FALL League shines on Day 1 in Blaine
The NAPHL FALL League officially kicked off the 2023-24 season with 15 games on Saturday. The first event takes place from September 2-4, 2023 at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota.
This is the first NAPHL event of the 2023-24 season, which is the 15th season of the NAPHL. This will be the third season of the FALL League.
This NAPHL FALL League is designed to give U18 and U16 teams the ability to play in a league within a shortened window of time before the Minnesota and Wisconsin high school seasons begin.
18U and 16U Online Schedule and Scores
18U Division
In the 18U Division, each team played twice with the Corpus Christi IceRays and Janesville Jets emerging as the only two teams to go unbeaten on Day 1. The IceRays beat Odessa 5-1 and then beat Kenai River, 7-1. Defenseman George Daravingas and forward Oliver Barna each led the way with four points. For the Jets, forward Adam Sexton recorded three points in two games to lead his team. Parker Holloway and Grant Hansen also scored two goals apiece. The Minnesota Wilderness picked up three points on Day 1 led by four points each from defenseman Xander Sheiman and forward Henry Drevnick. There are a hosting of teams tied in the standings with one win and one loss, including the Chippewa Steel, St. Cloud Norsemen, Wisconsin Windigo, Austin Bruins, and Fairbanks Ice Dogs. The Odessa Jackalopes and Kenai River Brown Bears fell in both their games on Saturday. Wisconsin Windigo forward Eli Tiernan currently leads all scorers with five points in two games.
16U Division
The 16U teams each played one game on Saturday. The Austin Bruins edged the Wisconsin Windigo in overtime, 5-4. Rocco Corl had a hat-trick including the overtime-winner. The Chippewa Steel beat the St. Cloud Norsemen, 2-1 thanks to 31 saves from goalie Owen Prescher. Kenai River got goals from Remington Chisholm, Tate Hamre, and Christian Alexander in a 3-1 win over Janesville. Parker Lycke scored twice and Mason Kelm made 26 saves as Odessa beat Corpus Christi, 5-3. In the final game, Cody Sawyer had two goals as Fairbanks handled the Minnesota Wilderness, 7-1.
There will be three events, all of which are at the Super Rink in Blaine, MN, which will all take place before the high school seasons begin. The first event will take place from September 2-4. The second event will take place from September 14-17 in cooperation with the NAHL Showcase. The third and final event will take place from October 13-15 in Blaine, Minnesota, and will be the Fall League Playoff Championship.
Each team playing in the NAPHL Fall League will be named after an NAHL team and be represented as such. The NAPHL Fall League events are designed to maximize exposure for the players and bring together teams for likeminded and enhanced competition. Players will also participate in seminars that discuss the NAHL junior hockey experience, the ladder of development, as well as NCAA compliance seminars.
NAHL teams that are taking part in the Fall League with youth teams are: Austin Bruins, Chippewa Steel, Corpus Christi IceRays, Fairbanks Ice Dogs, Janesville Jets, Kenai River Brown Bears, Minnesota Wilderness, St. Cloud Norsemen, and Wisconsin Windigo.
