A packed field of youth hockey teams headed to the Sunshine State to take part in the Florida Exposure Cup over the weekend. The Panthers IceDen, Palm Beach IceWorks, Palm Beach Skate Zone and Rink on the Beach were the host sites for all the action. Three teams were named winners of divisions within the 2007, 2008 and 2009 birth years.
For the 2007 Elite division, teams were divided into two pools. Each team followed a round-robin format, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals.
Pool A: Chicago Reapers, No. 1 Little Caesars, St. Louis Blues AAA, Omaha Mastery
Pool B: No. 25 Long Island Gulls, Philadelphia Flyers Elite, No. 9 (U.S.) Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, South Kent Selects
Following round-robin play, the four teams left standing were Little Caesars, the Gulls, Mid-Fairfield and the Reapers. Caesars scored four unanswered goals in a comeback victory against the Reapers to reach the final game. The Gulls’ road to the championship match would prove to be more exciting.
Down 2-1 after the first period, Ethan Wyttenbach scored twice in the second to put his club up 3-2. The Rangers, however, struck again to even things up at 3 and forcing the action to overtime. Following a scoreless extra frame, the Gulls emerged victorious in a shootout, setting up their finale date with Caesars.
Brendan Defeo slid the winning shootout goal five-hole, which was one of the top goals of the week.
Lots of great games and goals from this weekend at the Florida Exposure Cup! Check out LiveBarn‘s Top 5 🏒 pic.twitter.com/nqMRWbVHhP
— LiveBarn (@LiveBarn) February 6, 2023
When you go up against the No. 1 team in the World Rankings, the task is already daunting. Add that it is for a tournament championship into the equation, and the task seems monumental. But the Gulls’ roster seemed unfazed as to who their opponent was, playing them hard throughout regulation, with both goals coming in the first period. Shortly after overtime began, Jared Petruso wired home the game-winning goal to cement the Gulls’ 2007 division championship.
Even more impressive was Long Island’s defensive management of many of the top scorers in the division. This included leading point-getter Nicholas Kasiba. He garnered four goals and nine points across six games, but none in the big game. For Long Island, Wyttenbach would end as the team’s points leader with six goals and eight points.
The 2008 Elite Division was split into four pools of participants, with three in each designated group. Teams played in cross-pool round robin games. In the quarterfinals, Pool A played Pool C and Pool B played Pool D. The semifinal round was then re-seeded.
Pool A: Boston Jr. Eagles, Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Jr. Knights,
Pool B: No. 10 (U.S.) Seacoast Performance Academy, St. Louis Blues AAA, Yale Junior Bulldogs
Pool C: No. 24 Dallas Stars Elite, Florida Alliance, Okanagan Hockey Group
Pool D: Long Island Gulls, North Jersey Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers Elite
It was a pristine run for Mid-Fairfield, as they went undefeated en route to being crowned champions of the 2008 Division. After slicing through the competition in pool play, they were tasked with overcoming the Avalanche. A tilt that would prove to be their hardest one of the entire tournament.
After jumping out to a 2-0 lead thanks to Mason St. Louis and Joey Salandra, Mid-Fairfield would eventually end the first period up 4-2. North Jersey responded with three unanswered goals to take a 5-4 lead. With second left in the game, Jason Rothstein tied the game up, forcing overtime. From there, Maddox Boyle would net the game-winning goal on the power play, securing the Ranger’s undefeated run among ‘08 teams.
Rothstein led all skaters in total points with 19 (11G, 8A) across six games, with Salandra 18 just behind. Salandra collected four points (1G, 3A) alone in the title game.
Mason St. Louis, son of NHL Hall of Famer and current head coach of the Montreal Canadiens Martin St. Louis, provided fantastic secondary scoring with tallies like the one above. That goal was one of his five on the weekend, and nine total points.
The 2009 Elite Division was also split into four pools of participants, with four in each designated group. Teams played in three round-robin games within their pool. In the quarterfinals, Pool A played Pool B and Pool C played Pool D.
Pool A: Boston Jr. Terriers, Florida Alliance, Milwaukee Admirals, No. 12 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite
Pool B: No. 24 Boston Jr. Eagles, No. 9 (U.S.) Little Caesars, New Jersey Rockets (Elite), PAL Jr. Islanders
Pool C: No. 9 (U.S.) Dallas Stars Elite, No. 22 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, Mississauga Reps, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Jr. Knights
Pool D: Buffalo Jr. Sabres, No. 18 New Jersey Rockets (Academy), No. 7 St. Louis Blues AAA, Top Gun Hockey
The Eagles got their Exposure Cup schedule off to a shaky start with a 6-2 loss to Caesars. However, they responded with three consecutive wins to finish pool play, their first playoff date was set against the Alliance. Four different goal scorers and a multi-assist game from Jacoby Palmer would ensure the Jr. Eagles’ appearance in the championship game.
A possible rematch between Caesars and the Eagles was possible, but all thoughts of that were halted when Pens Elite brushed off Caesars 7-1. That set up a title game between two world-ranked foes.
Good fortunes continued for Pittsburgh when it took a 1-0 lead into intermission. The Jr. Eagles came out for the second a different team, blazing four unanswered goals in the second to take the ‘09 Elite Division crown. JR Gualberto had a hand in three of the four goals in the period, collecting one assist and scoring twice.
Trevor Daley, Jr. of the Alliance led all skaters in the division with 12 points (6G, 6A). Carter Meyer led the Jr. Eagles with 11 (6G, 5A).
