KalPa continued their impressive run during the U16 SM-Playoffs in Finland with a two-game sweep of Kiekko-Espoo. It took everything the club had, as the first game was decided via shootout and the second one required overtime as well. In that second game, Topi Veteläinen, one of KalPa’s leading scorers, skated into the zone before firing a perfect shot past Magnus Loponen to clinch the series victory. The goal clinched the series victory for KalPa, and ultimately eliminated the higher-seeded Kiekko-Espoo from the tournament.
As one of four teams that earned first-round byes from their top placement in the SM-Series, it seemed that Kiekko-Espoo was destined for a lengthy playoff run. When it was determined KalPa would be their first opponent, many expected a series win for K-Espoo. After all, they defeated KalPa in a 5-2 win during SM-Series action back on March 5th.
But KalPa had other plans, feeling good about their game fresh off a series sweep of JYP in the wild card round. Many of its top forwards hit their stride against JYP, including Rasmus Pakarinen (4G, 5A), Veteläinen (3G, 5A) and Onni Heikkinen (4G, 3A). All three forwards are among the top five in playoff scoring.
KalPa also displayed a flair for the dramatic in both victories, having to come from behind twice. They faced a 2-0 deficit in the first matchup, before Veteläinen cut into the lead late in the first period. With time dwindling down, Pakarinen evened things up in the third. And after a scoreless overtime, a shootout would decide a winner. Okko Saari, Veteläinen and Pakarinen would all score in the shootout to edge out a Game 1 win.
Game 2 saw K-Espoo maintain a 1-0 lead through the first two periods. However, the third period would bring on an offensive explosion by both teams trading goals. K-Espoo still maintained the one-goal lead at 3-2, until KalPa pulled their goalie. With the net empty, and just 24 seconds on the clock, Saari would tie the game up to force overtime for the second consecutive game. Shortly into overtime, Veteläinen received an incredible pass from Matias Häikiö. He skated into the offensive zone unbothered before ripping a perfect top-shelf shot over the shoulder of Loponen.
After opening its series with an impressive 7-3 victory, HIFK was unable to close things out and dropped the next two against Tappara. Tappara and KalPa will begin a best-of-three series on March 29th.
Ässät evened its series with Ilves with a 5-3 win after dropping the first game 10-0. After scoring two early goals, Ilves’ defense and Pyry Lammi’s 35 saves were enough to close out Game 3 with a 2-1 final. Ilves will move on to face TPS. Leading scorer Luukas Koski collected four points (2G, 2A) for Ässät, adding to his playoff total of 10 points (6G, 4A).
A slow start by TPS allowed Jokerit to take a 1-0 series lead with a 5-2 victory. Kallio Wilmer and Olli Wahlroos stepped up to lead their squad to wins in the next two contests to take the series.
WHH will have continued coverage of the U16 Finland National Championship. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, top performers and more.
The 2023 OHL Cup starts on Tuesday, as the 54th annual tournament looks to crown the top team in Ontario youth hockey. Fifteen teams have already secured spots in the round of pool play. Ten more teams look to play their way in via Wild Card matchups. Here’s how the tournament stacks up so far:
| GTHL #1 Toronto Marlboros #2 Toronto Jr. Canadiens #3 Mississauga Senators #4 Mississauga Rebels | OMHA #1 Peterborough Petes #2 Southern Tier Admirals #3 Halton Hurricanes #4 York-Simcoe Express |
| ALLIANCE #1 London Jr. Knights #2 Huron-Perth Lakers #3 Waterloo Wolves #4 Sun County Panthers | HNO Representative Thunder Bay Kings NOHA Representative Team NOHA U.S. Representative TPH Hockey |
With 15 of the 20 spots for pool play already awarded to the teams listed above. The final five spots will be determined on Tuesday through Wild Card matchups. The winning team from each of the games below will advance to the next round.
