Maryland Sweeps Lone Star to Advance to Robertson Cup Final
NAHL Maryland Black Bears

Maryland Sweeps Lone Star to Advance to Robertson Cup Final

Published on May 18, 2026 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Maryland Black Bears News Release


Fogerty Ice Arena in Blaine, MN was the setting for the Robertson Cup Semi-Final as the Maryland Black Bears took on the Lone Star Brahmas. It took two thrilling, come-from-behind overtime wins, but the Black Bears were able to get the job done in a two-game sweep. Maryland advances to the Robertson Cup Final to take on the Minnesota Wilderness in a winner-take-all championship game.

Game one was a tight affair that saw Maryland being outshot 16-14 after two periods and 2-0 thanks to a pair of second period goals from Lone Star. However, Maryland would not be denied and battled back in the third period. Harrison Smith scored early in the third period to make the score 2-1, before assisting on a game-tying goal in the dying seconds. Smith saucer-passed the puck to the far side of the slot, where forward Kristofers Krumins deflected the puck home for a 2-2 tie with 7.5 seconds left in regulation, sending the game to overtime. There, it was Black Bears forward Ryan Franks who ended a four game goal drought, burying a rebound off the end boards into an open net to win game one 3-2. Ryan Denes made 23 saves in his seventh victory of the postseason, setting up Maryland with a chance to advance to the Robertson Cup Final with a win in game two.

Maryland was able to strike first in game two with Franks getting his second goal of the series on the power play for a 1-0 first period lead. Lone Star responded with a first period power play goal of its own to tie the game 1-1. The Brahmas didn't stop there and tallied twice in the second period to take a 3-1 lead heading into the third period. Taking a page out of game one's book, the Black Bears came roaring back to tie the game. In the first half of the third period, power play goals from defenseman Will Esterbrooks and forward Brady Anes tied the game at 3-3. While Lone Star regained a 4-3 lead with 7:30 to go in the game, Maryland responded once again. Franks tallied his second goal of the evening with just 4:24 to go in regulation to tie the game at 4-4, once again forcing overtime. There, it would be Franks burying a puck from the slot to complete the hat trick and send the Black Bears to the Robertson Cup Final with a 5-4 overtime win. Denes made 22 saves in the win.

The Maryland Black Bears are now back in the Robertson Cup Final for the second time in franchise history, and first time since 2024. That season, they lost 4-2 to the Lone Star Brahmas in the championship game. Maryland will take on the Minnesota Wilderness at Fogerty Ice Arena in Blaine, Minnesota, on Tuesday, May 19th, at 8:00 p.m. ET for the opportunity to capture its first Robertson Cup in franchise history. All games can be streamed on NATV. For fans in the area, there will be a watch party at Chesepiooc Real Ale Brewery in Crofton, MD.

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North American Hockey League Stories from May 18, 2026


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