Peter Rossi, remote coverage of 16U Nationals
The 16U USA Nationals got underway in San Jose, California today and Chicago Mission’s Eero Butella wasted no time in getting his name on the scoresheet. Scoring two goals in the first period and adding one in the second, Butella’s natural hat trick helped propel Mission to a tournament-opening victory against the Boston Little Bruins, 7-3. His last two goals also came on the man-advantage, which finished 2-for-2 in the matchup. The stellar game continues a fantastic last couple of weeks for Butella, who was called up to USA Hockey’s National Under-17 Team for a weekend series back on March 17th.
Mount St. Charles and Compuware found themselves in a very even contest this afternoon at 16U Nationals in San Jose, California. With Compuware holding a 2-1 lead late in the second period, Vincent Ipri knotted things up with just a second remaining on the clock. At 14:50 of the third, David Ehrhard put Mount up 3-2. Not phased by the deficit, Michael Barron decided to take matters into his own hands. Finishing off a perfect pass from Dennis Lominac, Barron tied the game at 3 with just over two minutes left in regulation. Just 1:33 later, he struck again for his second of the game, connecting once more with Lominac.
The Phoenix Jr. Coyotes came out of the gate strong, opening the scoring in their clash with Bishop Kearney Selects. However, two late penalties would both result in power-play goals for the Selects, sending them into a 2-1 deficit. After more penalty trouble late in the second period led to another power-play goal, the Jr. Coyotes were down 3-1. Sent to a power play of their own, Tristen Wilson-Azleton made it a 3-2 game at 13:39 of the third. Shortly thereafter, Carson McGinley would snap home his first goal of the game, tying things at 3. Jacob Solano got in on the scoring with a goal of his own at 8:50, and with just 57 seconds left McGinley found the empty net for his second goal. Four unanswered goals in the third period stunned the Selects and gave the Jr. Coyotes a huge confidence boost heading into the remainder of pool play.
Peter Rossi, on-site at 15O Nationals
15O USA Hockey Nationals kicked off today in Wayne, New Jersey. 2007-born Pittsburgh Penguins Elite and Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers played their opening game of the tournament against one another, with Pittsburgh snagging a win in dramatic fashion. It was the fifth contest of the season between the two, with Pens Elite leading the series 3-1.
Justin Vlassis opened the scoring by putting home a rebound from in front of the net. The two clubs would continue to trade chances , with the Pens Elite getting the better looks as the period went on. Ethan Chen would tie the game at 1 in the second period when he finished a perfect backdoor feed from Michael Mardula on the power play.
Entering the third period tied 1-1, the teams continued to play a fairly even frame, with chances exchanged on both ends. With 1:47 left in regulation, Murdula gave the Jr. Rangers a 2-1 lead when he banged home a feed from Chen. Just 35 seconds after that, Quinn McKenzie tied the game by finishing a pass from Vlassis off a quick rush up the ice. 23 seconds later, Vlassis notched his second goal to put Pens Elite up 3-2 when he deflected a puck past Steven Luciano from the top of the crease. Kieren Dervin put the game away with an empty-net goal for the 4-2 final.
A large majority of the game featured a goaltending duel between Luciano for Mid-Fairfield and Giulio Torriero for Pittsburgh. Luciano was the busier of the two in the first period, making 13 saves. The script flipped for the second period, where Torriero faced a lot of pucks. Overall, Luciano ended up with 27 saves, while Torriero collected 16.
Little Caesars once again proved they are one of the premier teams of their birth year with a 8-0 win against Team North Dakota. Evan Jardine (3G, 4A), Zachary Morin (2G, 5A) and William Horcoff (3G, 3A) carried out the heavy lifting on offense. While not the busiest goalie of the day, Sammy DiBlasi gobbled up all 15 shots he saw for the shutout.
With Day 1’s results, it seems to be a two-team race to escape a packed USA Group. Caesars and Pens Elite control their destinies with opening-game victories. The Jr. Rangers now face a must-win scenario in their next matchup against North Dakota tomorrow. I still think the championship is Caesars to lose, but it will be interesting to see if any of the other premier teams can build confidence as the games continue.
Craig Peterson, on-site at 14U Nationals
The 2008 Los Angeles Jr. Kings avoided a near upset on the first day of action at USA Hockey Nationals. Pre-tournament, I had them as one of the early favorites to finish as a top seed in group play. However, a bit of a sluggish start and an aggressive opponent in Team Wisconsin pushed the Jr. Kings up against the ropes in Game 1.
