WATERTOWN SHAMROCKS (22-16-1-1) vs. MINOT MINOTAUROS (17-22-2-2)
PEPSI RINK AT MAYSA ARENA | NAHL REGULAR SEASON | GAME #41 AND #42 | FEBRUARY 20 AND 21, 2026
The Watertown Shamrocks will travel to play the Minot Minotauros on Friday and Saturday at 7:35 p.m. at Pepsi Rink at Maysa Arena. It will be the Shamrocks’ forty-first and forty-second regular-season games of the 2025-26 season. This is the fourth regular-season matchup between these teams.
THIS SEASON:
So far this season, the Shamrocks have gone 5-1 against the Minotauros in their four games.
In the first set of games, the Shamrocks and the Minotauros split the series in Prairie Lakes Ice Arena. On Friday night, the Shamrocks fell short in a 3-5 loss. Despite two goals in the first, the Shamrocks were scoreless in the third and could not pull ahead. On Saturday night, Watertown defeated Minot 3-2 in an exciting shootout. After a game-tying goal in the third, the Shamrocks were unsuccessful in overtime, forcing the game to a shootout. Two Shamrock goals and two big saves gave Watertown the win.
In the second set of games, the Shamrocks swept the series on Pepsi Rink at Maysa Arena. On Friday night, Minot got the first goal in the first period, but the Shamrocks got the last to tie the game at 1-1. After this, the game was all Shamrocks. There were four goals from four different goal scorers in the second, then a single goal in the third for a 7-4 win. On Saturday, it was a similar story with the Shamrocks scoring four straight goals to start the game. Minot and Watertown netted goals in the second, but the Shamrocks secured three more in the third for an 8-2 win.
In the third set of games, Watertown achieved another sweep, with a shutout against Minot in Prairie Lakes Ice Arena. On Friday night, the Shamrocks scored a goal in each period, courtesy of Brody Josselyn, Kyle Greene, and Payton Struck, to secure a 3-0 shutout win. Goalie Mason Gudridge stopped all 37 Minotuaro shots. On Saturday night, the first period was tied at 1-1, and the second period was tied 2-2, until Zach Boren scored to give the Shamrocks a 3-2 lead. Antons Macijevskis scored the final goal in the third to make it 4-2 Shamrocks.
WATERTOWN SHAMROCKS:
The Shamrocks will enter this division matchup after sweeping two games against the Aberdeen Wings, 4-3 (OT) on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday.
On Friday, Aberdeen had the only goal of the first period, and Watertown had the only goal of the second, to make it 1-1 going into the third period. At 14:30, the Wings pulled ahead 2-1, but shortly after, Justin Bartley made it 2-2. One more Wings goal, and a goal from Kyle Greene in the final seconds of the third period sent this 3-3 game to overtime. Joe Rice scored the game-winner to make it 4-3 Shamrocks. On Saturday, the Shamrocks completed their first sweep of the Wings, and Mason Gudridge earned his second career shutout with 40 saves. Zach Boren, Owen Chartier, and Justin Obrochta contributed goals to make it 3-0 Shamrocks.
The Shamrocks have won three of their last five games and currently sit in fourth place in the Central Division.
MINOT MINOTAUROS:
The Minotauros will enter this division matchup after splitting two away games with the Minnesota Mallards, 4-6 on Friday and 6-2 on Saturday.
On Friday, the Minotuaros struck first, with the Mallards responding with three goals in the second period. In the third, the Mallards had three more goals, and the Minotauros could not keep up, giving Minnesota a 4-6 win. On Saturday, the story was swapped. Minnesota led 2-1 after the first period, but could not overcome five Minot goals in the second. The Minotuaros got a 6-2 victory.
The Minotauros have won two of their last five games and are currently in sixth place in the Central Division.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
SHAMROCKS:
- Zach Boren leads the team with 21 goals and 41 points, and had three assists and a goal this past weekend.
- Kyle Greene has 24 points, with eight goals and 16 assists. He had a goal and two assists last Friday.
- Erick Comstock has 24 assists this season, with three coming this last weekend.
MINOTAUROS:
- Lucca Ori leads the team with 11 goals, 20 assists, and 31 points. He had two goals and an assist this past weekend.
- Philip Wiklund is second on the team with 28 points. He scored a goal and two assists this past weekend.
- Briggs Knott has 24 points on the season, and had a goal and three assists this weekend.
By Lily Schutzehofer
Photo by Sarah Cooper