Ice Wolves week in review

ALBUQUERQUE – Earlier this week both the NAHL and NA3HL held their Top Prospects Tournaments in Plymouth, MI. The Ice Wolves were well represented in both tournaments, with each team spending 3 players. The NAHL sent Ethan Hull, Toivo Laaksonen and Jack Fuller, while the NA3HL Ice Wolves sent Max Arlt, Rory Smith and Issa Murakami.

The 3HL Ice Wolves took the ice first with Issa Murakami and Rory Smith on Team Yellow facing off against Max Arlt and Team Blue. It was all Team Yellow who skated away with the 10-3 victory. Murakami would score a goal and a pair of assists for Yellow, while Arlt would net a goal for Blue.

Also on Monday, the NAHL South Prospects would take on the Gold Selects. Gold led this one until Ethan Hull tied it up with 12 seconds left in the third, assisted by Toivo Laaksonen, sending it to a shootout. Unfortunately Hill would be stopped in the 4th round as the Gold Selects took the shootout 2-1, giving them the win.

Tuesday the 3HL Yellow Squad put together another dominating performance defeating Team Black 7-3. Issa Murakami found the back of the net once again giving him 2 goals and 2 assists for the Tournament.

The South Prospects and East Prospects put on a thriller Tuesday, as Ice Wolves netminder Jack Fuller pitched a 15 save shutout, with the matchup ending in regulation at a 0-0 tie. Once again the shootout would go to four rounds, this time Ice Wolves defenseman Toivo Laaksonen would net the game winner, giving Fuller the 1-0 shootout win and Player of the Game.

Rounding out the Tournament for the Ice Wolves representatives, Max Arlt and NA3HL Team Blue took on Team White. Blue would come away with the victory, led by Arlt who would score a goal and two assists, earning himself Player of the Game honors.