Four unanswered goals in a four-minute stretch of the second period put Team Wisconsin comfortably in the driver’s seat. Through 34 minutes of game action, TW controlled much of the game with an aggressive forecheck and relentless attack that kept the more skilled Jr. Kings on their heels. Wisconsin forwards like Cooper DePuydt and Owen Porter used their speed to chase down loose pucks and pressure LA defensemen throughout the attacking zone.
Additionally, a pair of LA penalties proved to be costly, as DePuydt and Logan Ostricki cashed in on back-to-back power-play opportunities. Team Wisconsin carried a 4-2 lead into the third period, with the more skilled Jr. Kings looking a bit lethargic and out of rhythm.
Stretch passes through the neutral zone missed their mark, drop passes on the rush were left for no one and multiple puck battles lost to the harder working Wisconsin club. It wasn’t until the 9:39 mark of the third when Jake Brown gave the Jr. Kings a jolt, cutting the deficit to 4-3. LA looked to be a different team after that, earning a power-play opportunity. While they didn’t cash in, it wasn’t long after the penalty expired that top forward Tyus Sparks scored his second goal of the game, off a rebound initially from Michael Block.
Tyus Sparks ties it up at 4-4 for @JrKingsHockey against Team Wisconsin at 14U @USAHockey Nationals pic.twitter.com/gHmhJS8ZpV
— World Hockey Hub (@WorldHkyHub) March 29, 2023
Alofa Tunoa Ta’Amu led a late rush up the ice and sent a centering pass to Logan Stuart driving the net. Stuart’s redirection of the pass fooled TW goaltender Julian Scalcucci just enough that it found its way into the back of the net, 5-4 Jr. Kings with under a minute to go in regulation. An empty-net goal late would put the finishing touches on the game as LA scored four unanswered goals of its own to come back and earn a win in Game 1 at USA Hockey Nationals.
Team Wisconsin put a scare into the Jr. Kings with a gritty style of play that made it tough to find time and space. Their next two opponents will do more of the same this week as well.
Mount St. Charles defeated the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 3-2 in overtime, thanks to a goal by Jameson Glance. However, both of these teams could piece together similar performances to that of TW and upset the favored Jr. Kings later this week. I didn’t consider either Mount or OJG much of a threat to LA pre-tournament. However, strong showings this morning showed that both clubs are extremely well coached, disciplined and hard-working. A formula that we just saw the Jr. Kings struggle with a bit against Wisconsin.
The Jr. Kings are still the favorite in my mind, but the road looks a little less convenient after today.
The second team to come out of this pool will be an interesting battle. Mount, obviously, is in the most fortuitous spot with a two-game lead on OJG and one game on TW. However, this trio is reminiscent of the Spider-Man meme, pointing at one another. Their playing styles are all eerily similar, and the 3-2 overtime decision between Mount and OJG certainly validates that. Mount meets Wisconsin Thursday afternoon, and that game will likely determine who the second team is to come out of the Liberty Division. I expect it to be a very close, well structured, back-and-forth game. The scales lean ever so slightly towards TW for me, but it’ll be an interesting matchup nonetheless.
WHH will have continued coverage of USA Hockey Nationals this week. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, top performers and more.
Over the course of a 4-1-1 record at the 2023 U15 Nordic Youth Trophy, Sollentuna HC managed to find the back of the net 45 times. Accounting for 10 of those goals were Victor Kumpulainen and Olle Fredén Ericsson, who finished first among Sollentuna skaters in total points with 15 and 14, respectively. As a result of their consistent play-making and scoring touch, Sollentuna was able to solidly defeat Färjestad BK in the gold-medal finale, 5-0.
Both players overcame slow starts to the tournament, with neither of them able to find the scoresheet in the team’s first three games. All that changed in the final game of group play against the Ullensaker Flyers. Just over a minute into the first period, Kumpulainen struck for his first goal and point, assisted by none other than Fredén Ericsson. Not finished there, Kumpulainen would add on four additional goals and two assists in the contest. Fredén Ericsson joined his teammate by collecting six more assists and a goal before the game’s end. 15 points between the two in what was a 23-1 rout.
