Butte Goalie Gets NAHL Call UP

By: Merrick Parnell

(The Article was written in February of 2023)

Caleb Cross, the goalie for the Butte Cobras, recently got an opportunity to play at the next level with a call-up to the Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League (NAHL.) Players in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) aspire to move up the chain of Junior Hockey in the United States and hope to get collegiate hockey offers and scholarships. The NAHL is the second of three tiers of United States Junior Hockey and has 29 teams from Alaska to the East Coast, with teams in New Jersey and Maine.

Cross, a native of Mankato, Minnesota, was called up to the NAHL in January, where he played in one game with the Brown Bears. This call-up was the second NAHL experience for Cross, who skated with the Chippewa Steel last season. Cross did not allow a goal and made 12 saves on 12 shots in his appearance with the Brown Bears, which occurred in the third period in a game against Anchorage Wolverines on January 21st.

The 6’3” goalie is a veteran in NA3HL and has returned to Butte to help the Cobras make a playoff push. The Cobras play games at the Butte Community Ice Center and are in the middle of a 12-game home stand and playoff push.