FINAL SCORES:
FRI: WATERTOWN 5, MINNESOTA 2
SAT: WATERTOWN 6, MINNESOTA 4
PRAIRIE LAKES ICE ARENA | NAHL REGULAR SEASON | GAME #27 AND #28 | JANUARY 2 AND 3, 2026
FRIDAY’S GAME HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: The Watertown Shamrocks defeated the Minnesota Mallards on Friday night in Prairie Lakes Ice Arena in the twenty-seventh regular-season game of the 2025-26 season.
The Shamrocks started this game on a hot streak and maintained it. At 15:20 in the first, Owen Fask started the scoring with a top corner snipe, assisted by Justin Obrochta and Jordan Gudridge. Less than two minutes later, Zach Boren got a goal of his own, assisted by J. Gudridge and Kyle Greene. In the final minute of the period, Jakov Matijevic, assisted by Grady Dimberio and Jake Pietila, got his first goal in his first NAHL game.
In the second, the Shamrocks converted on the power play. At 15:37, Boren, assisted by Justin Bartley and Greene, got his second goal of the game and put the Shamrocks up 4-0. At the 15:13 mark, the Mallards got on the board with a goal from Beckett Hinchsliff, assisted by Wes Berg and Mitch Vanderway. In the final minute of the second, Pietila scored on the third chance towards the net, assisted by Obrochta and Andrew Smulkstys.
The third period was quiet in comparison, with only the Mallards’ Vanderway putting up a goal, assisted by Hinchsliff and Carver Hasbargen. The Shamrocks came away with the 5-2 victory.
Three Stars:
- Zach Boren
- Yakov Matijevic
- Owen Fask
Key Stats:
|
Team |
Starting Goalie |
Shots on Goal (SOG) |
Penalty Mins |
High Points |
|
Shamrocks |
#31 Salajko |
26 |
10 |
#19 Boren (2 G) |
|
Mallards |
#35 Niesen #30 Kimbrel |
19 |
10 |
#10 Vanderway (1 G, 1 A) #24 Hinchsliff (1 G, 1 A) |
SATURDAY’S GAME HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: The Watertown Shamrocks were victorious over the Minnesota Mallards on Saturday night in Prairie Lakes Ice Arena in the twenty-eighth regular-season game of the 2025-26 season.
On Saturday night, the Mallards came out strong in the first. At 10:51, Carver Hasbargen started the scoring, with assists from Drew Bowe and Joseph DeLaurentis. In the final minute, Jordan Fanti, assisted by Becket Hinchsliff and Mitch Vanderway, made it 2-0 Mallards.
In the second period, the action turned up. The Shamrocks came out and scored three goals in the first six minutes of the period. At 18:26, Owen Fask scored his second goal of the weekend, assisted by Justin Obrochta and Owen Chartier. At 17:39, Zach Boren scored his third goal of the weekend, assisted by Justin Bartley and Joe Rice. On the power play, Antons Macijevskis scored his first goal in his first game back from the World Juniors tournament, assisted by Jordan Gudridge and Edvins Berzins. At 13:46, Ty Gordon tied the game at 3-3, then Fanti put the Mallards up 4-3.
The third period was all Shamrocks. At 16:34, Erick Comstock scored the tying goal, assisted by Rice and Grady Dimberio, and at 14:39, Owen Chartier scored the go-ahead goal, assisted by Justin Obrochta. At .11, Joe Rice, assisted by Obrochta and Andrew Smulkstys, netted the empty net goal to finalize the 6-4 victory.
Three Stars:
- Joe Rice
- Owen Chartier
- Erick Comstock
Key Stats:
|
Team |
Starting Goalie |
Shots on Goal (SOG) |
Penalty Mins |
High Points |
|
Shamrocks |
#31 Salajko |
34 |
4 |
#21 Rice (1 G, 2 A) |
|
Mallards |
#30 Kimbrel |
33 |
4 |
#2 Fanti (2 G) |
By Lily Schutzenhofer
Photo by Sarah Cooper