NAHL 2020-2021 Thread

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Other noteworthy outcomes on Friday night in the first round: The New Jersey Titans even up their series 1-1 with the Maine Nordiques, and the Kenai River Brown Bears defeat the Janesville Jets 6-4 in Wisconsin to take a 1-0 series lead.

 

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Interesting pandemic strategy ... and money saver ...

From: The Kenai (AK) Peninsula Clarion > SPORTS

Brown Bears move back to Midwest for playoffs

By Jeff Helminiak
Monday, May 17, 2021 8:20pm

The Kenai River Brown Bears will move hockey operations back to the Midwest for the playoffs, the North American Hockey League team announced in a Sunday press release.

The Brown Bears, the No. 4 seed out of the Midwest Division, will face the top-seeded Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets in a best-of-five series, starting Friday and Saturday at 4:05 p.m. AKDT in Janesville. This will be the team’s first playoff berth since 2014. Kenai River, which began play in the 2007-08 season, also will be looking for the first playoff series win in franchise history.

According to an email from the team, Games 3 and 4 (if necessary) will be at 4 p.m. AKDT at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota, on May 28 and 29, though this is subject to change.
Game 5, if necessary, will be at 2 p.m. AKDT in Janesville on May 31. ...

 

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NAHL News > Top Stories ... Top seeds tumble in Game 1's in South and Midwest

 

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The 4th seed Maryland Black Bears have evened their East Division 1st round series at 1 game each, with a 6-4 road victory over the top seed Johnstown Tomahawks. First upset of Saturday night.

 

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Second Saturday upset, this one in the Midwest Division: #4 Kenai River Brown Bears win 5-1 over the #1 Janesville Jets, giving KR a 2-0 lead in the best-of-5 first round matchup. Series shifts to Blaine, MN next weekend at the Brown Bears' adopted home rink for the Robertson Cup playoffs.

 

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The 4th seed Maryland Black Bears have evened their East Division 1st round series at 1 game each, with a 6-4 road victory over the top seed Johnstown Tomahawks. First upset of Saturday night.

That is also the first ever playoff win in Maryland's franchise history

 

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2-1 OT win by the Shreveport Mudbugs evens up their South Division 1st round with the Amarillo Bulls. Series switches to Amarillo next Thursday & Friday.

 

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Saturday night Round 1 game capsules. Looks like the Midwest Division was saving their pandemic season surprises for the playoffs ... Brown Bears, Magicians take 2-0 series leads in Midwest

 

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Just one first round game tonight, Minnesota Magicians @ Fairbanks Ice Dogs. #1 Midwest Division seed MNM are up 2 games to none & have outscored their #4 seed opponent 13-5. The "must win" note is on the white board in the Ice Dogs' locker room.

 

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After 1 period in Fairbanks, the MN Magicians lead 1-0 on a goal by Michigan Tech commit Trevor Kukkonen. Assist to Alaska-Fairbanks commit Simon Falk. Both Magicians now have 3 points in these playoffs.

The Ice Dogs had two late PP awards, but could not generate much offense with the advantages. They will start the 2nd period with 57 seconds of 5-on-4 opportunities.

 

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40 minutes played, Minnesota 3 - Fairbanks 1. The Magicians extended their lead to 3 goals in the second period on goals by Jack Cronin (a power play tally) and Colorado College commit Robert Christy. Assists recorded for St. Thomas bound Michael Ferrandino, Harvard commit Hunter Longhi, and Lucas Kanta.

At that point, the Ice Dogs removed starting goalie Kayden Hargraves & inserted Ryan Keyes. The change did seem to get the Ice Dogs' attention, as they picked up both their offensive & their physical play. Fairbanks finally got on the scoreboard courtesy of a goal by Alaska-Fairbanks commit Mason Plante, with assists going to Brendan Murphy & MN-Duluth bound Jake Hale. The Dogs ended the middle period with over a minute left of another power play, so there was hope ahead in the 3rd.

 

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Fairbanks has drawn back within one on a 3rd period unassisted goal by St. Lawrence commit Ty Naaykens. 3-2 Minnesota with about 7 minutes left in regulation of Game #3.