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Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. Some of the best teams across youth hockey will be lacing up the skates this weekend. Täby HC will battle Södertälje SK in a Top-10 tilt on Tuesday. Calgary Edge School and Northern Alberta Xtreme tangle in a Top-10 matchup between 2008s in Canada. The week concludes with an all-Moscow matchup between Spartak and Dynamo. Then, an ‘07 Finnish clash between Jokerit and Ilves.
Isac Nilsson, top scorer for No. 1 Täby HC (27-2-2), will lead his squad into a matchup with fellow 2007-born Swedish team No. 5 Södertälje SK (18-9-5) on Tuesday.
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| Tuesday, February 7 Tibble Ishall |
Throughout Täby’s 11 games in group play, Nilsson has tallied an astounding 16 goals and 27 points. A lethal option on the man advantage, he has struck for six points on the power play (4G, 2A). Nils Håkansson, with his team-leading 19 points, will look to aid the counter attack of SSK.
These two sides previously met back on Dec. 18, where Täby exploded for six goals in an eventual 6-2 victory. Nilsson was only held to one goal, but teammate Viggo Björck collected five points (2G, 3A).
Pete’s Pick: Much can be said about Nilsson and Björck, but SSK can’t forget to keep an eye on Theo Stockselius. He notched four points in the last outing between these two, and serves as a perfect complementary piece to the big trio for Täby. I expect all three players to have big performances in another win for their team.
Craig’s Pick: Täby is at the top for a reason! Södertälje might keep it close for a period and play inspired hockey. However, Täby just has too much top talent to overcome. They ultimately pull away in this one — like they did in the previous meeting — 6-2 finish again.
Two of the best teams in the CSSHL will take to the ice on Saturday when No. 17 Edge School (33-10-1) takes on No. 4 Northern Alberta Xtreme (33-1-0).
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| Saturday, February 11 @ 11:00 AM MST Kyle Stuart Memorial Arena |
This matchup will be the fourth in the regular season series between the clubs, with the Xtreme taking the first three.
Cruz Pavao has been a revelation for Alberta, notching 51 points (22G, 29A) in league play. But it hasn’t been just the amount of points he has put up that proves his importance to his team. It’s the situations with which he finds the scoresheet. Collectively, Pavao has struck five times on the power play, once while shorthanded, and four goals have been game-winners.
The Xtreme’s premier forward is Tucker Tullikopf and his 14 goals and 41 points. However, the true reason for the Xtreme’s incredible record and current 16-game winning streak is between the pipes. Parker Snell and Taylor Raynard, who were featured in our deep dive into the best goalie tandems in youth hockey, are two of the best in their birth year at stopping pucks.
With a pristine 11-0-0 record in CSSHL contests, Snell has garnered a 1.26 goals-against average, .946 save percentage and four shutouts. Not to be outdone, Raynard has managed a 1.90 goals-against, .917 save percentage and 1 shutout. If you manage to score on either of them, keep the puck because it doesn’t happen often.
Pete’s Pick: You can point to the Xtreme’s explosive firepower – currently the team has a plus-172 goal differential – as the reason for them to win this tilt. Yet, I keep going back to the goaltending. It won’t matter who suits up for Xtreme in this one, as the team clearly has shown they are comfortable with either goalie. Xtreme win yet again in another close one, 3-1.
Craig’s Pick: I know it’s the last scheduled meeting, but these two are bound to clash at least one more time before the season ends. CSSHL playoffs are right around the corner! Edge will pull off an upset of NAX at some point, but I don’t see it being this week. Xtreme continue to their win streak with a 3-1 win.
After splitting the first two games of their season series, Spartak Moscow (19-4-2) and Dynamo Moscow (16-4-1) will aim for bragging rights when they battle this Sunday.
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| Sunday, February 12 |
Dynamo took the first game, 4-3 in a shootout before Spartak evened the series 1-1 with a victory on Dec. 4. Spartak also will take a six-game win streak into this encounter. One thing we can count on is for the goals to continue in this series given the prolific talent on both rosters.
Silantiy Kozhushko (10G, 22A) and Daniil Dyachkov (14G, 13A) are a dynamic duo for Spartak. They will have to put their skills to the test against the best of Dynamo. Those spots are reserved to Bogdan Kiselev (14G, 17A) and Ivan Ryabkin (9G, 20A).
Pete’s Pick: This could go either way. Scoring for each team is pretty even, and they have played each other close in both previous games. I like Dynamo though to get it done and break Spartak’s streak in a 4-3 final.
Craig’s Pick: Most exciting matchup of the week! Neither Kiselev or Ryabkin got on the scoresheet in the last meeting. What happened? Dynamo lost to Spartak. They’re a tough tandem to subdue though and I’m not sure Spartak — or anyone, for that matter — can silence that line a second time. Kiselev scores, Ryabkin scores and Dynamo gets the win, 5-3.
For the first time in the next phase of group play, No. 4 Jokerit (26-10-0) will drop the puck against No. 7 Ilves (26-10-0) on Sunday.
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| Sunday, February 12 Sentteri D |
Jalmari Melanen’s dynamic playmaking (3G, 12A) and the scoring of Jiko Laitinen (10G, 4A) have helped Ilves to a solid group play start. Rasmus Kämäräinen has bagged five goals and eight points for Jokerit. Lauri Kouhia is tied with him at eight points.
Pete’s Pick: I like the team depth for Ilves here, but the goaltending for Jokerit in the form of Pekka Korhonen could give them headaches. Statistically, he is the third-best goalie in their respective group with a .904 save percentage and 2.11 goals-against. I say he edges a win for Jokerit, 3-2.