Tuesday March 28, 2023
WC 1, 5:45pm – Ajax-Pickering Raiders vs. Toronto Young Nationals
WC 2, 7:15pm – Barrie Jr. Colts vs. Lambton Jr. Sting
WC 3, 7:30pm – Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs vs. Vaughan Kings
WC 4, 9:00pm – Burlington Eagles vs. Don Mills Flyers
WC 5, 9:15pm – Whitby Wildcats vs. Central Ontario Wolves
Pool play is slated to begin on Wednesday. The 20 remaining teams will be split into four groups of five. They will compete in four round-robin games on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Then, the top two teams from each of the four groups will advance and be seeded for an eight-team, single-elimination playoff. These are the groupings pre-Wild Card games.
| SHANAHAN DIVISION #2 GTHL Toronto Jr. Canadiens #4 OMHA York-Simcoe Express #4 ALLIANCE Sun County Panthers HNO Thunder Bay Kings Wild Card TBD | NASH DIVISION #1 GTHL Toronto Marlboros #2 ALLIANCE Huron-Perth Lakers #3 OMHA Halton Hurricanes US TPH Hockey Wild Card TBD |
| LINDROS DIVISION #1 OMHA Peterborough Petes #3 ALLIANCE Waterloo Wolves #4 GTHL Mississauga Rebels NOHA Team NOHA Wild Card TBD | SUBBAN DIVISION #1 ALLIANCE London Jr. Knights #2 OMHA Southern Tier Admirals #3 GTHL Mississauga Senators Wild Card TBD Wild Card TBD |
Expect all three league champions London Jr. Knights, Toronto Marlboros and Peterborough Petes to advance out of pool play. The Toronto Jr. Canadiens can be seen as an early favorite to come out of the Shanahan Division as well. With only eight teams advancing to the playoffs, a lot is still left to be determined in the next four days at Scotiabank Pond.
The top nine teams ranked in the Top 10 in Canada will be in Toronto competing for the 2023 OHL Cup. William Moore and the No. 1 Toronto Marlboros are at the forefront, coming in as champions of the GTHL. Highly-touted prospect Ryan Roobroeck brings the No. 4 London Jr. Knights into action as well. Plus, Kaiden Harmon’s triple overtime goal pushed the No. 2 Peterborough Petes into top position of the OMHA as well.
A couple early matchups to pay attention to is when No. 6 Halton Hurricanes take on the top-ranked Marlies on Thursday night. Another Top-10 tilt takes place prior to that, with No. 3 York-Simcoe Express taking on the No. 5 Toronto Jr. Canadiens at 4 p.m. EST. The No. 8 Mississauga Rebels will get a shot at the higher ranked Petes on Friday afternoon.
The Subban Division, despite still having two spots yet to be decided, is the only division with three ranked teams in the grouping. The aforementioned Jr. Knights are joined by the No. 7 Mississauga Senators and No. 9 Southern Tier Admirals. All three will take the ice against each other in Thursday-Friday matchups, that could potentially determine which two will advance out of the group.
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Over the weekend, the second round of the U16-SM Playoffs in Sweden was held, with eight teams looking to advance to the third and final weekend of the national tournament. IFK Täby HC and MoDo Hockey were victorious in Group E. In Group F, Växjö Lakers and Brynäs IF rose above the rest of the competition. All four secured their spots in the semifinals of next week’s finale.
For MoDo, it’s an opportunity to reign supreme over the U16 age group for the first time since 2002. The other three teams still left in the hunt — Brynäs, Täby and Växjö — are looking to make history, as not one of them has ever won the U16 SM-Playoffs in the tournament’s 51-year history.
MoDo continued its impressive postseason run with a 2-1-0 record in Group E. After collecting wins against fellow WHH-ranked Nacka HK and Södertälje SK, they were defeated by Täby in their final game of the round, 4-3. Elton Hermansson’s strong run of play allowed him to once again lead the team in scoring with one goal and five points in three games. In total, he has scored 11 points (4G, 7A) across six playoff games to date. The reliant goaltending of Edvin Lindqvist has also been a staple of MoDo’s victories. He posted a 2.50 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in the latest wins. If MoDo’s best players remain in form, they will have an excellent chance of securing a third U16 championship, which the club last took home in the 2001-02 season.
