WATERTOWN — The win-loss record and the standings might not show it, but there appears to be the makings of a rivalry brewing between South Dakota's only two junior hockey teams in the North American Hockey League.
At least it appeared that way when the Aberdeen Wings, now playing their 15th season in the NAHL, outlasted the first-year Watertown Shamrocks 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday night in the Prairie Lakes Ice Arena.
The game, which followed Aberdeen's 6-1 home victory over the Shamrocks on Friday, was close througout and featured a number of heated exchanges between the two northeastern South Dakota squads in the NAHL's eight-team Central Division.
It should be noted that Friday's game in the Odde Ice Center in Aberdeen drew 1,923 fans and Saturday's game in Watertown proved to be the second home sellout (1,540 fans) against the Wings this month.
Aberdeen improved to 8-0 against the Shamrocks this season, but each of the final two meetings in Watertown ended in a shootout.
The Shamrocks aren't there yet, but there's no reason to think the club won't keep improving in the coming years.
Getting up to date on the Shamrocks
The Shamrocks are currently in seventh-place in the Central Division with a 17-32-2-4 (17 wins, 32 losses, 4 overtime losses and three shootout losses). Only the top four teams advance to the playoffs.
There's no doubt, the team has improved. Watertown has compiled 4-4 records in both February and March.
Zach Boren scored Watertown's lone goal in Friday's loss. Spencer Sasenbury scored two goals and Joseph Rice the game-tying goal with 15 seconds left in the third period for the Shamrocks. Phileas Lachat recorded 18 saves on Friday and Mason Gudridge added four to along with 25 on Saturday.]
Carter Sproule, a forward out of Grand Forks, N.D. (15 goals, 32 assists) and Cam Markham, a forward out of Houghton, Mich. (21-24) have led the Shamrocks' offensive attack this season. Other key scores are Travis Lefere of Grand Rapids, Mich. (10-21), Ryan Gingher of Dublin, Ohio (11-14), Owen Chartier of Excelsior, ...