In their first semifinal game against No. 3 Täby HC, the two forwards picked up right where they left off. Kumpulainen’s one goal and two assists and Fredén Ericsson’s three assists propelled the club to a 6-1 victory and a spot in the championship game. Not daunted by the task at hand, the scorching attack of Sollentuna was once again driven by their two stars. Kumpulainen added four more points to his total, with Fredén Ericsson notching a goal and two more assists in a 5-0 shutout, securing the Nordic Youth Trophy.
Suiting up in four games, including the final against Färjestad, Elias Fennrup finished the tournament as the top goaltender. In the four contests he saw action, Fennrup faced 98 shots, 97 of which he stopped. His best performance came against BIK Karlskoga, where he managed to post his second shutout by making 48 saves.
Not finished there, he stopped all 25 shots in the championship game for his third and final shutout of the tournament. Fenrrup’s partner in goal, Alex Sarenfält, manned the pipes in two contests, with one win.
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The 2009-born Toronto Red Wings climbed to No. 7 in the most recent update of the World Rankings. The club rattled off three consecutive wins over No. 8 Toronto Marlboros to kick off their stretch. That run pushed the Red Wings north of 40 wins on the season, and 69 total wins for the ‘09 group dating back to last season.
Unfortunately for the Red Wings, their season came to an end in the GTHL semifinals when they were swept in three games by the No. 2 Don Mills Flyers.
Mikhailov Academy rolled through a three-game stretch against a trio of quality opponents. The team picked up consecutive wins over Khimik Voskresensk, Lokomotiv 2004 Yaroslavl and No. 7 Dynamo Moscow. In those contests, Semyon Kochurin (3G, 2A) and Dmitry Kubanstev (1G, 4A) led the way with five points each. Overall this season, Boris Borin (16G, 32A) and Matvey Cheranev (23G, 24A) have been the mainstays at the top of the leaderboard for the club.
In the 2011-born Russian Rankings, No. 3 Lokomotiv 2004 Yaroslavl and No. 9 SKA Strelna came up big in prime matchups. Timofey Makoedov notched two goals to lead Lokomotiv to a vital 5-1 victory over No. 4 Vityaz Podolsk. Strelna edged a 4-3 victory over No. 10 SKA St. Petersburg, leapfrogging them in the Top 10.
No. 6 North Shore Winter Club’s wins in two important ’10 Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association (PCAHA) matchups were a telling sign of the talent throughout its roster. They took care of business with a 7-2 victory over the Semiahmoo Ravens before potting another six goals in a 6-3 win over No. 7 Burnaby Winter Club. The wins also extended a five-game win streak for the team.
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.
On Wednesday, USA Hockey unveiled the groupings, schedule and information regarding the 2023 national championships. In doing so, the four at-large teams for each of the 14U, 15O and 16U tournaments were announced, finalizing the field of 16 teams at each age level. Additionally, the groupings for each of the 16 teams were released, accompanied by complete pool-play schedules.
All three age groups will get underway on March 29th, with championship games taking place on April 3rd. The 14U age group will compete in Plymouth, Michigan, while the 15O age group will compete in Wayne, New Jersey. Both the 16U and 18U age groups will bein San Jose, California.
Nine of the Top 10 teams in the U.S. will be in Michigan for the 14U USA Hockey Nationals. Preliminary-round groupings include No. 1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s sharing the USA Pool with No. 4 Dallas Stars Elite. The two teams have yet to meet this season, and will clash for the first time on the second day of the tournament at 10:30 a.m. They’re joined by Little Caesars — who once ranked as high as sixth in the country — and split-season squad Team North Dakota.
The Olympic Pool is loaded with three Top-10 teams, including No. 2 Chicago Mission, No. 5 Bishop Kearney Selects and No. 10 Pittsburgh Vengeance. The fourth and final team is unranked Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, who earned an automatic bid with a Southeastern District championship. Mission won the 14U tournament in 2022. While the ‘07s who brought home gold have graduated to the 15O tournament this year, the 2008s will look to repeat as champions for the program in 2023.
No. 3 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite come in as the highest ranked at-large bid in the tournament. They will be joined by No. 8 Boston Jr. Eagles, and again, two top-ranked teams that have yet to meet this season. Unranked Valley Forge Minutemen and split-season Minnesota Lakers will round out the four teams in the NHL Pool.
