The Wisconsin Windigo fared well in the annual North American Hockey League Showcase late last week by going 3-0 in Blaine, Minn.
With plenty of scouts in the crowd, the Windigo opened the showcase Sept. 25 with a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Rebels before a 3-1 win against the Oklahoma Warriors Sept. 27 and a 6-3 victory over the Odessa Jackalopes.
All 35 NAHL and the USA 17U National Team competed in front of hundreds of scouts, representing every NHL and NCAA D-1 team.
“It was great to see our guys acquit themselves well in the spotlight that is the NAHL Showcase. There are a lot of distractions at this event, with the presence of college coaches and NHL scouts being felt by all of our players,” said Windigo coach John Mitchell. “Our veterans continue to lead the way. Guys like Beahm, Cline, Gulley, and Naeve, are getting it done on the scoreboard, as well as up and down the ice.”
Windigo goaltender Lucas Szyszka was back in the net for Wisconsin and was nearly unpassable for the first two periods.
After a quick goal given up at 3:24 of the first period, Szyszka was perfect the rest of the first and saved all six shots he faced in the second.
Wisconsin’s Jackson Ernst (Prior Lake, Minn.) broke the seal for his season’s first goal late in the opening frame to tie things up at 1-1 heading into the intermission.
The penalty kill was the difference in the second and third periods.
Roughly a minute into a Rebel cross-checking penalty, the Windigo found the back of the net for a 2-1 advantage in the second.
Philadelphia tied things up at 2-2 early on in the third before the Windigo’s PP struck again.
A late powerplay goal in the third by Braydon Beahm (Waupun) extended the lead, 3-2, at the 19:11 mark of the third period, before Wisconsin tucked one away in an empty net to put the game out of reach.
A few days later, the Windigo spread the goals between different lines and picked up their second win of the showcase.
It was nearly 18 minutes of scoreless hockey before Wisconsin put up the game’s first tally.
Third-line defender Michael Ryan lit the lamp unassisted at 17:33 of the opening period. Just over two minutes later, first-line forward Braydon Beahm made a 2-0 game, which was the score at the first intermission.
The Windigo made it a 3-0 with another unassisted goal early in the second by Cashen Naeve.
Wisconsin went to the box midway through the second for a high sticking penalty that allowed the Warriors to cut the lead back to two, 3-1.
From there, Szyszka made four third-period saves for the Windigo, clinched his fifth win, and the team’s fifth of the season.
In the third and final game, Wisconsin had to claw back from a 3-1 deficit in the win.
Zach Cline got the Windigo on the board first at 12:07 of the first period, but three unanswered goals by the Jackalopes made it a 3-1 game in the early stages of the second period.
Odessa never beat Szyszka again and Wisconsin rattled off five unanswered goals by five different skaters en route to the win.
“What can you say about Lucas Szyszka in net? We had high hopes for him. He’s shown potential in his career in the USHL and BCHL,” stated Mitchell. “He leads the league with six wins in six games. The Windigo developed a legacy for great goaltending during their first two years in the NAHL. Szyszka seems to be following that trajectory.”
The Windigo have one game coming up this week: a home game in Eagle River against the Anchorage Wolverines Friday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m.
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