Täby handled its competition and skated to a 3-0-0 record in Group E. Equipped by an offense that consisted of three of the group’s top five scorers, the team was able to finish with a plus-5 goal differential. Viggo Björck (2G, 5A), Theo Stockselius (4G, 2A) and Melvin Novotny (2G, 4A) formed a fearsome power trio.
Brynäs followed up a 3-0-0 opening round with another 3-0-0 set in the second round. They were able to dispatch Växjö, IF Malmö Redhawks and HV 71, outscoring them by a total of 22-10. A crucial part of that dynamic offense was Hugo Östberg with his three goals, six points and plus-6 rating. But the true linchpin to the clubs’ success was defenseman Elias Kedling. Kedling’s persistent efforts held opponents in check, and he managed to chip in five goals as well. He led all defensemen in Group F in scoring.
If one area stood out from Växjö, it was its scoring depth. With four of the top 10 total point getters hailing from the Lakers, it became clear that no matter the matchup, this squad has numerous players who can lead on any given night. Noa Bräutigam’s incredible vision and play-making were on display every time he stepped onto the ice. Collecting one goal and seven points, his linemates were often the beneficiaries of his passes. Following him, Olle Ågren (4G, 2A), Albin Laskonen (2G, 4A) and Theo Bengtsson (3G, 2A) did the heavy lifting in tallying points.
MoDo will next take on Brynäs, and Täby will clash with Växjö when the semifinals begin on April 6th.
WHH will have continued coverage of the Sweden U16 National Championship, top performers, highlights and more! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube.
Following opening round matchups at the U16 Sweden National Championship tournament, eight teams still remain in the chase for gold. For the second round, teams were split into two groups of four. The top two teams from each group will once again advance to the third and final round on April 6th. The final round consists of a four-team, single-elimination bracket. The two groups for the second round of action are:
| GROUP E #1 Nacka #2 Täby #5 Södertälje #6 MoDo | GROUP F Brynäs HV 71 Malmö Växjö |
Just by looking at the groupings, the journey to make it out of Group E will be the most difficult for teams looking to advance. Each team will play one game against its fellow group clubs.
Täby HC and Nacka HK both open their schedules with matchups against the two lower-ranked teams in the ‘Group of Death.’ Täby will drop the puck against Södertälje SK, while Nacka will lace the skates up versus MoDo Hockey.
In regular-season group play, Täby defeated Södertälje twice, by scores of 6-2 and 5-3. Not to mention last playoff round, they also notched another 4-0 win. Theo Stockselius, Marcus Nordmark and Melvin Novotny continued their offensive dominance, and all signs point to that continuing.
Nacka will be eager for revenge against MoDo, having been dominated by them in the opening round by a score of 7-2. Not phased by Nacka’s position in the WHH rankings, MoDo certainly raised some eyebrows with that victory.
Nacka is bolstered by Rasmus Lindstrom Calland (5G, 2A) and Teodor Friberg (2G, 5A). Just behind them in overall scoring are Elton Hermansson and Vincent Wedin, who have both collected six points for MoDo. If MoDo continues to rely on Edvin Lindqvist in net, it could also mean they are in for bigger things down the road. Winning all three games in the first round, Lindqvist skated to a 2.00 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.
Regardless of how Group E shakes out, the two teams to advance from this foursome will likely be the favorites to win in the third, and final round. While Nacka and Täby may come into the weekend as the early odds-on favorites, both MoDo and Södertälje have shown the ability to compete with top-level teams in the past. This group is going to be tight, and I wouldn’t be surprised if every team picked up a win while also suffering a loss. Determining who moves on and who goes home could come down to the slimmest of margins.
Both the Växjö Lakers HC and Brynäs IF closed out the opening round of the National Championship playoffs with 3-0-0 records. Brynäs and HV 71 went head-to-head last round, with Brynäs claiming a 5-3 victory. The loss was HV 71’s only one of the first round. We will get to see that matchup one more time in the second round, as both teams advanced to Group F.