The Liberty Pool is highlighted by No. 6 Los Angeles Jr. Kings and No. 7 Mount St. Charles. Those two teams won’t meet until the final day of pool play, and in all likelihood, should determine the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds to come out of this group. Unranked Oakland Jr. Grizzlies and Team Wisconsin will have their hands full in this four-team group.
| USA #1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s #4 Dallas Stars Elite Little Caesars Team North Dakota | OLYMPIC #2 Chicago Mission #5 Bishop Kearney Selects #10 Pittsburgh Vengeance Carolina Jr. Hurricanes | NHL #3 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite #8 Boston Jr. Eagles Minnesota Lakers Valley Forge Minutemen | LIBERTY #6 Los Angeles Jr. Kings #7 Mount St. Charles Oakland Jr. Grizzlies Team Wisconsin |
They’ve been the No. 1 ranked team in the country for 18 consecutive weeks. Little Caesars’ reward for their dominance in ‘22-23? Arguably the toughest draw in the tournament. Both No. 8 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite and No. 9 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers will be looking to take down the giant that’s been Caesars this season. Split-season squad Team North Dakota will have its hands full as the only unranked team in the USA Pool.
No. 3 Chicago Mission comes in as defending national champions of the 2007 birth year. They’re joined by No. 5 Long Island Gulls, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes and Compuware in the Olympic Pool. Mission and Long Island have yet to meet this season, but are set to do so for the first time on the last day of pool play. That game could potentially determine the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds to advance to the quarterfinals.
Shattuck-St. Mary’s came up just short in the national championship last season. This ‘07 group has played with something to prove all season long, entering the tournament ranked No. 4 in the country. They’re joined in the NHL Pool by two teams they have already beaten this season in No. 6 Mount St. Charles and unranked Team Wisconsin. The fourth team in the mix is Dallas Stars Elite, who’s just 5-5-0 in their last 10 games.
The Liberty Pool is headlined by No. 2 Bishop Kearney Selects and No. 7 Los Angeles Jr. Kings. They’ve met twice this season, with each team picking up a win over the other. The swing game in the series comes on the final day of pool play, where they’ll likely determine the top two teams advancing to the next round. Unranked Neponset Valley River Rats and New Jersey Rockets will look to disrupt that narrative.
| USA #1 Little Caesars #8 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite #9 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers Team North Dakota | OLYMPIC #3 Little Caesars #5 Long Island Gulls Carolina Jr. Hurricanes Compuware | NHL #4 Shattuck-St. Mary’s #6 Mount St. Charles Dallas Stars Elite Team Wisconsin | LIBERTY #2 Bishop Kearney Selects #7 Los Angeles Jr. Kings Neponset Valley River Rats New Jersey Rockets |
The 2005-born Bishop Kearney Selects won last season’s national championship, and the ‘06s will look to repeat as champions for the program. They come into the Liberty Pool ranked No. 5 in the country, but may not even be the favorite in their own group. No. 3 New Jersey Rockets are ahead of them in the standings. Plus, a pair of West Coast teams look to play spoiler in the Anaheim Jr. Ducks and Phoenix Jr. Coyotes.
Top-ranked Shattuck-St. Mary’s headlines the USA Pool, with No. 8 Chicago Mission and split-season squads Boston Little Bruins and Team North Dakota. Shattuck has been the No. 1 ranked team in the country for 26 consecutive weeks, and will look to go wire-to-wire as the undisputed top team in America. A Friday matchup with Mission may be the only resistance Shattuck sees in pool play. Even then, the Sabres have a 4-0-1 head-to-head record against Chicago and could very easily run the table.
The NHL Pool features No. 6 North Jersey Avalanche and No. 7 Little Caesars. Unranked Cleveland Barons and Seacoast Performance Academy enter the tournament on the heels of automatic bids earned through their respective district playoffs. Caesars enters pool play as the only team with wins over all three of its future opponents, defeating the Avs twice, the Barons twice and splitting with Seacoast.
No. 2 Long Island Gulls, No. 4 Compuware, No. 10 Mount St. Charles and unranked Nashville Jr. Predators make up one of the toughest foursomes in the country in the Olympic Pool. The top three have been among the Top 10 in the country virtually all season. Only Long Island and Mount have played each other this season, clashing four times in close games separated by an average differential of 1.75 goals.
| USA #1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s #8 Chicago Mission Boston Little Bruins Team North Dakota | OLYMPIC #2 Long Island Gulls #4 Compuware #10 Mount St. Charles Nashville Jr. Predators | NHL #6 North Jersey Avalanche #7 Little Caesars Cleveland Barons Seacoast Performance Academy | LIBERTY #3 New Jersey Rockets #5 Bishop Kearney Selects Anaheim Jr. Ducks Phoenix Jr. Coyotes |
World Hockey Hub will have exclusive, on-site coverage of the 2023 USA Hockey Nationals. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, updates and more!
