Today, the New Jersey Titans announced their schedule for the 20th Annual NAHL Showcase, to be played September 13th through the 16th at the National Sports Center Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota. The schedule represents a tough test early in the season, as three of the Titans’ four opponents represented their divisions in the Robertson Cup Finals last season, and all four finished among the top eight teams in the league.
The Titans will look at avenging their 0-4 record at last year’s showcase on September 13th in the last game of the day at 9:00pm Eastern against the Minnesota Wilderness. Last season, the Wilderness finished in 2nd place of the Midwest Division with a record of 35-18-7. In the playoffs, Minnesota swept Kenai River three games to none in the first round, and knocked off Midwest Division Champion Wisconsin in the second round three games to one, before being swept themselves by Oklahoma in the Robertson Cup Semifinals. It will be the first matchup between the two teams since September 21st, 2018, a game the Titans won 4-2. Their only other matchup was exactly two years prior, a 2-1 victory for the Wilderness.
New Jersey faces another Midwest Division opponent the next day, September 14th, at 3:45pm Eastern versus the Wisconsin Windigo. The Windigo won the Midwest Division with a record of 39-18-3, and swept the Chippewa Steel in the first round before being shown the door by Minnesota in the second. The Titans and Windigo have never met in the regular season before, though the last game between the franchises came on September 24th, 2015, when the Windigo were known as the Minnesota Magicians. The Titans prevailed with a 4-2 victory.
On September 15th, the Titans skate at 1:00pm Eastern and will meet the defending Central Division Champions Austin Bruins for the second time in franchise history. Austin took the first meeting against New Jersey on September 17th, 2021, by a score of 4-1. Last season, Austin finished in 1st place in the Central with a record of 34-16-10. In the playoffs, Austin swept Minot in the first round before beating St. Cloud three games to one in the division finals. Austin then vanquished Maryland two games to one in the Robertson Cup Semifinals before falling in the Robertson Cup Championship game to the Oklahoma Warriors by a score of 4-3.
New Jersey will wrap up the NAHL Showcase the next day, September 16th, at 1:00pm Eastern, and face off against the defending Robertson Cup Champion Oklahoma Warriors. This featured matchup pits the last two NAHL Champions against each other and represents the first game between the two teams since the Warriors relocated from Wichita Falls, TX. Last year, Oklahoma finished with the best record in the league at 44-14-2. They also had the league’s best goal differential with +114. In the playoffs, the Warriors were dominant, sweeping Amarillo and knocking off Shreveport three games to one to claim the South Division crown. Then, Oklahoma swept Minnesota two games to none, and beat Austin to secure their first Robertson Cup. In the only previous matchup between the franchises, New Jersey fell to Wichita Falls 5-2 on September 18th, 2021.
The New Jersey Titans, proud members of the North American Hockey League, are entering their ninth season at the Middletown Sports Complex in Middletown, NJ. The Titans have made the playoffs in every season of their existence and were the 2022 Robertson Cup National Champions. Season ticket packages will be available soon, in time for the 2023-24 season home opener versus the Rochester Jr. Americans on September 29th. Follow the New Jersey Titans on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok today!