Craig’s Pick: Ilves is balanced. Ilves is deep. Ilves has eight skaters averaging a point per game in SM-Series play. Jokerit may have a leg up in goaltending but Ilves has an offensive attack that’s just going to keep coming at you. I think they wear down Jokerit’s defenses and eventually pull away with a 3-1 win.
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2023 started off with impressive runs by a handful of teams from around the world. It was a big stretch for 2007-born teams like Djurgårdens IF in Sweden and Finland’s Tappara. The ‘11 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite and ‘10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens continued their dominance. ‘08 CSKA Moscow stood apart among Russian programs as well. WHH takes a look at a few programs across all countries and birth years that established themselves among the best of the best in youth hockey.
With a schedule that was packed with multiple matchups against fellow Top-10 opponents, No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite proved they are still the squad to beat among 2011-born U.S. teams.
They kicked off January with three straight wins over No. 10 Philadelphia Hockey Club, outscoring them 21-6. After a series split with the Ohio Blue Jackets, they were tasked with facing off against No. 2 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers for three tilts.
PPE took the first game 2-1, dropped the second 5-1 before rebounding with a solid 6-1 victory to take the series. In total, they secured a 6-2-0 mark for the month, with five of those coming against Top-10 teams.
One of the busier Canadian teams to start the New Year were the ‘10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens. An impressive run saw them best the likes of the No. 4 Vaughan Kings and No. 5 Don Mills Flyers. However, it was their performance in multiple cross-border matchups that impressed the most.
The Jr. Canadiens faced a daunting task of dropping the puck against a stacked lineup of U.S. Top 10s. First up was No. 7 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, who they handled 5-3. Next, two victories against the No. 8 Chicago Reapers and No. 6 HoneyBaked. They rounded out this slate with one of their two losses in the month, dropping a 4-3 result to the No. 3 Chicago Mission.
Altogether, the Jr. Canadiens were able to string together an 11-2-1 record and remain one of the premier teams of the 2010 birth year.
No. 2 Djurgårdens IF skated to an unblemished 5-0-0 record in January, securing three key victories against fellow top-ranked Sweden adversaries.
Currently underway in the continuation of group play, DIF went toe-to-toe with No. 5 Södertälje SK, No. 7 Viggbyholms IK and No. 9 Flemingsbergs IK. Earning wins in all three games, they also had no issue in obtaining wins against Solna SK and Almtuna.
Leading the way across Djurgårdens’ scorching run of play has been forward Arvid Drott. Across the 5-0-0 month, Drott collected nine goals and 13 points. His best game came in the contest against Viggbyholms, where he found the back of the net five times to go along with two assists.
Collectively, Drott has tallied 15 goals and 25 points in group play as one of the premier scorers among all skaters. Top goaltender Ludvig Gromell has served as a calming presence for DIF, recording a 1.57 goals-against average and .943 save percentage.
Eetu Orpana and Joonas Rajala were the engine that drove 2007-born No. 2 Tappara to a perfect 5-0-0 January. In those five games, Orpana accumulated 16 points (7G, 9A) with Rajala just behind with 14 (5G, 9A).
Their strong play was a catalyst in decisive victories over No. 3 Kärpät, No. 4 Jokerit and No. 9 Lukko. Tappara’s scoring depth was on display when they outscored the Pelicans and Ässät by a combined 19-2.
There was no hotter team than No. 3 CSKA Moscow, whose pristine run to a 5-0-0 record was marked with major wins against top-tier opponents.
CSKA opened the month with a 9-2 rout of No. 6 Dynamo Moscow. They dispatched of Russ Moscow and the Polar Bears before setting their sights on two more ranked squads.
Nikita Ovcharov, Nikita Gromakov and Alexander Petrov all recorded multi-point performances to lead CSKA to a 7-3 final over No. 7 Mikhailov Academy. The final hurdle towards a perfect January record was a date with No. 4 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. CSKA had extra motivation for the matchup, as Lokomotiv defeated them in a close 3-2 game on Dec. 18. It would be another hard-fought event, with CSKA securing a shootout victory, 4-3. Ilya Morozov was the only player to find a goal in the skills competition.
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For a majority of the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite youth hockey program has had several teams among the Top 10 of their respective birth years.
The No. 16 ‘08 squad found a spot in the World Rankings for the first time this season. A sound 7-2 victory over No. 20 Bishop Kearney Selects played a role in that. Xavier Lieb tallied five points (2G, 3A) and Michael Ferentino notched two goals of his own. Even more impressive was Chris Nichols turning aside 27 of 29 shots he faced, holding the normally dynamic Selects offense in check.
For the No. 12 ‘09 Pens Elite, they too found themselves newcomers to the World Rankings. They put their scoring to the test against No. 9 U.S.-ranked Little Caesars and No. 13 Chicago Mission. Both contests were passed with ease by scores of 5-1 and 7-1, respectively. Both wins were also rebounds back into the win column for PPE, as each came after a defeat.
No. 4 SKA Silver Lions gutted out an impressive 6-4 final against No. 5 SKA Strelna, raising them in the Russian and World Rankings. It was also the final contest in the five-game regular season series between the two clubs. Strelna had won the previous two meetings in overtime, so the Silver Lions were able to grab a much-needed win in the finale.
Splitting a two game set with No. 8 Salavat Yulaev was enough for Metallurg Magnitogorsk to claim the No. 10 spot. It is their first time among the Top 10 in Russia for this campaign. Salavat took the first game, with Metallurg securing a 2-1 win in game 2.