There’s a new club at the top of the ‘07 rankings in Russia, and it’s the first time they’ve been there since Dec. 21st. Following a solid stretch of play that saw them nab victories over No. 3 CSKA Moscow, Atlant Mytishchi and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Dynamo Moscow is back as No. 1. Mikhail Melikov, the club’s leading scorer, tallied four points in the 9-1 victory over Atlant. This season, he has produced 27 goals and 47 points.
While Dynamo was a familiar name in the No. 1 spot in Russia, a new team cracked the Top 10 among 2007-born teams in the U.S. With a strong 10-2 victory over Compuware, No. 10 Victory Honda’s offensive outburst gave them enough of a jolt to catapult over the previous spot holder. Braden Wade and Nolan Makinski both notched hat tricks and Luc Plante scored a goal and four assists in a five-point night. The victory also continued a nine-game unbeaten streak for the team, which ended the following day with a 3-2 overtime loss to Fox Motors.
The regular season concluded over the weekend, and with it, brought some movement among Top-10 teams. In these final matchups before playoffs, No. 3 Ilves and No. 5 Jokerit experienced some decent boosts from crucial wins. Ilves got its business done in two matchups versus No. 4 Kärpät, winning by scorers of 13-3 and 4-0. In the 13-goal explosion, seven skaters notched two or more points, led by Jalmari Melanen’s one goal and four assists.
Jokerit put forth a solid team effort in a 4-1 victory over No. 6 Lukko. Aapo Niemelä (2G) and Taavi Aarvala (2A) connected for the final two goals of the game, solidifying both the win and two-point performances.
With strong finishes to group play, both Ilves and Jokerit earned spots in the top four of the overall group standings. As a result, they have earned first round byes in the playoffs, along with No. 2 Tappara and No. 1 Kiekko-Espoo. They will now await the winners from the first round to see who they will open their playoff schedules against.
The opening round of Sweden’s U16 SM-playoffs has come and gone, and No. 3 MoDo Hockey has raised eyebrows with its performance thus far. The power trio of Elton Hermansson (3G, 3A), Vincent Wedin (2G, 4A) and Erik Häggblad (1G, 5A) have lifted their club to new heights. By securing wins over fellow ranked opponents like No. 1 Nacka HK and No. 4 Djurgårdens IF, its position among the country’s elite has been strengthened.
The road doesn’t get any easier, as entering the second round MoDo finds itself in the dreaded ‘group of death’ along with top-ranked Nacka, No. 2 Täby HC and No. 6 Södertälje SK.
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.
Last week, eight of USA Hockey’s 12 districts held their respective state tournaments and final qualifier games. This is a crucial step for teams looking to earn automatic bids to compete at the 2023 USA Hockey Nationals.
The final eight automatic bids at each of the four age levels were decided by various tournament structures across the country. Those winners will join a field of 16 teams later this month in pursuit of a national championship.
Central District: No. 14 Chicago Mission and Team Wisconsin met in the championship game after each going 2-0-0 in the preliminary games. Wisconsin held the high-flying offense of Chicago in check to snag a 4-2 victory.
New England District: No. 6 Mount St. Charles defeated Hartford Jr. Wolfpack 4-1.
New York District: No. 23 Bishop Kearney Selects team depth was on display in their 4-0 semifinal win against the Buffalo Jr. Sabres. Four different players found the back of the net and goaltender Gavin Weeks was perfect in recording 21 saves. In the championship game, multi-point performances from Luca Cannata, Camden Nimmer and Rocco Afonso led BK Selects to a 6-2 win against CP Dynamo. Weeks was stellar in net once again, stopping 24 shots.
Rocky Mountain District: No. 19 Dallas Stars Elite got the best of the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders in their rematch, defeating them 7-1. In their earlier meeting at qualifiers, Stars Elite put up eight goals, with Jeffrey Hurlbert (3G) and Booker Toninato (2G) leading the charge.
