NAHL 2020-2021 Thread

[JMCx4]

Wednesday is another one-game night in the NAHL first round playoffs, starting @ 6:30 PM EDT. The East Division's #1 seed Johnstown Tomahawks will be visiting the Maryland Black Bears for Game 3 of their series, currently tied at 1 game apiece. Game #4 is guaranteed for Thursday night (yet another one-game night) at the same time & venue, hockey gods willing & their sticks don't rise.

 

[JMCx4]

More than halfway through the game already (I lost track of the start time), and the visiting Tomahawks are up 1-0. 1st period goal to Brown U commit Brendan Clark, with assists to UNH bound Will Margel and Niagara commit Jay Ahearn.

 

[JMCx4]

Maryland play-by-play guy speculating that the 80-degree outdoor temp is affecting ice quality @ Piney Orchard Ice Arena.

 

[JMCx4]

Johnstown awarded their second PP on the game, and Margel made Maryland pay. 2-0 Tomahawks w/ 6 minutes left in the 2nd.

 

[JMCx4]

Vocal crowd tonight. Looks like a very good turnout.

 

[JMCx4]

And Maryland gets on the board, goal by Hunter McCoy (Brown) and assist to Josh Nixon (LSSU) with a little over 2 minutes left in the 2nd.

End of 2 periods, Tomahawks 2-Black Bears 1. Maryland will have all but 4 seconds of a power play to start the 3rd.

 

[JMCx4]

Puck back in play, for at least one more period ...

 

[JMCx4]

On the early third period power play, Maryland's Nixon scores on a baseball swing to tie the game 2-2. ETA: Assist awarded to Cam Gaudette (NEU commit).

 

[JMCx4]

7:10 left in the 3rd, still 2-2. Spirited period, with lots of offensive transitions for each side. Maryland pressing in the last few minutes.

 

[JMCx4]

3:07 left in reg time, and the Black Bears take the lead 3-2. Go-ahead goal to Brad McNeil. Jude Kurtas and Conor Cole with helpers.

 

[JMCx4]

Under 2 minutes, Tomahawks pull Sam Evola for an extra attacker.

 

[JMCx4]

Maryland holds on & gets their first home playoff W in franchise history. Bears goalie Hannes Kollen made some excellent saves in the closing minutes to help his team take & keep the lead. Johnstown thought they had scored with the extra attacker in the last second, but the referees conferred & said no-goal. Final Score = Maryland Black Bears 3 - Johnstown Tomahawks 2. Maryland will take a 2-1 series lead into Game #4 on Thursday night on their home ice, with a chance to clinch their franchise first playoff series win.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Maryland holds on & gets their first home W in franchise history. Bears goalie Hannes Kollen made some excellent saves in the closing minutes to help his team take & keep the lead. Johnstown thought they had scored with the extra attacker in the last second, but the referees conferred & said no-goal. Final Score = Maryland Black Bears 3 - Johnstown Tomahawks 2. Maryland will take a 2-1 series lead into Game #4 on Thursday night on their home ice, with a chance to clinch their franchise first playoff series win.

I saw there was a very good home crowd. Perhaps they are developing a fanbase? Perhaps benefit of Capital's early playoff elimination? Perhaps both?

 

[JMCx4]

I saw there was a very good home crowd. Perhaps they are developing a fanbase? Perhaps benefit of Capital's early playoff elimination? Perhaps both?

Crowds were growing before that; more likely COVID escapism for a cheap night out. My son & D-I-L live nearby, and they had a good time at their one Black Bears game (even as non-hockey fans). From their home games I've watched on the streams, it seems like the game ops staff & program does a very good job of engaging the attendees. Lots of kids & young adults, all bringing the noise.

 

[JMCx4]

Game 4 tonight in MD, with Johnstown facing elimination. Another big crowd would improve the Black Bears' chances of an upset.

 

[JMCx4]

End of one period, Johnstown 0 - Maryland 0. The Black Bears have take 2 too many men penalties, but managed to keep the Tomahawks off the bullseye. Neither team appears to have a rhythm going yet, though Johnstown does seem to have more SOGs for the period; NAHL Game Center reporting has been woefully slow & incomplete.

 

[JMCx4]

In other Thursday night 1st round action ....

• Maine Nordiques @ New Jersey Titans (just underway, series tied 1-1)
• Shreveport Mudbugs @ Amarillo Bulls (series tied 1-1)
• Aberdeen Wings @ Minot Minotauros (Wings lead series 2-0)

 

[JMCx4]

End of the 1st period in NJ, Nordiques 0 - Titans 1. Unassisted goal to Connor Pelc (Providence commit) with under 2 minutes left. Good action in this game, physical with lots of scoring chances for both teams. NJT have killed of two minor penalties, MN killed one. Again, no SOGs being reported.

 

[JMCx4]

Meanwhile Johnstown scored twice in the 2nd in Maryland. Early goal by Jay Ahearn (Niagara), then Max Neill padded the Tomahawks' lead in the middle of the 2nd. J-town clearly have taken control, including keeping the Black Bears off the scoreboard with the period's only man advantage.

 

[JMCx4]

End of the first up 'n' out in Minot, 0-0 tie. Minotauros playing very well against the regular season champs Aberdeen Wings. But the visitors turned up the offensive heat in the closing minutes of the period, putting the Tauros back on their heels as Minot is facing elimination. Minor scrum at the horn, boys will be boys.

 

[JMCx4]

End of 2 periods, New Jersey 2 - Maine 1. The Nordiques' Reese Farrell (Army recruit) scored early to tie things up, but NJ's Evan Werner got that one back just 2 minutes later. Still a high speed end-to-end game, with the visitors leading in SOGs 26-21. Maine will have a carry-over PP to start the 3rd.

 

[JMCx4]

One period completed in Amarillo, Bulls 0 & Mudbugs 1. #1 seed Shreveport's Garrett Steele gave his team the lead with an unassisted tally @ the 11 minute mark, after Bulls goalie Andrew Takacs lost his stick below the end redline & couldn't get back to his net in time. The visitors are leading in SOGs 16-10.

 

[JMCx4]

Final Score in MD = Johnstown Tomahawks 4 - Maryland Black Bears 2. 3rd period goals for the Black Bears by Josh Nixon (Lake Superior State) and Dylan Finlay (19 minute mark to give the home crowd hope). Johnstown tallies awarded to Jay Ahearn (GWG, his second of the game) and a clincher by Anthony Mastromonica with just 1 second left. The Tomahawks avoid elimination, and Game #5 will be back in J-town on Saturday night.

 

[JMCx4]

Middle of the 3rd period in NJ, Maine now leads 3-2. The Nordiques could not score on their opening power play, but they got a goal from Tristan Fasig soon after then a PP tally by Luke Antonacci. The Titans are taking unnecessary penalties & paying for it.

 

[JMCx4]

End of the 2nd, Aberdeen leading Minot 1-0. Wings goal by Jake Goldowski (unassisted) to take the slim lead. The visitors continued offensive dominance, now leading 29-15 in shots. Minotauros goalie Keenan Rancier (MN State) is keeping his team within striking distance.