The Top 10 for 2010-born Canadian teams saw two new clubs join the fray. No. 9 Markham Majors and No. 10 North Shore Winter Club have found success in recent weeks.
In the midst of a six-game winning streak, the Majors managed back-to-back wins against the North York Rangers and No. 5 Don Mills Flyers last week. Shutting out one of the best attacks of any Canadian program is no easy feat, but credit to the Majors for finding a way.
North Shore replaced a fellow Western Canadian club, the Semiahmoo Ravens, in this week’s rankings. The two teams met for the fifth time this season, with the Ravens falling 8-4. It was the first victory in the series for North Shore, with Semiahmoo winning three others. The two sides tied 3-3 on Nov. 27.
The Rochester Coalition experienced a boost into the No. 9 spot among 2011 U.S. teams with a sweep of the No. 2 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers. The Coalition have had the Rangers’ number all season, winning all three games they have faced off in by a combined score of 11-6. Rochester is in the midst of a three-game win streak that the two victories against Mid-Fairfield kicked off.
Heading overseas, Kärpät Valkoinen has entered the chat for 2008-born Finnish squads. Off to an undefeated 5-0-0 record in the continuation of group play, their latest sets of wins came across some stiff competition. First was a 4-3 win against No. 10 Kärpät Musta before shutting out No. 9 KalPa.
Atte Toivonen led the way with four points (2G, 2A) across the two games. Lukas Kärenlampi nabbed a 38-save shutout against KalPa and stopped 37 of 40 against Musta.
Be sure to check out the complete world rankings, including Top 10s by country and World Top 25s for each of the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 birth years.
It was déjà vu for 2008-born No. 4 Northern Alberta Xtreme as they successfully defended their championship title at the 2023 Western Canadian Crown Invitational. The tournament, held from Jan. 18-22, saw the largest field of participants in its history, with 24 clubs lacing up their skates.
Teams were divided into six divisions of four teams, and NAX was placed into the Guenther Division. They were joined by the Lethbridge Golden Hawks, Delta Hockey Academy Black and Valley West Giants. The round-robin phase of the schedule proved to be just a warm up for Northern Alberta, as they went 3-0-0 while only allowing two goals.
Granted a quarterfinal-round bye resulting from their first-place finish in the division, the Xtreme’s next test would come from RINK Hockey Academy Winnipeg. Jordan Duguay (2G, 2A) and Nolan Stewart (2G, 1A) would lead the way in a 9-2 victory for NAX.
The stage was set for the Division A championship between the Xtreme and the Calgary Bisons. The Xtreme opened up a formidable 5-1 lead in the first period that they would not relinquish. A large part of securing the win was holding Calgary’s leading scorer, Rhys Jamieson, to just one assist. In total across six games, Jamieson collected seven goals and 18 points.
"X MARKS THE SPOT"
— HNLive (@HNLiveCA) January 23, 2023
The Hosts and defending champs @NAXHockey knocked off a "surprising" but extremely talented @CBHA_Bisons squad in the U15 @cancrowntourney Championship.
Water is wet, ice is cold and @fan960lou calls championship hockey games! pic.twitter.com/Rk2UMLYIx8
Stewart would top the scoring leaderboard for Northern Alberta, notching six goals and 15 points. He was followed closely by Duguay’s four goals and 14 points.
While numerous players put up the points for NAX, the goaltending was preventing opponents from doing the same. The dynamic duo of Parker Snell and Taylor Raynard could not have been better. Snell posted a 3-0-0 record, with a 2.00 goals-against average and .885 save percentage with one shutout. Raynard was unbeatable in the two games he saw action, garnering a 1.00 goals-against average and .952 save percentage.
While not finding the scoresheet in the final game, Daxon Randolph was the Xtreme’s secret weapon all tournament. The 5-foot-11, 161-pound blueliner from Lacombe, Alberta, tallied 10 points (3G, 7A) in five games. He was also named one of the top playoff performers.
Final Score
— Canadian Crown Tournaments (@cancrowntourney) January 22, 2023
Bisons – 4
NAX – 7
Shots 37-21 for NAX
WHL Playoff Performers
NAX – Daxon Rudolph
Bisons – Dalton Forbes pic.twitter.com/kMaiQLNOi5
No. 19 Shattuck-St. Mary’s made sure that they made the most of their appearance at the 2023 John Reid Memorial U15 Tournament. First up were three round-robin contests against the St. Albert Sabres, OHA Edmonton, and St. George’s School.
Michael Berchild (3G, 5A) and Tynan Lawrence combined their skills to lead SSM through their first three games 3-0-0, outscoring opponents 21-3. The club’s semifinal date was next up against Yale Hockey Academy, which they too passed with flying colors en route to a 7-3 win.
OHA Penticton was the lone contender standing in the Sabres’ way to finishing with an unblemished record. It was evident from puck drop that Shattuck’s skill was too much for Penticton to overcome. SSM peppered Micah Davidson with 50 shots, and six found the back of the net through the first two periods. Despite outscoring Shattuck in the third period 2-1, Penticton would fall 7-4.
Zane Torre would pot the most points in the final contest, accumulating two goals and one assist. Throughout Shatuck’s run to the gold medal, Berchild led with 14 points, with Lawrence’s 11 behind him.
THE 2023 JMRT CHAMPIONS 🏆 #JRMT @SSM_Athletics pic.twitter.com/kAjpieVp1M
— John Reid Memorial Tournament (@JRMT15AAA) January 23, 2023
Two Shattuck players would nab Second-Team All-Star honors, with Parkier Trottier and Tyler McCracken both being awarded.