 

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Home ice advantage simply wasn't enough for the Ice Dogs in Round #1. Final Score = Minnesota Magicians 3 - Fairbanks Ice Dogs 2. The Dogs gave every ounce of effort they had left in the closing minutes to tie the game, and they pulled their goalie with a little over a minute to play to improve their odds. But the Magicians are a big strong team who play very well positionally, and they kept play on the perimeter & out of their zone as the time ticked away.

So the MN Magicians are the first team to advance to their Division Finals round, and await the winner of the Kenai River v Janesville series. The KR Brown Bears lead the Jets 2 games to none, with that 1st round matchup resuming on May 28th in Blaine, MN. So there's time for the Magicians to rest a bit, then sharpen their blades for a best-of-5 run at a spot in 2021 Robertson Cup Championship play.

 

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Just one 1st round game on the Tuesday 5/25 schedule, the Bismarck Bobcats hosted by the Minnesota Wilderness. The Wilderness are (is?) facing elimination with a 2-0 deficit. Maybe home ice will help them recover.

 

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Shout-out to my hometown boy playing for the Bobcats: Starting forward Ryan Taylor.

 

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Opening puck down, and the first net-dislodged stoppage of the game ...

 

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End of one period in Cloquet, MN, with a 1-1 score. The Wilderness got their first series lead @ 12 minutes in. It took the home team almost 10 minutes to figure out how to penetrate the Bobcats' D, when they finally started to increase the offensive pressure leading to Wilderness forward & UNO commit Zach Michaelis tucking one in after Bismarck's WMU commit starter Cameron Korpi made two sprawling saves in a row. Assists to Lindenwood U. bound Mitchell Allard & to Gavin Rasmussen.

Minnesota took a 2-minute penalty with about 4 minutes left in the period, and Bismarck's Luke Gramer (NMU commit) tallied the first PP goal of this series (unassisted) to tie up Game #3.

Bismarck will start the 2nd period with a brief man advantage.

 

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End of 2, Bobcats 3 - Wilderness 2. SOG's through 40 minutes are 22-15 in favor of the home boys, reflecting their offensive advantage so far (though trailing).

Just one second after the short Bismarck man advantage starting the period, St. Louisan Ryan Taylor received a sweet cross-ice feed from linemate Tim Piechowski (St. Thomas commit) to give the visitors their first lead of the game.

The Wilderness returned to their offensive game, and regained a tie about 8 minutes in. Will Traeger with the goal, assist to Mikol Sartor.

Bismarck was awarded their 4th PP with approx. 3 minutes to play, and Niagara commit Lars Rodne rifled one past MIN goalie Kaleb Johnson (North Dakota) to take another lead.

Halfway through the middle period, there was an almost-fight at the benches between BIS Ben Troumbly (St. Cloud State) and MIN Dante Lawson (Bemidji State). Matching double-minors were assessed, so the teams continued 5-on-5. But that conflict could continue in the 3rd, with play getting much more physical as the 2nd period progressed.

 

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Puck dropped in Period 3 ...

 

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9:02 left in regulation, score now 5-3 Bismarck. Nico Chmelevski took a Wilderness turnover in the MN end & beat goalie Kaleb Johnson over the left shoulder for a 4-2 lead five minutes into the 3rd. The Bobcats were then assessed their first unmatched minor a couple of minutes later, and Minnesota made it 4-3 on a quick PP goal by Sartor. But Bismarck regained their 2-goal lead on a wicked shot by Piechowski. Very entertaining game in Cloquet.

 

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The Wilderness came right back less than a minute later & now trail 5-4 on a goal by Dante Lawson. Assist to Michigan Tech commit Grant Docter.

 

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Final Score = Bismarck Bobcats 5 -Minnesota Wilderness 4. Wilderness took a final minor penalty with a few minutes left, after a series of whistle swallows by the two referees. Bobcats could not pad their lead, but they did kill off enough time to hold on & sweep their Central Division first round match up.

The Bobcats will return home & wait for a completion of the #1 seed Aberdeen Wings vs. Minot Minotauros series.

 

[mk80]

Looking at the Robertson Cup Playoffs from my perspective that is the first LU committed player to be eliminated.

 

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Looking at the Robertson Cup Playoffs from my perspective that is the first LU committed player to be eliminated.

Wilderness forward Mitchell Allard impressed me with his shorthanded play (including faceoff control) as well as his offensive instincts. Good pickup for Lindenwood.