A near standing room only crowd, including a large contingency of NAHL and NCAA scouts, was on hand for and took in the NAPHL's 2019-20 18U All-Star Game, this past Sunday, Dec. 15,  at the National Sports Center Super Rink in Blaine, MN.

The game featured 42 players (12 forwards, six defensemen and three goaltenders) from the league, who were selected based on player evaluations from NAHL Central Scouting from the first three months of the season.  Many of the players who participated are considered top prospects in North America in their respective birth-years and are leading the way in the NAPHL.  The players were divided onto two teams, Team Hockeywolf or Team Warroad.

The Esmark Stars U18 squad was well represented, as five players participated on Team Hockeywolf.

Stars' forward Ryder Brophy opened the scoring early in the first period to spot Team Hockeywolf to a 1-0 lead. Defenseman Dustin Geregach picked up an assist on the second Team Hockeywolf goal in the third period to knot the game at 2-2. Goaltender Danny Mitchell played the first period of the game and stopped 6 of the 7 shots he faced, exiting his period of play with the team's tied at 1-1.

Unfortunately, Team Hockeywolf would drop a tough decision to Team Warroad, as Warroad would break a 2-2 tie with a goal in the last minute of play to win 3-2.

In addition to Brophy, Geregach and Mitchell, the Stars were also represented by forward Alex Walker and defenseman Lane Ruffner.

"The 18U All-Star Game was a great event," said NAPHL Director Tony Zasowski.  "Both team's treated the game like it was a regular season game and the level of play showed."

The 18U NAPHL All-Star Game was held in conjunction with the final regular season event for the NAPHL's High Performance Division.