Huge congrats to the JRMT 2023 All-Star teams! Selections were made by scouts in attendance at the tournament. Thank you to our All-Star Team sponsors @lbhtimbermart @roketgear @SFSstalbert for your generous support! pic.twitter.com/DWbgnYkgX8
— John Reid Memorial Tournament (@JRMT15AAA) January 24, 2023
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The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) hosted the top 40 players in the league at Scotiabank Pond for the 2023 GTHL Top Prospects Game on Tuesday.
The event is organized to bring together the premier players from around the league for a “best-of-the-best” game against one another. Several GTHL clubs participated, with No. 2 Toronto Marlboros leading the way with 12 selections. The No. 9 Toronto Jr. Canadiens were a close second with nine players selected. The Don Mills Flyers and Vaughan Kings had six and five players selected, respectively. The Toronto Young Nationals and Mississauga Senators each had three players, with No. 20 Mississauga Rebels saw two players rostered.
That winning feeling 🤩#GTHLTopProspects | #GatoradeCanada pic.twitter.com/49qOodBNhM
— GTHL Hockey (@GTHLHockey) January 25, 2023
Invitees were split into two teams, each equipped with star-studded coaching staffs behind the benches. Team Clark-James-Stewart was led by NHL legend Wendel Clark, NWHL veteran and international women’s ice hockey icon Angela James and former NHLer Anthony Stewart. NHL veteran Nik Antropov, current head coach of the U15 Toronto Young Nationals Rane Carnegie and former NHL player and head coach Ted Nolan were the personalities in charge for Team Antropov-Carnegie-Nolan.
A huge thank-you to our #GTHLTopProspects Celebrity Coaches: Nik Antropov, Rane Carnegie, Ted Nolan, Angela James, and Wendel Clark for bringing the extra ⭐️ power! pic.twitter.com/qQhFAcq7oJ
— GTHL Hockey (@GTHLHockey) January 25, 2023
Players from the Marlboros, Young Nationals and Kings comprised Team Antropov-Carnegie-Nolan, with the remaining clubs filling out the roster for Team Clark-James-Stewart. The Marlboros made up a large portion of the defensive and forward units for their team. It was clear to see why, as the Marlboros regular-season team is currently equipped with a plus-190 goal differential. Jaden Nelson, one of the goaltenders for the Marlboros, was selected to man the crease along with Vaughan’s Owen Butler.
William Moore, also hailing from the Marlboros, was the lone participant in this year’s game who had also played in last year’s showcase.
Much like the Marlboros, the Jr. Canadiens slotted into most of the forward and defensive positions for their unit. Jack Ivankovic from the Senators and Abel Polan from Don Mills donned the pads.
Click HERE to see full rosters for the event.
Being that the top 2007-born prospects from around the GTHL were in action, the game between both squads was as exciting as it could have been.
Nico Addy and Shamar Moses got Team Clark-James-Stewart out to a 2-0 lead they would take into the first intermission. In the second period, the chances for both sides continued. Luca Romano took advantage of a misplay by Nelson behind the net to add a third tally. However, the Marlies’ Lev Katzin and Joseph Cadorin would both chip in goals of their own. The Kings’ Ewan McChesney would even the score at 3-3 heading into the third period.
Chase Del Colombo and Moore took over proceedings in the final period. Colombo would add his second point with a goal and Moore would find the back of the net twice. Romano would strike for his second goal of the game as well, but it was not enough as Team Antropov-Carnegie-Nolan secured the 6-4 comeback win.
Shamar Moses (@DMFlyersAAA) and Chase Del Colombo (@TorontoNatsU16) are your 2023 #GatoradeCanada Players of the Game! ⚪️⚫️#GTHLTopProspects | #IPlayInTheG pic.twitter.com/wGM4yDwBTk
— GTHL Hockey (@GTHLHockey) January 25, 2023
Don Mills’ Moses (1G) and Young Nationals’ Del Colombo (1G, 1A) were both named players of the game.
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The Steve Richey Memorial Tournament of Champions took place from Jan. 19 – 22, with 20 teams taking part in the U16 age bracket. Four divisions of five teams were divided into round-robin matches before playoff seeding was determined. The Central Ontario Wolves took advantage of timely scoring, tight defense and near-perfect goaltending en route to a 6-0-0 run.
The Wolves were placed in the Foster Division, along with the Windsor Jr. Spitfires, Guelph Jr. Gryphons, Richmond Hill Coyotes and Oakville Rangers. After kicking off the tournament with a 5-3 victory over Guelph, they rattled off three more wins to end the round robin 4-0-0. Setting the stage for a playoff opener against No. 7 London Jr. Knights, who ended up atop the Hayton Division at 4-0-0.
In a spirited affair, both sides would trade goals before regulation ended in a 4-4 tie. Overtime was required to determine a winner. Carson Cameron netted his second goal of the game in the extra frame, pushing the Wolves into the championship game against No. 24 Peterborough Petes.
Blazing a solid trail of their own, the Petes reached the playoff stages after defeating all of their opponents in the Riley Stillman Division. Josh Avery’s two goals propelled Peterborough over the No. 22 Southern Tier Admirals 3-1.
While many expected a high-scoring, goal extravaganza in the championship matchup, proceedings were much more subdued. The first two periods would be all about the goalies, with the Petes’ Masen Johnston and Ontario’s Nathan Hunter trading save after save. It wasn’t until Van Pereira netted his second goal of the tournament in the third period that would give the Wolves the advantage they needed to secure the win.
