NAHL Weekend Preview
This is it, the final weekend of the 2022-23 regular season. There are 28 games remaining to decide who will be moving onto the Robertson Cup Playoffs and whose season will be coming to an end.
The 2023 Robertson Cup Playoffs begin on Thursday, April 20th. The top four teams in each division qualify for the post-season.
It was another great week for NCAA commitments as nine more players made their plans known. So far, a total of 242 players who are playing in the NAHL or are NAHL alumni are committed to play NCAA hockey. That number includes 15 players who recently played in the 2023 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament.
The NAHL has announced the format for the 2023 Robertson Cup Playoffs. The Robertson Cup National Championship will be played from May 19-23 at Fogerty Arena in Blaine, MN. The format and details can be viewed on the Robertson Cup page.
In the Central this weekend, three spots remain with five teams in the mix for those three spots. The St. Cloud Norsemen (65 points) do have some breathing room still as they are in 2nd place with a three-point lead over Minot, North Iowa and Aberdeen (62 points). However, the Norsemen will likely need at least one win to get into the playoffs. They are in Aberdeen against a Wings team that swept the Norsemen last weekend and who very likely need two wins and some help to advance. With 30 wins and 62 points, the Minot Minotauros hold the tie-breaker against both North Iowa and Aberdeen, but face a tough task having to win two games in Austin against the division champion Bruins. Bismarck hosts North Iowa and it is a must-win scenario for the Bobcats who need two wins and some help to get in.
In the East, the playoffs are set as division champion Maryland will be taking on the Northeast Generals and the New Jersey Titans will be facing the Maine Nordiques. While the Generals regular season is done, the Black Bears will celebrate their regular season crown this weekend as they host Danbury. Philadelphia concludes their season with a trip to Maine and Johnstown also finishes their season as they host New Jersey.
In the Midwest, there are still some things to be settled. The 2nd place Minnesota Wilderness will face the Chippewa Steel for two games in a potential playoff preview. The Kenai River Brown Bears are tied with the Steel for 3rd place, so whoever comes out on top in that battle will finish 3rd and face the Wilderness in one Semi-Final, while the 4th place finisher will face the division-champion Wisconsin Windigo. The Windigo are in Springfield this weekend and Kenai River hosts the Anchorage Wolverines.
In the South Division, the battle for the 4th and final spot roars on as Amarillo visits Odessa. The Jackalopes need to win both games in regulation to catch the Wranglers. Meanwhile, the New Mexico Ice Wolves are a point back of Amarillo and will host division champion Oklahoma this weekend as the Ice Wolves enter the weekend one point back of the 4th and final playoff spot. There is also a battle for 2nd and 3rd place with the Shreveport Mudbugs holding onto the #2 spot with a one point lead over #3 Lone Star. The Mudbugs are in El Paso, while Lone Star hosts Corpus Christi.
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Friday, April 14th
Danbury at Maryland - 7:00 PM EDT
Philadelphia at Maine - 7:05 PM EDT
New Jersey at Johnstown - 7:30 PM EDT
MN Wilderness at Chippewa - 7:00 PM CDT
Minot at Austin - 7:05 PM CDT
Wisconsin at Springfield - 7:05 PM CDT
St. Cloud at Aberdeen - 7:15 PM CDT
North Iowa at Bismarck - 7:15 PM CDT
Amarillo at Odessa - 7:15 PM CDT
Corpus Christi at Lone Star - 7:30 PM CDT
Oklahoma at New Mexico - 6:30 PM MDT
Shreveport at El Paso - 7:00 PM MDT
Anchorage at Kenai River - 7:30 PM AKDT
Saturday, April 15th
Danbury at Maryland - 6:30 PM EDT
New Jersey at Johnstown - 7:00 PM EDT
Philadelphia at Maine - 7:00 PM EDT
Wisconsin at Springfield - 6:05 PM CDT
MN Wilderness at Chippewa - 7:00 PM CDT
Minot at Austin - 7:05 PM CDT
St. Cloud at Aberdeen - 7:15 PM CDT
North Iowa at Bismarck - 7:15 PM CDT
Amarillo at Odessa - 7:15 PM CDT
Corpus Christi at Lone Star - 7:30 PM CDT
Oklahoma at New Mexico - 6:30 PM MDT
Shreveport at El Paso - 7:00 PM MDT
Anchorage at Kenai River - 7:30 PM AKDT
