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NAHL Showcase: Minnesotan recap

By Peter Odney , 09/20/21, 3:15PM CDT

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Breakdowns of how all four Minnesota-based NAHL teams fared in last weekend's NAHL Showcase, plus notes on three high school-eligibles.

Central Division

Austin Bruins (3-0-1)

The Bruins navigated the Showcase without suffering a loss in regulation, with a 3-2 overtime defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Magicians representing the Bruins’ only blemish through four games.

Before the loss to the Magicians, the Bruins rolled to wins over Wichita Falls, Fairbanks, and the New Jersey Titans.  

Carson Riddle leads the Bruins in scoring with three goals and nine points, which ranks second overall in the NAHL behind Maryland’s Luke Van Why. Detroit Lakes native and former Northstar Christian Academy standout Jens Richards follows Riddle with four goals and six points, and Sutter Muzzatti’s six assists make him tied with Richards for second on the team in scoring. All four of Richards’s goals have come on the power play. 

St. Cloud Norsemen (1-1)

St. Cloud opened the Showcase with an 8-1 pounding of the Danbury Hat Tricks, then fell to defending Robertson Cup champion Shreveport 3-1 on Saturday to conclude the weekend at 1-1. 

Burnsville product Logan Kittleson leads the Norsemen in scoring with four points, all assists, with three of those helpers coming in the win over Danbury. Edina native and former Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knight Jackson Bisson has two goals and an assist so far, recording all three points in the Danbury victory.


Evan Murr, St. Cloud Norsemen

Midwest Division

Minnesota Magicians (4-2) 

The Magicians split with Fairbanks over the Sept. 11 weekend and played four one-goal games this past weekend during the Showcase. 

A 3-2 win over Shreveport was followed by a 3-2 loss to the Lone Star Brahmas. The Magicians capped the weekend with a 5-4 win over the Northeast Generals and a 3-2 win over the in-state rival Austin Bruins. 

Powered by Minnesota talent, the Magicians are led in scoring by Minneapolis native Gavin Best (2-4-6), who is tied with Lucas Kanta for the team’s lead in points.

Behind Best is former Lakeville South standout Cam Boche (2-3-5), Maple Grove product Sam Jacobs (1-3-4), and Best’s teammate at Blake Will Svenddal. Svenddal is the Magicians’ leading scorer among defensemen with four points. 

Minnesota Wilderness (1-2-1-0-1)

Unlucky number five haunted the Wilderness over the weekend, as the team dropped two games to start the Showcase by scores of 5-1 against North Iowa and a 5-4 loss in overtime against Amarillo. 

The Wilderness bounced back with a 4-1 win over Jamestown and a 3-2 overtime victory over Lone Star to conclude Showcase weekend play. Luckily for the Wilderness, it will play eight of its next nine games at home in Cloquet at the Northwoods Credit Union Arena. 

Matthew McQuade, William Persson, and Max Neill are all tied for the team’s lead in scoring with four points apiece. 


Gavin Best currently leads the Minnesota Magicians with three goals and nine points in six games.

High school-eligibles get early taste of NAHL Showcase

Nick Blood, Austin 

The Holy Family Catholic forward has his senior season ahead of him, but is logging some time with the Bruins for now. Blood had limited reps in the game YHH saw, but he moves well and seems comfortable in his role thus far. 

Jaksen Panzer, Minot

The North Dakota commit and current East Grand Forks standout was the lone high school-eligible that had a regular shift during the Showcase, including time spent on the power play and penalty kill. 

Panzer contributed with his motor and effort level. In limited viewing, he managed to erase a possible icing by out-skating the opposing defense and created a scoring chance through pure will. 

On Thursday, Panzer had a goal and an assist in Minot's 5-2 win over Corpus Christi. 

Will Schumacher, Minnesota Magicians

Schumacher (Prior Lake) has a goal and two assists in six games so far for the Magicians and recorded that goal in a 3-2 win over the Lone Star Brahmas on Saturday. 

Like most players participating in a higher level of play, Schumacher is still learning the juniors game. He is effective on special teams and plays well below the dots in the offensive zone, where his strong hands create space in the corners and along the boards.  


Jaksen Panzer, Minot

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