Pereira’s goal might have been the biggest of the entire tournament for Ontario. However, most of the heavy lifting offensively was done by Seth Goble (4G, 7A), James McMurray (2G, 6A) and Francis Parish (4G, 4A).
Not enough can be said about the dependability of Nathan Hunter and Madison Campbell between the pipes for Central Ontario. Both were integral pieces of the club’s championship run, shutting down powerhouse attacks from some of the best ranked teams in the World Rankings.
Suiting up in five games, Hunter only had nine pucks get past him, garnering a 2.39 goals-against average with two shutouts. Campbell only saw action in one game, a 6-1 victory against Oakville. From that one appearance, he collected a 1.33 goals-against average.
Together the duo combined with the strong defense in front of them to achieve the second-best goal differential of any club in their age group, plus-20. The Wolves only allowed 10 goals total across six games.
The Steve Richey Tournament also had a U18 bracket of 33 teams split among eight divisions. Backstopped by goaltender Colby Booth-Housego, the Waterloo Wolves emerged as champions after a 4-2 defeat of the Ajax-Pickering Raiders.
Across six games — including the final bout — Booth-Housego compiled a 1.30 goals-against average with one shutout. He was also named tournament MVP. While Booth-Housego was stopping pucks, Joe Brehmer and Isaaz Lorentz were taking on the duties of filling them. Brehmer’s five goals and eight points led the Wolves, with Lorentz’s four goals and seven points just behind. Lorentz nabbed his final goal to secure the victory over the Raiders late in the third period.
Charlie Hilton of the Oshawa Generals led all U18 skaters with five goals and 10 points.
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Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey.
Two of the top 2009-born teams in Sweden kick off our slate of games to watch this week. Djurgårdens IF battles Södertälje SK on Thursday in a Top-10 tilt. Mississauga Rebels and Toronto Jr. Canadiens tangle in a Top-10 matchup between 2007s in Canada. The week concludes with a weekend series between Chicago Mission and Shattuck-St. Mary’s. Then, a clash in Finland between Kärpät Musta and Kärpät Valkoinen.
After suffering a 6-0 defeat to No. 3 Djurgårdens IF (26-12-7) on Dec. 1, No. 5 Södertälje SK (13-5-6) now has plans for avenging that loss when the two 2008-born opponents meet this week.
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| Thursday, January 26 Scaniarinken |
In order to do so, however, the dynamic duo of Lexus Zahn (9G, 7A) and Nick Travergård (8G, 8A) will need to be stopped. Both players not only lead Djurgårdens in points, but sit atop their group table in scoring as well. They have been key catalysts to the team’s current eight-game unbeaten stretch.
In the 6-0 outing, Zahn and Travergård each collected three points, showing that they are the true play drivers for the club when it comes to offensive zone time. Patric Hellström and Lucas Brauer will have to step up for Södertälje if there is any chance of emerging victorious. Their dependable, two-way approach to the game has paid dividends, allowing them to record 10 and nine points, respectively.
Pete’s Pick: I don’t expect another blowout for Djurgårdens, but I do believe they will nab the win here for the second time against their group foe. I chalk that loss up to Södertälje still finding its footing as a team. Since then, they have put up numbers against the top Sweden teams.
Craig’s Pick: I’m a Zahn and Travergård fan here too. Södertälje comes out of the gate strong, and maybe even holds onto a lead early. However, Djurgårdens top tandem is too much to overcome. I’ll take DIF 4-2 in a close one.
No. 1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s (39-2-2) will wrap up their season series with No. 11 Chicago Mission (25-12-5) this weekend. It will be the second time the two squads will have battled in close to a week. On Jan. 20, Shattuck defeated Chicago 4-1.
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| Saturday, January 28 @ 4:10 PM CST Fifth Third Arena |
All games thus far have been tightly contested. With both programs occupying Top 10 spots in the U.S. for the majority of the season, no one was really expecting anything less. What will ultimately settle these final games will be the big blueliners of Chicago taking away space from Shattuck’s frightening attack. All six of Mission’s defensemen are either close to or over six feet, with three also weighing in at 170 lbs.
Granted, Shattuck will have a gameplan to work around this fact given the familiarity between both rosters. However, it does not make the feat of actually dealing with players of that size on the ice any easier.
Ryker Lee and Jack Galanek have been revelations for Shattuck, as they have collected 155 points between themselves. John Delaney was a standout for Chicago in the last two-game series, totaling three points (1G, 2A).
Pete’s Pick: These will be two more close games, with Mission wanting to prove they have what it takes to skate with the truly premier talent of their birth year. Despite being on home ice, which should give them some extra jump, I still think Shattuck skates away with two wins.
Craig’s Pick: I like Shattuck as well. They’re unbeaten in their last 27 outings, and winners of 19 of their last 20. Mission managed a 4-4 tie back in December, jumping out to a 4-0 lead before Shattuck rallied from behind. I don’t see Shattuck playing from a deficit again — at least not by four goals — so I’ll take the Sabres as winners in both games.
The No. 20 Mississauga Rebels (28-8-9) will try to finally get in the win column against the No. 9 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (34-8-3) in their third game of the season on Sunday.
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| Sunday, January 29 @ 2:15 PM EST Scotiabank Pond 4 |
After skating to a 2-2 tie in their first tilt back in October, the Jr. Canadiens bested the Rebels 5-3 on Dec. 17. Unbeaten in their last four outings, Mississauga will aim to end Toronto’s impressive 12 game unbeaten streak. While on paper this may be looking like a David versus Goliath meeting between two ‘07 programs, Mississauga has held their own against some Top 10 teams in Canada. A highlight of their season was edging out No. 1 Toronto Marlboros, 2-1 in the early weeks of the schedule.
