Overtime Thrillers Highlight Day 1 at the NAHL Showcase

New Mexico 2 @ Kenai River 3 - The Kenai River Brown Bears rallied from an early deficit to edge the New Mexico Ice Wolves 3–2. New Mexico jumped ahead in the first period behind goals from Sean Gibbons and Cayden Joramo, building a 2–0 lead just over three minutes in. But Kenai River answered quickly, with Trevor Stewart pulling one back at 14:52 of the opening frame. The Bears kept the momentum rolling into the second, when Gavin Jensen knotted the game at 2–2 with his tally at 4:06. The game remained tight until the third period, when Michael Fiedorczuk delivered the decisive goal at 5:54 to give Kenai River its first lead of the night. Fiedorczuk’s third-period strike earned him First Star honors, while Stewart and Jensen provided the other tallies in the comeback effort. Gibbons and Joramo paced New Mexico early, but the Ice Wolves were unable to solve the Brown Bears’ defense down the stretch.

Shreveport 1 @ Fairbanks 0 - The Shreveport Mudbugs earned a gritty 1–0 victory over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Wednesday at the NAHL Showcase. After two scoreless periods, Johnathon Berndt broke the deadlock with a power-play goal at 13:09 of the third period, the lone tally of the contest. Fairbanks held a 34–23 edge in shots but couldn’t solve Mudbugs goaltender Tyler Hodges, who turned aside every attempt to record the shutout. Shreveport, meanwhile, cashed in on one of its two power plays, making Berndt’s goal stand up as the difference.

Corpus Christi 1 @ Bismarck 5 - The Bismarck Bobcats rolled to a 5–1 win over the Corpus Christi IceRays on Wednesday, overcoming an early deficit with a relentless offensive attack. Jack MacKenzie gave Corpus Christi an immediate lead just five seconds into the game, but Bismarck responded quickly when Mark Evans evened the score at 7:24 of the first period. The Bobcats took control in the second, scoring twice in the frame with Cooper Williams and Gianni Divita putting Bismarck ahead 3–1. Corpus Christi struggled to generate sustained pressure, while Bismarck’s depth and precision on the attack kept the IceRays on their heels. Bismarck added two more goals in the third from Caden Bell and Alexander Stephen to seal the 5–1 victory. The Bobcats’ balanced scoring and timely execution made the difference, leaving Corpus Christi unable to recover from the early setback.

St. Cloud 3 @ Philadelphia 4 (OT) - The Philadelphia Rebels edged the St. Cloud Norsemen 4–3 in overtime, thanks to a late heroics from Alex Lunski. St. Cloud jumped out to a fast start, scoring twice in the first period on goals from Gabriel Bugeaud and Danny Hussa, while Philadelphia’s Abzal Alibek answered to keep the game close. The Rebels took control in the second period, scoring twice on goals from Joe Stauber and Alex Lunski to build a 3–2 lead. St. Cloud battled back in the third with Sam Crane tying the game at 3–3, sending the contest to overtime after a tightly contested 60 minutes. In the extra frame, Alex Lunski delivered the game-winning goal at 4:08 to give Philadelphia the thrilling 4–3 victory. Both teams showcased skill and determination, but the Rebels’ late-game execution ultimately made the difference in a hard-fought matchup.

Anchorage 1 @ Lone Star 5 - The Lone Star Brahmas dominated the Anchorage Wolverines 5–1, storming out to a fast start and never looking back. Anchorage got on the board late in the third period with Bowen Burke scoring at 7:17, but by then the Brahmas had already built a commanding lead. Lone Star exploded for three goals in the first period, with Camden Prier, Maddox Tulacro, and Ryan Coots putting the Wolverines in an early hole. Samuel Lussier added a second-period tally, and Prier completed the scoring in the third to seal the five-goal win. The Brahmas capitalized on four of seven power-play opportunities, controlling the pace and putting consistent pressure on Anchorage’s defense. Anchorage managed 17 shots on net, but Lone Star’s precision and offensive depth made the difference in a convincing victory.

North Iowa 4 @ Springfield 3 (OT) - The North Iowa Bulls edged the Springfield Jr. Blues 4–3 in overtime, securing a hard-fought victory thanks to a late strike from Vitaliy Korolyuk. Springfield struck first with Conner Broadhead scoring early in the first period, but North Iowa answered with Fugi Suzuki finding the back of the net at 5:07 to tie the game. The teams traded goals through the second and third periods, with Josh Lachapelle and a second Suzuki goal for North Iowa, while Zach Howard and Logan Sutton scored for Springfield to keep the contest tight and competitive throughout regulation. In overtime, Korolyuk delivered the game-winning goal at 3:59, ending the back-and-forth battle. North Iowa’s balanced scoring and clutch play in extra time proved the difference, while Springfield battled valiantly and matched the Bulls shot for shot.