Similarly, Växjö and IF Malmö Redhawks shared a group in the previous round, with five Växjö players scoring at least two points in a 7-4 victory. That rematch will take place over the weekend as well.
With those previous meetings, Group F should give fans some exciting matchups to keep an eye on. Växjö’s top line of Albin Laksonen, Noa Bräutigam and Olle Ågren were spectacular in an offense that put up 17 goals in just three games. Brynäs’ top offensive producers were Leo Sundqvist and Gustav Hillström, each with four points. If one team can play spoiler here it’s HV 71, who bring the top four scorers from Group D into battle. They are led by Theo Sonestedt’s three goals and eight points, with Noel Skarby, Fabian Merkle Rohdin and Karl Annborn rounding out the quartet.
Despite all the offensive weapons, these games just might come down to goaltending. Both HV 71’s Edward Rydh and the Lakers’ Maximilian Olofsson stood out as the top netminders in their first round groups. Rydh brings a 1.99 goals-against average and .946 save percentage into play. Olofsson comes equipped with a 3.00 goals-against average and .908 save percentage, with one shutout.
WHH will have continued coverage of the Sweden U16 National Championship, top performers, highlights and more! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube.
In the opening round of Finland’s U16 SM-Series playoffs, HIFK, TPS, Ässät and KalPa all swept their best-of-3 series. Now joining the fray will be Kiekko-Espoo, Tappara, Ilves and Jokerit.
Tappara and HIFK squared off once during the SM-Series regular season, with the former coming away with a 10-5 victory. Eetu Orpana, Joonas Rajala and Eemil Kokkonen all put up four points for Tappara. Orpana and Rajala also finished tied for first in overall league scoring at the end of the regular season with 37 points.
The lone standout for K-Espoo was Matias Vanhanen, who ended up with nine goals and 25 points. He only produced one assist in the opening series against Lukko. However, for HIFK to have any chance of overcoming Tappara, he will have to find the scoresheet with the same frequency as he did earlier in the season.
Series Prediction: Despite HIFK coming off a sweep, Tappara brings one of the deepest teams into the playoffs. A fact further supported by their 15-1-0 record during SM-Series matchups. HIFK did not have an answer for the dynamic offense of Tappara, and I don’t see much changing in that regard. Tappara sweeps 2-0.
Luukas Koski and the rest of Ässät kicked off their playoffs with an impressive sweep of Kärpät. Koski led the way in those games, scoring four goals and six points. Aleksi Juusela (2G, 2A) and Jesse Julienmaa (4A) aided the majority of the club’s offense as well.
Heading into their next series against Ilves, those three players will have to continue their consistent contributions. After all, Ilves brings three of the top five scorers from the regular season into these games, and they are all well rested. Jalmari Melanen’s ability to find teammates anywhere on the ice was on display as he racked up six goals and 36 points in just 16 games. Just behind him, Jiko Laitinen (25G, 9A) and Rasmus Rinne (12G, 17A) rounded out a dependable trio of scorers.
Ilves edged out a 6-4 win against Ässät on January 13th. They followed that up with a heavy 10-0 shutout to open this series up in Game 1. Eight players collected two or more points.
Series Prediction (Ilves up 1-0): Ilves didn’t waste any time in finding its legs after a lengthy layoff and proved why they are still among the elite of their birth year. Their power trio of forwards will continue to best that of Ässät, and Ilves will take the series 2-0.
Only one skater from K-Espoo tallied enough points to earn a spot in the Top 10 of total point getters in the regular season. Aapo Vanninen’s dependable two-way play helped him record six goals and 29 points to lead his team. He even finished the regular season in the midst of a three-game point streak.
In the previous meeting between the two clubs on March 5th, Vanninen produced a goal and an assist to help defeat KalPa 5-2. A close battle that saw K-Espoo pull away with two goals in the third period.
