowd down as the Grizzlies got a 22-save shutout from Tate Cothern in a 1-0 win over the Generals. The lone goal of the game came in the 2nd period as Spencer Klotz scored on a breakway with an assist to Wyatt Witham. Generals goalie Daniel Antal was outstanding in the loss, stopping 38 of 39 shots.
Atlanta 5 vs. New Hampshire 4 (OT) – Brad Camp had two goals and an assist as the Capitals edged the Jr. Mountain Kings in overtime, 5-4. New Hampshire jumped out to a 3-1 lead thanks to goals from Willem Peterson, Xander St. Pierre, and Max Goulden, while Anthony O’Neal scored to keep it close for Atlanta. The Capitals then ran off three straight goals to take a 4-3 lead as Camp scored twice and Dylan Wolf also scored. In the 3rd period, Jake Rossignol scored for New Hampshire to tie the game at 4-4. Just :29 seconds into overtime, Robbie Aranos ended the game with the OT-winner. Austin Durkop made 20 saves in the win.
Sheridan 6 vs. Mid Cities 3 – Mac Billings had two goals and an assist for the Hawks as they doubled up the Stars, 6-3. After the Stars opened the scoring with a goal from Liam Simerson, the Hawks took a 3-1 lead with goals from Billings, Tanner Freed, and Peter Bird. Mid Cities made it 3-2 on a goal from Seth Dragojevic, but the Hawks pulled away with goals from Caleb Murray, Kiefer Dunham, and another from Billings. Jackson Stubblefield scored the other goal for the Stars. Aidan Knox picked up the win in goal making 30 saves.
Long Beach 4 vs. St. Louis 3 (OT) – In a back and forth game, the Long Beach Sharks got 39 saves from goalie Joey Christophel in a 4-3 overtime win over the Jr. Blues. Matthew Mahoney opened the scoring for the Jr. Blues with a 1st period goal. Long Beach countered with three goals in the 2nd period from Christopher Brenneis, Mason Jackson, and Chris Keller to take a 3-2 lead, while Carter Clemons scored for St. Louis. The Jr. Blues tied the game at 3-3 in the 3rd period with a goal from Brett Tumbrink. In the overtime, Gabe Hopkins netted the game-winner just :17 seconds into the extra frame.
Bozeman 5 vs. Minnesota 2 – Five different players scored for the Icedogs in a 5-2 win over the Loons. Bozeman jumped out to a 4-0 lead thanks to 1st period goals from Joe Kline and Aidan Clements and 2nd period goals from Spencer Wilkinson and Bodie Shepardson. The Loons made it a 4-2 contest early in the 3rd period with a pair of goals from Kyler Couture, but the Icedogs added an insurance goal later in the period off the stick of Mason Czarnecki. Bozeman goalie Isaac Weatherford made 16 saves in the win.
