CarShield, Everett take home NAPHL regular season titles

January 30, 2018

The final event of the 2017-18 North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) regular season came and went this past weekend and it provided everyone with some great games and action as they regular season championships and playoff spots went down to the wire.

 

The event was not only highlighted by a pair of close and very competitive All-Star Games on Saturday night, but the drama of who was going to make the playoffs extended well into the games on Monday morning.

 

Here is a look at what transpired:

 

Congratulations to the CarShield AAA 18U team, who captured the 2017-18 regular season title with a 16-1-1 record and 33 points during the regular season. CarShield finished one point ahead of the 2nd place Sioux Falls Jr. Stampede. CarShield went 4-0 at the event in Blaine and outscored their opponents 23-2, in a truly dominating performance. They will be the #1 seed at the 2018 Dixon Cup Playoffs from February 16-19 in Troy, Michigan. Sioux Falls also went 4-0 at the event in Blaine and finished with 16 wins. It was an impressive season for the organization, who was in their first season in the NAPHL. Rounding out the top eight teams are the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders at #3. At #4 is the Valley Forge Minutemen, who finished with 26 points and 13 wins. Also with 26 points is the #5 seed Tampa Scorpions, who finished the season with 11 wins. Rounding out the Top 8 were Elite Hockey at #6 with 24 points and 12 wins, the Esmark Stars at #7 with 24 points and 10 wins, and the final spot went to Meijer AAA, who posted two shutouts in their final two games to sneak into the Gold Division Playoffs with 22 points, which was one better than 9th place New Jersey. The Madison Capitols, who were the two-time defending NAPHL Playoff Champions from the past two seasons, also missed out on the Top 8, finished two points behind Meijer for 10th place. One thing is now known… the winner of the 18U Dixon Cup this season will be a first time champion.

 

CarShield AAA 18U forward Joe Winkelmann, who is an NAHL tender of the Austin Bruins, who the 18U scoring crown with 33 points.

 

Rocky Mountain RoughRiders defenseman Jack Millar had the most points of any 18U defenseman with 19. He is tendered by the NAHL's Minot Minotauros.

 

Rocky Mountain's Andrew Miller finished on top the 18U goaltending statistics with a 0.51 goals against average and a 97.2% save percentage.

 

 

Congratulations to the Everett Silvertips Elite 16U team, who captured the 2017-18 regular season title with a 15-1-1 record and 31 points during the regular season. Last year’s Dixon Cup 16U champion, the Esmark Stars finished two points behind in 2nd place with 29 points and 14 wins. In 3rd place is the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders, who lost in last year’s 16U title game to Esmark. The RoughRiders finished with 28 points. In a tie for 4th place is Sioux Falls and Madison with 27 points. Each team also had 13 wins, however, Sioux Falls beat Madison back on November 10th, so the Jr. Stampede won the tie-breaker and earned the #4 seed. The #6 seed belongs to the Arizona Bobcats, who solidified their spot in the Top 8 with a perfect 4-0 record at the final event in Blaine. Rounding out the field of 8 is CarShield at #7 and Meijer at #8. The 16U Division had a lot of parity this season as no team went undefeated and every team won at last three games or more.

 

Three players tied for the 16U scoring crown, which included Leo Bacallao (Madison), Brett Reed (Sioux Falls), and Cole Dubicki (Everett).

 

Madison defenseman Max Ruoho took home the most points of any 16U defenseman with 19 this season.

 

Esmark Stars goalie Kenny Vought posted the best goaltending statistics with a 0.99 goals against average and a 95.2% save percentage.

 

 

A schedule for the 2018 Dixon Cup Championship will be posted in the near future. The Top 8 teams in each division will compete in the Gold (Championship) Division for the right to become Dixon Cup Champions. The remaining teams will compete in the Silver (Consolation) Division. The event takes place from February 16-19 at the Troy Sports Center in Troy, Michigan.