East teams to battle for Spring Top Prospects title on Sunday
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The NAPHL Spring T1ER/SHOW Top Prospects Tournament continued play on Saturday, March 25th at the St. Peter's Rec Plex. The event is taking place during the NA3HL Fraser Cup Championship and the first NAHL Combine of the 2023 season. The event will bring together two NAPHL T1ER 16U Top Prospects teams along with two NAPHL SHOW 18U Top Prospects teams.
Over 80 NAHL, NA3HL, and NCAA have checked in through two days and are looking for the next crop of talent to load their rosters with.
Both the 16U T1ER and 18U SHOW leagues have assembled two teams to compete against each other. This will allow for the SHOW Top Prospects teams to showcase themselves not only with NA3HL coaches and scouts but also NAHL, NCAA and ACHA coaches and scouts. This also benefits the 16U T1ER Top Prospects teams by allowing them to begin competing against older competition and begin to get on the map of NAHL and NCAA programs. To date, 47 players in the NAPHL have signed tenders with North American Hockey League teams.
Friday, March 24
SHOW 18U East 3 vs. T1ER 16U East 1
SHOW 18U West 2 vs. T1ER 16U West 3
Saturday, March 25
T1ER 16U West 2 vs. T1ER 16U East 4
SHOW 18U East 2 vs. SHOW 18U West 4
SHOW 18U West 2 vs. T1ER 16U East 5
T1ER 16U West 0 vs. SHOW 18U East 3
Sunday, March 26
Championship: T1ER 16U East vs. SHOW 18U East, 1pm
Consolation: SHOW 18U West vs. T1ER 16U West, 1:15pm
Day 2 recaps
T1ER 16U East 4 vs. T1ER 16U West 2 – Nikolas Reich (New Jersey Jr. Titans) scored two goals to lead the 16U East to a 4-2 win over 16U West. East jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st period thanks to goals from Samuel Chapman (New Hampshire Avalanche), Leo Mantenuto (Maine Nordiques), and Reich. T1ER West owned the 2nd period as closed the gap to within 3-2 thanks to a pair of goals from Grayden Anderson (Madison Capitols) and Cameron Kimmerly (Northwest Stars). Early in the 3rd period, Reich would add his second goal of the game to secure the 4-2 win. Cole Werthman (Philadelphia Hockey Club) made 26 saves in the win, while Spencer Hunnam (Omaha Mastery) made 34 saves in the loss.
SHOW 18U West 4 vs. SHOW 18U East 2 – Four different players scored for the SHOW West team as they picked up their first win with a 4-2 win over the SHOW East. West jumped ahead 1-0 as Liam Joyce (Lincoln Stars) scored his first goal of the event. Early in the 2nd period, the East tied the game thanks to a goal from Jaden Meeke (Clearwater Ice Storm). Early in the 3rd period, the two teams traded goals again as Alexander Musyakevych (Pilot Mound) scored for West and John Hall (Columbus Thunderbirds) answered for East to make it 2-2. Late in the 3rd period, the West took a 3-2 lead on a power play goal from Eamon Navin (Golden State Elite) and Peter Bird (Pilot Mound) to make it a 4-2 final. Jacob Morgan (Lincoln Stars) made 23 saves and Nick Cowles (Anaheim Jr. Ducks) made 12 saves in the win, while Noah Van Herik (Highland Park Falcons) made 15 saves and Nicolas Gould (New Jersey Jr. Titans) made 6 saves in the loss.
T1ER 16U East 5 vs. SHOW 18U West 2 – 16U East won their second game of the day and punched their ticket to the Championship Game as they beat SHOW 18U West, 5-2 in the nightcap. 16U East was bolstered by a strong start as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Makhai Santiago (Northeast Generals), Kevin Walton (Philadelphia Hockey Club), and Declan Rabe (Maine Nordiques). At the end of the 2nd period, 18U West netted their first goal from Liam Joyce (Lincoln Stars). In the 3rd period, the 16U East pulled away with two more goals from Jake Thornton (Tri State Spartans) and Marc Nicastro (Philadelphia Hockey Club). Paavo Makela (Golden State Elite) had the other goal for 18U West. Gavin Morris (Maine Nordiques) made 22 saves in the win. Nick Cowles (Anaheim Jr. Ducks) made 22 saves and Jacob Morgan (Lincoln Stars) made 14 saves in the loss.
SHOW 18U East 3 vs. T1ER 16U West 0 – Nicolas Gould (New Jersey Jr. Titans) stopped all 16 shots that came his way as the SHOW 18U East punched their ticket to the Championship Game on Sunday with a 3-0 shutout of T1ER 16U West. After a scoreless 1st period, the 18U East took a 2-0 lead in the 2nd period with goals from Andrew Kaunas (Orland Park Vikings) and Devin Bruns (Orland Park Vikings). In the 3rd period 18U East got an insurance goal from Preston Jones (New Jersey Jr. Titans) to secure the 3-0 win. 16U West goalie Spencer Hunnam (Omaha Mastery) played well in the loss, making 40 saves.