Pete’s Pick: Mississauga has given some top teams headaches this season, and this game shouldn’t be any different. But talent-wise, the Jr. Canadiens hold a significant advantage, and they take this one 4-1.
Craig’s Pick: Jr. Canadiens are the better overall team, but Mississauga to me appears to be a more consistent bunch. You know what you’re going to get from this group on a nightly basis. Toronto can run a bit hot and cold, and may very well come out firing. However, I’m gonna take the Rebels’ consistent approach, as they catch the Jr. Canadiens on an off night. Rebs run 3-2 in this one.
With the continuation series well underway in the next stage of group play in Finland, two 2009 programs prepare to continue their season series. Currently up 2-1 after three games, No. 7 Kärpät Valkoinen (19-4-1) will hope to squash No. 9 Kärpät Musta’s (19-3-2) attempt to even the season series on Sunday.
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| Sunday, January 28 Raksila 2 |
It is a crucial time to be playing the best hockey of the season, and that is the case for these programs. Each is off to a 4-0-0 start in the continuation series of group play. All signs are pointing to fireworks when they clash.
Offense will be on full display in this meeting. At the end of the initial group stage, the two leading scorers hailed from these clubs. Musta’s Joona Väkeväinen totaled 27 goals and 49 points, with Valkoinen’s Niklas Helppi 31 goals and 44 points close behind. Both players have picked up where they left off just a few games into the next batch of group games. In two games, each player has recorded nine points. Kantola Leevi of Musta leads all skaters with 12 points.
Pete’s Pick: I’m inclined to go with Valkoinen here, but I think Leevi’s performance to begin the next stage of group play will get them over the hill and even the season series up. Musta takes a 3-2 final.
Craig’s Pick: I gotta imagine games like these are so exciting for Kärpät — and other clubs that divvy up players into multiple rosters — when you field two teams, and they’re uber competitive and evenly matched head-to-head. In the spirit of good competition, I like Musta to even the season series as well.
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With most youth hockey clubs moving into the second half of their seasons, primetime matchups can be found throughout schedules. One team that took advantage of important dates on their calendar were the No. 17 Bishop Kearney Selects.
First up was a matchup against No. 20 Mount St. Charles, who the Selects dispatched in a 5-0 win. Next, the No. 21 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite were waiting in the hopes a major victory of their own could crack them into the Top 10. Bishop Kearney had other plans, edging out the Penguins in overtime, 5-4.
If the Selects can keep up their torrid streak, their climb up the 2006 world rankings won’t be slowing down anytime soon. With a current 11-game win streak, the sky’s the limit.
2007-born No. 1 Little Caesars proved again just how much of a powerhouse they are this season by sweeping a three-game series against No. 19 Shattuck-St. Mary’s. With just three losses to their name all season, the three wins against Shattuck extended a current five-game win streak.
The No. 10 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers were benefactors of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres’ tough three-game slate against the No. 8 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite. MFJR also bested No. 18 Mount St. Charles with a decisive 5-1 final result to propel themselves into the Top 10.
Taking the series, 2-1 over the Jr. Sabres wasn’t the only impressive marker for the Penguins. They also earned a hard-fought tie against No. 6 Long Island Gulls. That, coupled with two wins against Buffalo, has them holding firm.
The No. 4 Boston Jr. Eagles showed off their stingy defense by holding the No. 17 Minuteman Flames’ explosive offense at bay in two straight games. In total, the Jr. Eagles have only let in 68 goals this season, where the Flames have peppered opposing nets for 263 goals.
Something was bound to give in the two-game set, and Boston proved it had the defensive structure to end up on top. No. 15 Little Caesars also rose in the U.S. standings thanks to also shutting out the Flames, 3-0 in their one-game tilt.
Be sure to check out the complete world rankings, including Top 10s by country and World Top 25s for each of the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 birth years.
Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. Two of the top 2007-born teams in the U.S. kick off our slate of games to watch this week. Shattuck-St. Mary’s plays host to Little Caesars on Friday in a Top-25 tilt. The next day, Dynamo Moscow and Dynamo Spartak tangle in a Top-10 matchup between 2010s in Russia. The week concludes with a double-header on Sunday. First, a matchup in Sweden between Nacka and Täby. Then, a clash in Canada between Toronto Jr. Canadiens and Don Mills Flyers.
2007-born No. 15 Shattuck-St. Mary’s (24-10-3) will kick off the second half of its 2022-23 season with a three-game set against No. 2 Little Caesars (47-3-2).
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| Friday, January 13 @ 7:00 PM MST Shattuck-St. Mary’s Ice Arena |
Caesars likes to score…a lot. With a plus-189 goal differential, it has been nearly impossible for any team to slow down their offense. As a result, this series will come down to the ability of SSM’s goaltending to keep the puck out of the net.
Grayson Hanggi and Garrett Glaser have pretty much split duties between the pipes this season. Glaser has seen action in 19 games compared to Hanggi’s 18. The stat lines for both are also similar. Hanggi has compiled a 11-5-2 record, with a 2.12 goals-against average and .906 save percentage with two shutouts. Glaser is 13-5-1, with a 2.02 goals-against and 9.19 save percentage, with three shutouts.
Both should see action across the three games, and are preparing to face massive amounts of rubber thrown their way from the Motor City boys.
