NAHL Weekend Preview

December 17, 2021

The NAHL heads into their final weekend before the Christmas break with a jam-packed schedule of 28 games from Friday-Sunday.

The league continued its commitments this past weekend, with six more players announcing their NCAA Division I commitments, bringing the current season total to 137 players.

One of the things the NAHL does better than any other junior league is seeing their players earn an NCAA opportunity while playing and being showcased in the NAHL. During the 2020-21 season, a record number of 395 NAHL players made NCAA commitments, with 293 of those (74%) being a record number of NCAA Division I commitments.

The parity in the NAHL so far this season continues and the standings are tight with no division leader enjoying a lead of more than three points or less.

In the Central Division this weekend, the hottest team in the division, the St. Cloud Norsemen, put their four-game winning streak on the line in a home series against Aberdeen. The two teams tied for 1^st place, Austin and Minot, will battle for the division’s top spot with two games in Minot this weekend. The final series as Bismarck hosting North Iowa.

In the East, the 1^st place New Jersey Titans put their three-game winning streak on the line at Maine. The Maryland Black Bears are a point behind the Titans as they host the 3^rd place Johnstown Tomahawks. The final series has Northeast in Jamestown to face the Rebels with the teams separated by just a single point for the 4^th and final playoff spot.

In the Midwest, the hottest team in the league, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs, put their six-game winning streak on the line in Janesville against the Jets. The Anchorage Wolverines and Minnesota Wilderness tangle for three games in Cloquet with the Wilderness looking to snap a seven-game losing streak. The Magicians and Steel face one another in a home-and-home series and in the final series, Kenai River will try and build on a 6-0 win in Springfield on Thursday with two more games on Friday and Saturday.

In the South, the red-hot Shreveport Mudbugs look to build on their win on Thursday and five-game winning streak as they host Wichita Falls for one more game on Friday. The other series have Corpus Christi in Odessa, El Paso in New Mexico, and Lone Star in Amarillo.

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FRI, DECEMBER 17

New Jersey at Maine - 7:00 PM EST

Northeast at Jamestown - 7:05 PM EST

Johnstown at Maryland - 7:30 PM EST

MN Magicians at Chippewa - 7:00 PM CST

Fairbanks at Janesville - 7:00 PM CST

Aberdeen at St. Cloud - 7:00 PM CST

Kenai River at Springfield - 7:05 PM CST

Wichita Falls at Shreveport - 7:11 PM CST