Gold, Black and Central Score Day 1 Victories
by Sam Krollman
South 2 @ Selects Gold 3 (SO) - In the first battle of the day at the 2025 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, 60 minutes would not be enough, but Alexander Duhon would be the hero, as team NAHL Selects Gold opened the tournament with a 3-2 shootout victory over team NAHL South. In the first, it would be a physical back and forth battle, but 12 saves from South goaltender Nikola Golch and 11 from Gold netminder Ryan Cameron kept the game knotted heading into the middle frame. In the middle frame, team Gold would open the scoring, as Watertown forward Owen Chartier would convert on a feed from Evan Malkhassian, and with just 16 seconds left, the Gold lead would double, as Niko Tournas would finish off a play with assists from Frantisek Netusil and Jakeb Lynch. But, team South would not go down without a fight, as a buzzer beater from Carter Krenke ensured the Gold lead would only be one heading into the final frame. In the third, team South would desperately fight for the tying goal, and their prayers would be answered, as with just 12 seconds left, Ethan Hull scored off a pass from Toivo Laaksonen, and the game would head to a shootout where Duhon would be the hero for the Gold squad.
Selects Black 4 @ East 1 - In game 2 on the first at the 2025 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, a pair of goals from Minot forward Jesse Juhola helped team NAHL Selects Black to a 4-1 win over team NAHL East. The lone goal of the first belonged to Juhola, and team Black led after 20 minutes. In the second, Adam Gionta would equalize for team East, but goals from Nate Farrell and Morley Phillips for team Black doubled their lead after 40 minutes. In the third, team East would desperately fight to get back in the game, but a late goal from Juhola would seal the deal for team Black.
Central 3 @ Midwest 1 - In the final matchup of the first day at the 2025 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, team NAHL Central would defeat team NAHL Midwest by a final of 3-1. In the first, plenty of chances were had, but Central's goaltender Lukas Swedin stopped all five chances he faced, while Midwest goaltender Frank Murphy stopped all 14 he faced, and the game headed into the first intermission deadlocked. In the second, Chippewa forward Tomas Trunda opened the scoring, and the game headed into the second intermission with the Midwest squad leading by a goal. In the third, team Central would fight desperately to equalize, and with just over three minutes to go, they were finally rewarded, as Austin forward Jackson Rilei would tie the game, and then just over a minute later, Austin defenseman Ludvig Mellgren sent a seeing eye shot through to give the Central the lead. Team Midwest would not go down without a fight, but a late empty net goal from Minot forward Ian Spencer would seal the deal.