Before the long holiday layoff, Shattuck took two out of three against the No. 10 U.S.-ranked Pittsburgh Penguins Elite.
Pete’s Pick: To come out of a holiday break against the top team in your birth year is a daunting task for anyone. And Caesars just hasn’t lost that often. Just their third loss all season came against the Toronto Marlboros at the Marlies Holiday Classic. It might take a game or two for Shattuck to shake off the rust as well. Pulling off a sweep is tough no matter how talented a team is, so I will give SSM the chance to take one game, but Little Caesars takes the series, 2-1.
Craig’s Pick: Shattuck has only lost three games at home all season. Lots of teams at every age group have traveled to Faribault, Minnesota, to take on the Sabres, just to fall in defeat. It’s a tough barn to win in. However, I actually think Caesars does it not once, not twice, but three times this weekend. LC may be the pound-for-pound best youth hockey team in America. There’s multiple high-level prospects on this team, and I don’t know that anyone in the country can compete with them right now. Series sweep for Caesars.
No. 8 Nacka HK (19-4-4) and its leading scorer Oliver Sundberg will face fellow ‘08 Swedish foe No. 12 IFK Täby HC (21-6-1) on Sunday.
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| Sunday, January 15 Tibble Ishall |
Sundberg has put up six goals and seven points thus far into group play. Trying to counteract that production will be Max Johanssén of Täby, who currently sits at five goals and eight points.
Those two will try to fill the back of the net, but will have to contend with two of the best goalies in order to do so.
Statistically, Täby’s David Eriksson and Nacka’s Gustav Stengård are the second and third best goalies of their birth year in Sweden, respectively. The numbers for each jump right off the stat sheet. Eriksson has gone 2-1-0, with a 1.67 goals-against and.924 save percentage. Stengård has manned the crease for five games, going 3-1-1 with a 1.42 goals-against and .916 save percentage.
It will be the first time these two teams will meet since Täby bested Nacka, 2-1 in the semifinals at the Folke Filbyter Cup back in October. In that game, Stengard started for Nacka, making 38 saves on 40 shots. Caspar Lampe was the goaltender for Täby.
Pete’s Pick: Given the talent in net for this one, I expect a hard-fought, low scoring game. With each goalie knowing who is on the other end of the ice, the ability to make the necessary saves will be paramount. Stengard and Nacka get the best of Täby in the revenge game, 3-1.
Craig’s Pick: These two clubs are very evenly matched. They follow one another in our World Rankings, and they’ve played each other to one-goal games this season. Viggo Björck scored a pair of goals in their October matchup to give Täby the 2-1 win. I think the outcome again rests on his shoulders. Björck gets on the scoresheet, Täby wins (again). Nacka holds him at bay, and they win. Björck and Täby to win again, this time by a 4-2 finish.
For the fourth time this season, No. 1 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (32-8-1) will lace up the skates against No. 3 Don Mills Flyers (38-4-4) eager to tie the season series up.
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| Sunday, January 15 @ 1:55 PM EST Scotiabank Pond 1 |
The Flyers have gotten the better of the Jr. Canadiens in the first two matchups of the season, by scores of 5-2 and 4-1. In their most recent battle on Dec. 13, Toronto shut out the Flyers, 3-0. Each club has put up at least 150 goals to date, and has not allowed more than 50. With tight defensive units and potent offenses, one of them is bound to cancel the other out.
With the Flyers entering the contest unbeaten in their last nine and the Jr. Canadiens winners of four straight, fans can expect the very best from each team as they hope to continue their success into the start of the New Year.
Pete’s Pick: While the Flyers have been playing stronger competition as of late and getting wins, I think the Jr. Canadiens come out with a little extra fire wanting to tie up the season series. They take a high-scoring 4-3 final.
Craig’s Pick: I wouldn’t wanna face either of these teams at the moment. They’re No. 1 and No. 2 in Canada for good reason. The Jr. Canadiens have suffocated just about every opposing offense they’ve faced… Except one. Don Mills is one of two teams this season to score four or more goals on the Jr. Canadiens, and they’ve done it twice. The Flyers might not tally four goals, but I do think they win. I’m feeling a 3-2 finish here.
No. 10 Dynamo Moscow (15-9-0) hopes to finally end up in the win column in their third game against No. 5 Spartak Moscow (31-7-0) this weekend. Spartak has won the previous two matchups, outscoring Dynamo 11-6.
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| Logos Saturday, January 14 |
Despite not being able to keep the high-octane attack of Spartak in check in their first outing, Dynamo kept things close in a 5-4 loss on Oct. 22. In that game, Spartak’s leading scorer Artem Korolev got the scoring started in what was a back-and-forth contest all game. For any hope of getting their first win of the season against Spartak, Dynamo will have to contain Korolev’s insane production, currently at 38 goals and 74 points.
Arseniy Rychagov (5G, 14A) and Yegor Groza (5G, 9A) will try to combine their efforts to boost Dynamo.
Pete’s Pick: Spartak has simply been one of the more dominant Russian squads of their birth year, and I don’t expect them to drop this result. They handle Dynamo in a 4-1 win.
Craig’s Pick: Eleven goals against in their previous two games. For Dynamo Moscow to win, they’ve got to do something they haven’t done yet. Stop — or even just slow down — Spartak’s offensive attack. I believe Dynamo can trade goals with Spartak; they’ve done it already this season. However, that also proved to be an ineffective approach. I just don’t think Dynamo is strong enough defensively to beat Spartak here. I’m gonna roll with the favorite to win its third game of the season series.
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