KalPa enters this series with four players having scored four or more points in their two-game sweep of JYP. Rasmus Pakarinen (2G, 4A), Samuli Kosoen (5A), Onni Heikkinen (3G, 1A), and Topi Veteläinen (1G, 3A) picked up most of the offense. Veteläinen was the regular-season leader for KalPa, notching 12 goals and 24 points.
Series Prediction: With the layoff for K-Espoo and a good portion of KalPa forwards hitting their stride in their quarterfinal series, this one can go the distance. Even if KalPa takes advantage of a sluggish start from their opponent, eventually Vanninen and co., will warm up to the task and move on after a 2-1 series win.
Jokerit goaltenders Oekka Korhonen and Sakari Savolainen were statistically two of the best in SM-Series play. Korhonen skated to a 2.53 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. Savolainen put up a 2.24 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. Their play was a large reason why their club was able to secure the fourth and final spot in the overall rankings, granting them a first-round playoff bye. They will be back in action this week against TPS, who finished just behind them in the league standings in fifth.
The one regular-season game between these two ended in victory for TPS in a close 3-2 tilt.
Aaron Paju and Jeremi Virtanen will try to continue their point production from the last series, where they each recorded four and three points, respectively. Refreshed from their first-round bye, Lauri Kouhia (5G, 12A) and Rasmus Kämäräinen (9G, 7A) are threats to once again top the leaderboard in point collection.
Series Prediction: This will be the most even matchup, given how close the regular season ended for these two teams. Jokerit has the goaltending, while the forwards for TPS pack a little more offensive punch. It will be a series of whether or not Jokerit’s defense can support the players in the crease. Eventually, I like TPS’ attack to wear down Jokerit and they will win the series in three tight battles.
WHH will have continued coverage of the U16 Finland National Championship. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, top performers and more.
After a scoreless three periods, the 2023 U16 Ontario Minor Hockey Association’s (OMHA) Championship game between No. 6 Peterborough Petes and No. 9 Southern Tier Admirals would require overtime to decide a winner. However, goals would be just as hard to come by until the third overtime period. Kaiden Harmon took an incredible no-look pass from Josh Avery from behind the net and blasted a one-timer to clinch the win for the Petes. The goal ended a 73-minute scoreless contest between the two Top-10 teams, winning the ‘Red Hats’ and league championship for Peterborough.
The golden goal in TRIPLE OT from Kaiden Harmon to earn #RedHats for Peterborough at the #OMHA U16 AAA Championships presented by @GetCracking!!! pic.twitter.com/FTlDoe1841
— Ontario Minor Hockey (@HometownHockey) March 20, 2023
The Petes entered the weekend as the top seed in the tournament, having gone 8-0-0 in their prior playoff games. They opened group play with a 4-1 win against the Central Ontario Wolves, with four different players finding the back of the net. Next, a hard-fought 1-1 tie with the Admirals, which would serve as a preview for the eventual rematch in the final. Peterborough’s Masen Johnston and Southern Tier’s Isaac Gravelle were both stellar in net, making 29 and 32 saves, respectively.
The Petes got back in the win column in their last game of group play with a 3-2 victory over the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs. Will McFadden scored twice for his only two goals of the tournament, sending his team into the semifinals. Awaiting them would be No. 3 York Simcoe Express, a program whose 2006 squad won the U16 championship last year. No strangers to one another, the two clubs battled six times during the regular season, with Peterborough going 4-1-1.
The depth that York Simcoe showed in its playoff stretch was unable to get going, mainly due to the strong defense and goaltending of the Petes. Johnston was lights out in goal yet again, and Harmon collected his first goals of the weekend, with the first coming shorthanded. The win would set up a second battle with Southern Tier with the OMHA title on the line.
Southern Tier’s road to the final game wasn’t so easy. Easton Lynds scored twice to kick off group play with a 4-1 win against the Jr. Bulldogs. However, the offense would dry up shortly after that. They skated to two ties against the Petes and Wolves to set up a semifinal clash with No. 6 Halton Hurricanes. The Hurricanes entered the matchup as the top scoring team, with four players making up the top four point-getters among all participants. However, they struggled mightily to beat Gravelle in net. He recorded 32 saves, and Noah Reed scored two goals on top of that to push the Admirals past Halton.
