The Minnesota Mallards have officially wrapped up the 2026 NAHL Showcase, finishing the week with a 1-2 record after three competitive games.
While the final record may not tell the entire story, the Mallards showed throughout the Showcase that they were capable of competing in tight games. Both losses came in close contests, giving Minnesota plenty to build on as the team returns home and gets back to work.
The Mallards opened the Showcase on September 23 against the Billings Cattle Punchers. Minnesota remained within one goal late in the third period before Billings added an empty-net goal in the final minute to make it a 4-2 final.
Minnesota responded the following day against the Odessa Jackalopes with one of its strongest defensive performances of the young season.
Ryan Lucarelli scored the only goal of the game after receiving a pass from Ty Gordon and staying with his own rebound to put the puck away. Goaltender Max Pitts handled the rest, shutting out Odessa to earn his first shutout as a Minnesota Mallard and secure a 1-0 victory.
The Mallards then completed their Showcase schedule against the Houston Bulls, finishing the event at 1-2.
Plenty to Build On
The Showcase gave Minnesota another opportunity to measure itself against teams from outside its usual schedule and continue learning what it will take to win consistently throughout the season.
Three games in a short span also gave the coaching staff plenty of film and situations to evaluate.
The Mallards showed they can play in low-scoring defensive battles, stay competitive in close games, and respond after a tough result. Now the focus shifts toward turning those competitive performances into wins.
With the Showcase behind them, Minnesota will look to have a positive week of practice, clean up the details, and prepare for its next challenge.
Hitting the Road for Wisconsin
The Mallards will now hit the road and head to Wisconsin for a pair of games against the Wisconsin Windigo.
After a busy week at the Showcase, the upcoming practices will be an important opportunity for Minnesota to reset, sharpen its game, and prepare for two tough road matchups.
Road wins are never easy to come by, but the Mallards will head into Wisconsin looking to take what they learned from the Showcase and steal two wins away from home.
Next up: Minnesota Mallards at Wisconsin Windigo.
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