FALL League Recap: Days Two and Three Deliver Big Wins and Unbeatens

Three days are now in the books for the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) FALL League, and the competition is in full swing. Teams at both the 16U and 18U levels kept the intensity high throughout days two and three, click here to see all the scores!

18U:

Kenai River Brown Bears
The Kenai River Brown Bears stayed red-hot over the weekend, improving to 4-0 after a pair of high-scoring showdowns, an 8-6 victory over the Janesville Jets on Saturday and a 7-4 win against the Chippewa Steel on Sunday.

Saturday’s clash with Janesville was a rollercoaster. After falling behind 3-1 in the first, Kenai exploded in the second with a five-goal outburst during a wild eight-goal frame. Two more tallies in the third sealed the win, led by Brody Lockman’s monster night, netting a hat trick plus an assist for a four-point performance.

Sunday’s battle with Chippewa brought more fireworks. Deadlocked 2-2 after the first and 3-3 after the second, the Steel briefly took a 4-3 edge before the Bears answered with three unanswered goals to put the game away. Lockman once again stole the show, recording his second consecutive hat trick to cap off a dominant weekend.

St. Cloud Norsemen

After a tough start in game one, the St. Cloud Norsemen bounced back in style, rattling off three straight wins to finish the weekend 3-1. Saturday and Sunday alone saw the offense explode for 11 goals, highlighted by a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Wilderness and a thrilling 4-3 comeback win against the Minot Minotauros.

Saturday’s matchup against the Wilderness was all Norsemen early, as they stormed out of the gate with four goals in the first period. Ian Findlay set the tone by scoring the opener and then adding two assists before the frame was over. The second period brought even more fireworks with five combined goals, three from St. Cloud, including a pair from Noah Thurston, who also buried the eventual game-winner. Minnesota tried to rally late with two goals in the third, but the Norsemen held strong to secure the win.

Sunday’s contest against Minot had a much different script. The Minotauros jumped out to a 3-0 lead, scoring twice in the first and striking again to open the second. But St. Cloud dug deep, chipping away with two goals in the middle frame before taking control in the third. The Norsemen netted two unanswered goals to complete the comeback, capped off by Findlay’s clutch game-winner, his second straight day delivering in a big way.

16U:

Austin Bruins

 The Austin Bruins are one of just four teams in the 16U bracket to finish the opening weekend with a perfect 4-0 record, leading all teams offensively with 27 goals in four games.

Saturday’s matchup with the Ice Dogs started slow, with Fairbanks holding a 1-0 edge after the first. But the Bruins came alive in the second as Jaxson Horning buried back-to-back tallies to swing momentum and give Austin a 2-1 lead heading into the third. They extended the advantage early in the final frame before the Ice Dogs closed the gap to 3-2. With the game tightening, the Bruins cranked up the heat, striking twice more to lock down the victory.

That momentum carried into Sunday’s 6-2 win over the Minnesota Green Giants. After a 1-1 first period, the Bruins broke things open in the second, potting three of the frame’s four goals, including Josh Vossler’s second of the day. The scoring touch continued in the third, capped off by Gavin Gust, who became the second Bruin of the game to net a pair.

Odessa Jackalopes

The Odessa Jackalopes also find themselves in the undefeated column after knocking off the Minnesota Wilderness 2-1 and the Minnesota Lakers Prospects 4-1.

Saturday’s battle with the Wilderness was a defensive grind, with neither side finding the back of the net in the opening frame. All three goals came in the second period, as Cooper Saari broke the deadlock at the 17:00 mark before Minnesota answered seven minutes later. With time winding down, Eli Mattila delivered the eventual game-winner, while goaltender Evan Madsen stood tall, stopping 26 of 27 shots for a stellar .963 save percentage.

On Sunday, the Jacks carried the momentum into their matchup with the Lakers Prospects, jumping out to a three-goal lead behind a pair from Liam Kelley and another from Mattila. The Lakers clawed one back in the third, but Odessa quickly snuffed out the comeback bid with a late insurance marker to seal the 4-1 win.

The next FALL League event is set for September 25–28 in Blaine, running alongside the annual NAHL Showcase.