NAHL Weekend Preview

February 1, 2019

The month of February is perhaps the busiest time for the NAHL and its member teams as there are just two months left in the regular season with the USA Hockey trade deadline, roster movement freeze, and NAHL Top Prospects Tournament all taking place in the next 18 days.

The NAHL is set to announce the rosters for the 2019 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament later today as 108 players will get their chance to showcase their skills in front of hundreds of NHL and NCAA scouts on February 18-19 in Attleboro, MA.

As for this weekend, a full slate of games is on tap on Friday and Saturday as all 24 NAHL teams are in action. The weekend got started on Thursday night with the Lone Star Brahmas and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights coming away with wins.

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In the Central Division this weekend, the Bismarck Bobcats not only are in need of points to try and get back into playoff position, but they will have to do it against the hottest team in the league, the Aberdeen Wings, who enter the weekend riding an 18-game winning streak, the longest in the NAHL this season. The Austin Bruins will have their annual Paint the Rink Pink weekend, as they look to try and snap a 7-game losing streak against the Midwest Division-leading Minnesota Magicians, who are 5-0-1 in their last six games. The resurgent Brookings Blizzard are in Minot to face the 4th place Minotauros, who are four points ahead of Bismarck for the 4th and final playoff spot. In other out-of-division action, the Minnesota Wilderness take to the road to face the Chippewa Steel from the Midwest Division.

In the East Division, it is a big 1 vs. 2 match-up this weekend as the Johnstown Tomahawks look to lock down a playoff spot as they face the Jamestown Rebels, who are 4-0-2 in their last six. The New Jersey Titans have won two in the row and will be in Maryland this weekend to face the Black Bears. Maryland has just three wins in their last 10 and are five points out of the 4th and final playoff spot. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights, who came away with a 4-3 overtime win on Thursday night against the Northeast Generals, will host the Generals in the final game of the series on Friday night.

In the Midwest Division, just one divisional series is on tap as the Janesville Jets host the Springfield Jr. Blues with both teams jockeying for playoff positioning in the division at 3rd and 4th place respectively. Outside of the division, the red-hot and division-leading Minnesota Magicians look to close in on a playoff spot with two games in Austin. The 2nd place Fairbanks Ice Dogs return to action this weekend by hosting the Corpus Christi IceRays from the South Division. The Chippewa Steel will try and snap their three-game slide against the Minnesota Wilderness from the Central, and the Kenai River Brown Bears look to snap a six-game losing streak against the Topeka Pilots.

In the South Division, there is a deadlock for 2nd place as Lone Star’s 3-1 win on Thursday night knotted up the standings with the Shreveport Mudbugs. The two teams will go at it two more times this weekend in Shreveport. The 1st place Amarillo Bulls look to continue their four-game winning streak as they go on the road to face the Odessa Jackalopes. The Corpus Christi IceRays have slid down to 4th place thanks to a five-game losing streak and they will look to get back to winning in Fairbanks this weekend. The Topeka Pilots are just a point back of the IceRays and will be in Kenai River trying to snap a three-game skid.

FRI, FEBRUARY 1

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

Jamestown at Johnstown - 7:30 PM EST

New Jersey at Maryland - 7:45 PM EST

Springfield at Janesville - 7:05 PM CST

MN Wilderness at Chippewa - 7:10 PM CST

Amarillo at Odessa - 7:11 PM CST

Lone Star at Shreveport - 7:11 PM CST

Bismarck at Aberdeen - 7:15 PM CST

Austin at MN Magicians - 7:15 PM CST

Brookings at Minot - 7:35 PM CST

Corpus Christi at Fairbanks - 7:30 PM AKST