Southeastern District: It wasn’t an easy road for the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, but they showed up in the big moments to grab the district championship over Florida Alliance. Both the Jr. Hurricanes and Alliance went 2-1-0 in the preliminary round. The Jr. Canes fell to the Washington Little Capitals, 5-3, before rebounding with a 3-2 victory in the title matchup to earn the trip to Nationals.
Atlantic District: The Valley Forge Minutemen and New Jersey Rockets threw down in a best-of-three series to decide who would represent the Atlantic among ‘08 teams. After the Rockets opened the series with a 3-1 win, the Minutemen would respond with a 1-0 shutout in game 2. That momentum would carry into the deciding game, where they edged the Rockets in a 4-2 final.
Michigan District: With the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies and Little Caesars deadlocked at 2 goals apiece, Joseph Zelenak cued up the heroics. With 11:20 left in the third period, Zelenak tallied the go-ahead goal and eventual game-winner to lift the Jr. Grizzlies to the win. Braden Guolla scored the other two goals for the Jr. Grizzlies, and James Fawaz stopped 18 shots.
Northern Plains District: Team North Dakota prevailed in its championship game, earning a trip to Nationals.
The eight district champions above will join the Boston Jr. Eagles, Pittsburgh Vengeance, Shattuck-St. Mary’s and Los Angeles Jr. Kings as automatic qualifiers for USAH Nationals in Plymouth, Michigan.
Central District: No. 16 Chicago Mission got the better of Team Wisconsin for a 4-2 victory to garner a spot at USA Nationals.
New England District: It was a clash of two U.S. Top-10 clubs for the New England District crown. No. 6 Mount St. Charles and No. 9 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers are no strangers to each other. Squaring off five times in the regular season, Mid-Fairfield got the better of Mount with a 3-2-0 record. Yet, Mount St. Charles got the last laugh and prevailed in the district championship, 4-2.
New York District: Ethan Wyttenbach picked up where he left off after collecting four points in a 8-0 semifinal victory against the PAL Jr. Islanders. Wyttenbach, along with Nathaniel Poole, helped No. 20 Long Island Gulls jump out to a 2-0 lead versus No. 4 Bishop Kearney Selects in the championship tilt. Konner Powell cut into the lead in the second period, but the Gulls’ defense and Ryan Cameron’s 26 saves allowed them to hold onto the 2-1 lead.
Rocky Mountain District: For this district, it was another rematch in the championship game, this time between the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes and Dallas Stars Elite. In the first battle, the Jr. Coyotes earned a 2-1 shootout victory, with Ethan Bryant netting the game-winning goal. He also scored during regulation play, with Blake Patterson putting up the only Dallas goal. The Stars Elite rebounded to win the matchup that mattered most, scoring three consecutive goals after falling behind 1-0 in the opening frame. Brady Turner made things interesting when he cut the lead to 3-2 with a power-play goal early into the third frame. Patterson sealed the deal with an empty-net goal with 1:20 left and sent Dallas through to Nationals.
Southeastern District: Florida Alliance North exploded for six goals in a preliminary round meeting against the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes. With the two facing off in the championship, many expected it to be more of the same. However, the Jr. Hurricanes would flip the script and bounce back with a 7-1 win of their own.
Atlantic District: It was a Garden State showdown between the North Jersey Avalanche and New Jersey Rockets to see who would move on to Nationals. After opening the three-game series with a 6-3 win, the Rockets seemed ready to end with a sweep. The Avalanche had other plans, forcing a third and decisive game after taking Game 2, 5-2. The Rockets would rebound in the winner-take-all clash, edging the Avalanche 4-3 with a late-game stunner.
@RocketsHC scores in the final minute of regulation and defeats North Jersey Avalanche by a final score of 4-3. They advance to @usahockey Nationals! pic.twitter.com/0UHvOpgqqt
— LiveBarn (@LiveBarn) March 13, 2023
Michigan District: William Horcoff led No. 1 Little Caesars to a 4-0 shutout win against Fox Motors with two goals. While not the busiest night between the pipes, Joseph Slavick was perfect with 14 saves.
Northern Plains District: Team North Dakota kicked off its three-game series against the Sioux Falls Power in dramatic fashion. With the score locked at two late in regulation, Isaac Thompson slipped a power-play goal home with seven seconds left on the clock to steal a 3-2 win for North Dakota. Sioux Falls would take Game 2, 4-2 but North Dakota would rally for the Game 3 win.