Austin 2 @ Janesville 3 (OT) - The Janesville Jets scored late to edge the Austin Bruins 3–2 in overtime in a tightly contested matchup. The first two periods were scoreless as both teams battled defensively, setting the stage for a thrilling third period. Austin erupted in the third with Siamion Marshchanok netting two goals in quick succession at 18:09 and 19:47, giving the Bruins a temporary lead and energizing their side of the ice. Janesville responded in dramatic fashion, with Grant Dillard and Ty Bashaw scoring earlier in the period to tie the game and force extra time. In overtime, Ty Bashaw delivered the game-winning goal at 2:48, completing the Jets’ comeback and sealing the 3–2 victory. Both teams showcased resilience and clutch play down the stretch, but Janesville’s late-game execution ultimately made the difference.

Minnesota M 1 @ Minnesota W 3 - The Minnesota Wilderness pulled away late to defeat the Minnesota Mallards 3–1 in a hard-fought matchup. The Wilderness struck first in the opening period with Lucas Ryen scoring at 15:59, giving Minnesota an early lead and setting the tone for the game. The Mallards answered in the second period with Keanan Pearman tying the contest at 14:13, keeping the game competitive heading into the third. However, the Wilderness regained control with two third-period goals from Caleb Kim and Zachary Homer, putting the game out of reach. Minnesota’s late surge highlighted the Wilderness’ depth and finishing ability, while the Mallards battled hard and generated opportunities but could not overcome the timely scoring in the final frame.

Minot 0 @ Oklahoma 3 - Oklahoma Warriors netminder Billy Stuski turned aside all 27 shots he faced to record a shutout in the Warriors’ 3–0 victory over the Minot Minotauros. Stuski’s steady play in net set the tone, keeping Minot off the scoreboard throughout the game. Oklahoma opened the scoring late in the first period with AJ Iwinski at 16:59, then added Mack Blue in the second and Kyle Sorensen in the third to build a comfortable lead. The Warriors controlled the pace with balanced offense and consistent pressure on Minot’s defense.

El Paso 2 @ Rochester 3 - The Rochester Jr. Americans came from behind to edge the El Paso Rhinos 3–2 in a back-and-forth contest. Troy Hunkagave El Paso an early lead at 2:57 of the first period, and Diago Hotta extended the advantage early in the second, putting the Rhinos up 2–0.Rochester fought back in the second period, with Murray Kanerva and Adam Gionta scoring to tie the game and shift the momentum. Kanerva then delivered the game-winning goal in the third period at 8:49, completing the comeback for the Jr. Americans. Despite firing 28 shots on goal, El Paso could not regain the lead, as Rochester’s timely scoring and clutch finishing made the difference in a hard-fought 3–2 victory.

Wisconsin 1 @ Aberdeen 3 - The Aberdeen Wings overcame the Wisconsin Windigo 3–1 behind a strong third-period push. After a scoreless first, Matthew Martin opened the scoring for Aberdeen late in the second period at 19:11, while Ronnie Hill answered for Wisconsin just 15 seconds later to keep the game tied heading into the final frame. Aberdeen seized control early in the third, with Taven James scoring just 50 seconds in to give the Wings the lead. Owen Pitters added an insurance goal later in the period to secure the 3–1 victory.

Amarillo 3 @ Chippewa 2 (OT) - The Amarillo Wranglers rallied to defeat the Chippewa Steel 3–2 in overtime, overcoming an early deficit with timely scoring and clutch play. Chippewa jumped out to a fast start with goals from Jake Hutchen and Quinten Flores in the first period, building a 2–0 lead. Amarillo began its comeback in the second period when Padraic Whited scored at 3:13, cutting the deficit in half. Daniel Rassega tied the game early in the third period at 1:27, sending the contest into extra time after a tense final frame. In overtime, Ian Buors delivered the game-winning goal at 2:46, completing Amarillo’s comeback and securing the 3–2 victory. The Wranglers’ resilience and ability to capitalize on key moments proved decisive in a hard-fought, back-and-forth matchup.

Odessa 2 @ Watertown 8 - The Watertown Shamrocks rolled to an 8–2 victory over the Odessa Jackalopes, overpowering their opponents with a relentless offensive onslaught. Odessa struck first with Brandon Catalano scoring just 20 seconds into the game, but Watertown quickly responded as Junior Podein tied it up at 7:46 of the first period. The Shamrocks exploded for four second-period goals from Owen Fask, Antons Macijevskis, Payton Struck, and Carter Sproule, turning a 1–1 game into a commanding 5–2 lead. Odessa’s lone second-period goal from Carson Lynchwasn’t enough to slow the Shamrocks’ momentum. Watertown added three more in the third with tallies from Tanner George, Fask, and Macijevskis, completing the 8–2 rout.