Given the way Johnston and Gravelle were playing ahead of the championship game, many were expecting a low-scoring final. In regulation, the Petes managed to put 24 shots on goal in regulation, while the Admirals put up 21 of their own. Both goalies remained perfect heading into overtime.
Peterborough made a strong push for the win in the first overtime, producing more chances and shots early on. The second overtime would be more of the same, with Southern Tier slightly outshooting the Petes, 6-5. Put on a power play just before the halfway point of the third overtime, the Petes sensed their moment. After some time in the offensive zone, Avery collected a pass from Ben Radley and sent a perfect pass on the tape of Harmon. Wasting no time, he threw it on net, beating the blocker of Gravelle, who was just late to react.
Johnston would finish with 31 saves and his third shutout of the tournament.
Despite the loss, the Admirals will still be joining the Petes, Hurricanes and Express as the four representatives of the OMHA in the upcoming U16 OHL Cup. World Hockey Hub will have extended coverage of the OHL Cup and its participating teams. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube to stay up-to-date!
Heading into the opening playoff series of the U16 Finland National Championship, eight teams were vying for the chance to move on to the quarterfinals of the tournament. Following an action-packed week, the top seed in each of the four series, No. 7 HIFK No. 8 TPS, No. 9 Ässät and No. 10 KalPa, all punched tickets to the next round.
TPS was able to handle Kiekko-Espoo Ch in its opening-round series in two games largely due to the depth of its roster.
Game 1: TPS 4, K-Espoo Ch 2
Game 2: TPS 4, K-Espoo CH 1
The dynamic play-making of Aaron Willow (3A) connected often with Jeremi Virtanen (3G) to provide most of the team’s offense. At least nine other players recorded one point across the two games. In comparison to K-Espoo Ch, only five players tallied points, with Aku-Wilhelmi Lindroos leading the way with two goals. As a result of the series win, TPS will move on to play No. 5 Jokerit on Thursday.
JYP’s start to its two-game series against KalPa was anything but boring.
Game 1: KalPa 8, JYP 3
Game 2: KalPa 4, JYP 1
The team racked up 14 penalty minutes by the 11-minute mark of the opening period. But they would take advantage while on the penalty kill, when Rafael Pihlman managed to slip a shot past Patrik Kerkola for a short-handed goal. With each team finding the back of the net in the second period, it would be knotted at 2-2 entering the final frame. Chances and goals would continue to be traded and JYP would cut into a 4-2 KalPa lead looking like things could be tied up. However, KalPa pulled away with four more goals to end the game with the 8-3 victory. Six players scored two or more points, with Topi Veteläinen topping the list with one goal and three assists.
A 4-1 final would close out Game 2 and the series for KalPa. Rasmus Pakarinen led both teams with two goals and six points, tied with Ässät’s Luukas Koski for most points among players in the opening round of games. KalPa will play No. 1 Kiekko-Espoo in the next round.
HIFK entered its series against Lukko with extra motivation. After all, Lukko had shut out HIFK 3-0 in a lone matchup during SM-Series play on Feb. 4th.
Game 1: HIFK 3, Lukko 2
Game 2: HIFK 4, Lukko 1
Just when it seemed as if things were heading to overtime in Game 1, Waltteri Toivainen played the hero when he put a power-play goal home to put HIFK up 3-2 late in the period. But perhaps more impressive than that was HIFK’s goaltender Vili Varonen (39 saves) won the goaltending duel over Jooa Sammalniemi (32 saves). Sammalniemi was awarded the SM-Series’ best goaltender at the end of season awards. Despite another 31 saves from Sammalniemi in Game 2, Rasmus Baggström was still able to get two shots past him, propelling HIFK to the 4-1 win. Varonen was able to stop 21 shots, adding up to a .952 save percentage and 1.57 goals-against average for the two games. He will have to continue to be on his game in net, as awaiting HIFK in the quarterfinals is No. 2 Tappara.
