WATERTOWN SHAMROCKS (27-19-2-1) vs. ST. CLOUD NORSEMEN (17-27-5-0)
PRAIRIE LAKES ICE ARENA | NAHL REGULAR SEASON | GAME #50 AND #51 | MARCH 20 AND 21, 2026
The Watertown Shamrocks will play at home against the St. Cloud Norsmen on Friday and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in Prairie Lakes Ice Arena. It will be the Shamrocks’ fiftieth and fiftieth-first regular-season games of the 2025-26 season. This is the third regular-season matchup between these two teams.
THIS SEASON:
So far this season, the Shamrocks have gone 1-2-1 against the Norsemen in their two games.
In the first set of games, the Shamrocks were defeated by the Norsemen in both rinks. On Friday night, the Shamrocks fell short in a 2-3 shootout loss. The Shamrocks started in front, but the Norsemen tied it up late to force overtime, then a shootout. After Owen Chartier’s lone shootout goal, the Norsemen clinched in their third and fifth tries. On Saturday night, Watertown was bested at home 3-7. The Shamrocks went down early in the first period and were unable to climb back.
In the second set of games, the Shamrocks split the series with the Norsemen. On Friday night, the Shamrocks defeated the Norsemen 3-2 in overtime. Neither team scored in the first period, but the Shamrocks scored a short-handed goal to start the second. In the third period, the Shamrocks went up 2-0, but two Norsemen goals sent the game to overtime. Joe Rice had the overtime winner to give the Shamrocks a 3-2 victory. On Saturday night, Watertown fell 2-4 to St. Cloud. After a scoreless first period, the Norsemen struck first, and the second period ended 1-2. A Norsemen goal to start the third and an empty net goal were too much for Owen Chartier’s goal, and the Norsemen took the game 2-4.
WATERTOWN SHAMROCKS:
The Shamrocks will enter this division matchup after falling in a single game against the Aberdeen Wings, 3-5 on Tuesday.
In the St. Patrick’s Day matchup, the Wings scored the only goal of the first period. In the second, the Wings scored three more, but the Shamrock’s Daniel Halonen put Watertown on the board. The Shamrocks had two goals in the third period to try to make a comeback, but the Wings secured a 3-5 victory.
The Shamrocks have won two of their last five games and currently sit in fourth place in the Central Division.
CLOUD NORSEMEN
The Norsemen will enter this division matchup after splitting a home set of games with the Minot Minotauros, 1-4 on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday.
On Friday, the Minotauros scored one goal in the first period and one in the second period to go up 0-2 early. The Norsemen got a power play goal in the third, but two Minotuaro empty net goals gave them the 1-4 win. On Saturday, the Norseman completed a 3-0 shutout of the Minotauros. They scored a goal in the first, and two in the second for the win. Goalie Beck Liden saved all 25 shots.
The Norsemen have won three of their last five games and currently sit in seventh place in the Central Division.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
SHAMROCKS:
- Zach Boren currently leads the team with 28 goals and 53 points, and he had one goal and two assists on Tuesday.
- Daniel Halonen scored his third goal of the season in as many games played, for a total of four points so far.
- Joe Rice leads the team with 32 assists and had one on Tuesday night.
NORSEMEN:
- Sam Crane leads the team in goals, assists, and total points. He had an assist on Friday night.
- Avry Shaw has 19 points on the season and scored two goals last weekend.
- Nolan Smith has 27 points on the season and had an assist on Saturday.
By Lily Schutzehofer
Photo by Sarah Cooper