In a SM-Series meeting on Feb. 22nd, Kärpät edged out a shootout victory against Ässät. In that game, Luukas Koski did not get on the scoresheet. He more than made up for his absence when the two teams met again in the playoffs.
Game 1: Ässät 6, Kärpät 1
Game 2: Ässät 5, Kärpät 3
Koski scored four goals and six points, helping eliminate Kärpät in two games. Aleksi Juusela (2G, 2A) and Jesse Jullenmaa (4A) would finish just behind him to lead the club. Koski scored five of those six points in the opening 6-1 win alone. Also assisting in the sweep was the strength of Pyry Lammi in the crease, who made 33 and 32 saves in Games 1 and 2, respectively. Ässät will now face off with No. 2 Ilves when the next round of games begin on March 22nd.
WHH will have continued coverage of the U16 Finland National Championship. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, top performers and more.
On March 14th, forty-five of the top American hockey players from the 2007 birth year were announced as invitees to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (USNTDP) evaluation camp. The camp, which will help select the 2023-24 U.S. National Under-17 team, is currently underway and will run through March 22nd at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. All games are open to the public.
Participating players will be split into two teams and participate in on-ice practices, off-ice training and games. Click HERE for the full roster and game schedule.
Per USA Hockey, the invitees represent 17 different states, including Minnesota (12), New York (6), California (5), Michigan (4), Illinois (3), Massachusetts (2), North Dakota (2), Pennsylvania (2), Alaska (1), Arizona (1), Colorado (1), Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Maine (1), Maryland (1), Washington (1) and Wisconsin (1).
30 of the camp’s invitees have been playing their 2022-23 seasons on various U.S. and Canadian teams Ranked among the Top 10 in their respective countries.
A majority of these invitees will continue their ’22-23 seasons following the camp, with their clubs competing in 2023 USA Hockey Nationals.
The camp will run through March 22nd, with final selections to follow. To stay up to date on this camp, as well as more coverage of the top teams and top players in youth hockey be sure to follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube!
Heading into the championship game against Edge School, Carson Legault had recorded two points (1G, 1A) to his credit in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) Playoffs. A large majority of the scoring duties for No. 10 RINK Hockey Academy Winnipeg had been handled by Kayden Turner (5G, 10A) and Connor Bear (4G, 9A). That dynamic duo not only finished the postseason as the leaders on Winnipeg’s roster, but among all skaters in the league.
But it was Legault who put the team on his back in the title game, finding the back of the net three times to lead his team to a 5-1 victory for the U16 Prep Western Championship. It is the first CSSHL title in club history.
Edge would draw first blood following a fortuitous bounce off a zone dump in. The puck bounced past Winnipeg goaltender Brant Catellier from behind the net right to a charging Simon Cecconi. Before Catellier could react, the puck was banged into the open net for a 1-0 lead. After knocking on the door for what seemed like an eternity, Legault finally managed to beat Connor Nicolson with a rocket from the blue line, evening the score at 13:48 of the period. Just 11 seconds after, Legault collected a loose puck off an errant pass from Tee Hagel and whipped a one-timer that beat Nicolson between the legs, from the slot to put Winnipeg up 2-1.
RHA Winnipeg continued its dominance into the second period. Minutes into the frame, Koy Funk deflected a point shot from Josh McGregor to push the lead to 3-1. Shortly after, Legault dropped to one knee and blasted a shot past the glove of Nicolson to complete the hat trick.
Nicolson was pulled as a result, with Jonah Tonhauser coming into the game. After making nine saves on nine shots, Tonhauser suffered an injury, forcing Nicolson back into the crease. Getting little time to reacclimate himself, Kayden Turner knocked in a loose puck during a net-mouth scramble for his second point of the game and fifth Winnipeg goal.
Edge was unable to mount a comeback attempt, with Winnipeg’s defense shutting things down for the rest of regulation. Overall, Catellier finished with 19 saves on 20 shots, with Nicolson stopping 40 of the 45 pucks that came his way. RHA Winnipeg’s playoff run would end at 5-0-0, allowing just six goals across all matchups.
With RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna defeating Edge School in overtime back on March 15th, tensions were running high heading into the rematch with a championship on the line. But no strangers to competing for CSSHL championships in the past, it was Edge’s veteran players and playoff experience that pushed them ahead to their sixth CSSHL U18 Prep Championship. Having last won in the 2016-17 season, Edge won four straight championships from 2009 to 2013; the first four years the CSSHL was also in operation.
Callas Pierce would get the scoring started when he took a pass from Jace Hader and fired a wrist shot under the blocker of Noah Davis for a 1-0 lead. About seven minutes later, Hayden Harsanyi would knot things up at one goal apiece, when he shot the puck on net that was deflected off Kelowna defender John Franceschetti and in.
Edge had numerous opportunities to break the deadlock in the second period, with a double-minor and major penalties being issued to RHA Kelowna skaters. Thanks to the incredible goaltending from Kelowna’s Evan Gardner, the action would continue into the third period with the teams still tied 2-2. Gardner made 18 saves alone in the period, and finished the game with 42 saves.
Shortly into the third, Terik Parascak would put Edge up 2-1 off a low shot from the right circle that beat Gardner’s glove. With the goalie pulled, Kelowna was able to muster some dangerous chances with the extra skater, but they were denied by Davis. Any chance at a comeback were ended when Parascak deposited his second goal into the empty net, securing the 3-1 win. He would lead all skaters in the postseason with six goals and 12 points in five games.
After the game, head coach James Poole shared his thoughts on the victory.
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On Monday, the regular season awards and all-star team selections for the U16 SM-Series in Finland were handed out. With playoffs right around the corner, the league paused for a moment to recognize some of the players in the league this season.
Eetu Orpana was considered the best of the best this season amongst his fellow Finnish stars, earning the Teppo Numminen Award as the most valuable player. Compiling 14 goals and 37 points in 15 games for No. 2 Tappara, he was arguably the most consistent forward from any club. He was also awarded the Sami Kapanen Award as best overall forward. He put an exclamation point on his stellar season by tallying at least one point in eight of the team’s final nine regular season contests.
Jooa Sammalniemi of No. 6 Lukko was one of the best goaltenders this year at stopping the puck. Garnering a .919 save percentage and 2.89 goals-against average over eight games, he was consistent as the last line of defense for his squad.
No. 3 Ilves reaped the benefits of having a dynamic playmaker on the blue line this season. Ossi Tukio ended SM-Series play as the team’s fifth-best scorer. In 35 games he scored seven goals and 24 points to bolster Ilves’ attack. While being equipped with the ability to jump into a rush with ease or get shots through traffic from the point, Tukio was also dependable in his own end. The native of Tampere was only whistled for one penalty.
Despite three players finishing with 37 points, Joonas Rajala was given top placement having done so by scoring the most goals with 21. After him, the next highest point total on Tappara was Juho Kuisma with 20.
Finishing the season fourth overall in scoring with 34 points, Jiko Laitinen burst onto this scene in his first year of SM-Series play. His dynamic ability to find the back of the net was on full display all season long, as he also finished as the leading goal scorer with 25. A menace on special teams, he was able to add five power-play goals and three shorthanded goals to his credit as well.
Head coach Samuli Simula led his team to a second-place finish this season with a 14-2-0 record. Ilves did not participate in SM-Series play last season, and prior to that season, they finished fourth.
Goaltender: Jooa Sammalniemi – Luuko
Defender: Ossi Tukio – Ilves
Defender: Reinis Auzins – Ilves
Forward: Joonas Rajala – Tappara
Forward: Eetu Orpana – Tappara
Forward: Rasmus Kämäräinen – Jokerit
Goaltender: Pyry Lammi – Ässät
Defender: Emil Vänninen – Tappara
Defender: Erno Uusitalo – K-Espoo
Forward: Jalmari Melanen – Ilves
Forward: Jiko Laitinen – Ilves
Forward: Olli Wahlroos – TPS
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