The eight district champions above will join the Neponset Valley River Rats, Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, Shattuck-St. Mary’s and Los Angeles Jr. Kings as automatic qualifiers for USAH Nationals in Wayne, New Jersey.
Central District: Chicago Mission bested Team Wisconsin in a low-scoring 1-0 affair.
New England District: After Ronnie Hill increased Seacoast Performance Academy’s lead to 4-2 in the championship game with nine minutes to play, things were looking good. However, their opponent No. 20 Mount St. Charles had other plans. Clawing its way back to even the score, Mount St. Charles forced overtime with a spot to Nationals on the line. With the extra frame underway, Deke Davidson blasted a one-timer into the net, securing the win for SPA and sending their bench into a frenzy of flying gloves and sticks.
Deke Davidson send the U16’s to the Nattie’s!#GoSPA pic.twitter.com/I3IZwaZpcI
— Seacoast Performance Academy (@SPAhockeyNH) March 12, 2023
New York District: Thomas Zocco and Grant Young did most of the heavy lifting on offense, each tallying two goals to help lift No. 3 Long Island Gulls past the Buffalo Jr. Sabres, 5-1. The Jr. Sabres threw their fair share of rubber on net, but they were bested by Ryan Denes, who finished with 31 saves.
Rocky Mountain District: The Phoenix Jr. Coyotes won their preliminary-round game versus the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders, 4-0. Benjamin Vatis made 25 saves to earn the shutout and four different players scored. In the rematch, the Jr. Coyotes won the title tilt by a 4-1 margin, collecting all four goals unanswered in the third period. Carson McGinley put the game away with two empty-net goals.
Southeastern District: Following a 3-1 preliminary round defeat, Florida Alliance had hoped to dish out some revenge in the championship game against the Nashville Jr. Predators. But the Jr. Preds would prevent any chance at that, ending up in the win column yet again with a 5-1 final.
Atlantic District: No. 12 North Jersey Avalanche took care of their business in a timely manner, sweeping the New York Saints in their best-of-three series. The Avs outscored the Saints 13-2, securing a shutout in Game 1.
Michigan District: Brecken Smith‘s first-period goal and Owen Lepak’s 19 saves would be all No. 13 Little Caesars would need in a 1-0 win over HoneyBaked.
Northern Plains District: Despite the best efforts of Sioux Falls, Team North Dakota was victorious in the first two games of its three-game series. After Grant Gardner secured the Game 1 win in overtime, it appeared as if Game 2 was headed to extra time as well. Just as it seemed as if Gardner had played hero once more, scoring a power-play goal with 42 seconds left to play, the goal would be called back after a review. Not phased, Gardner would indeed strike in overtime again for North Dakota, sending them to Nationals.
The eight district champions above will join the Boston Little Bruins, Cleveland Barons, Shattuck-St. Mary’s and Anaheim Jr. Ducks as automatic qualifiers for USAH Nationals in San Jose, California.
The 18U slate of games will begin March 29th in San Jose, California. These teams will join the Boston Jr. Eagles, Shattuck-St. Mary’s, Anaheim Jr. Ducks, and Culver Academy as the representatives of their districts.
Central District: Omaha Mastery
New England District: Yale Jr. Bulldogs
New York District: Buffalo Regals
Rocky Mountain District: Colorado Rampage
Southeastern District: Florida Alliance
Atlantic District: Philadelphia Jr. Flyers
Michigan District: Little Caesars
Northern Plains District: Sioux Falls Power
2023 USA Hockey Nationals will begin March 29th. WHH will have continued coverage of each birth year throughout the schedule of games. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, top performers and more.
Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. Nacka HK and Djurgårdens IF kick things off with an ‘08 Top-10 tilt on Wednesday. Boo HC and AIK Hockey tangle in a premier matchup between 2008s as well. The week concludes with CSKA Moscow dropping the puck in an ‘09 meeting with Mikhailov Academy on Sunday.
As the games remaining in the regular season dwindle into the single digits, there are still some big matchups on the board. No. 8 Nacka HK (29-5-6) and No. 12 Djurgårdens IF (30-14-10) will throw down in a meeting of the top two teams among Sweden 08’s.
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| Wednesday, March 15 Mälarhöjdens Ishall |
Last time out on Jan. 18th, these clubs played to a 4-4 tie in a spirited back-and-forth affair. Djurgårdens clawed its way back from a 3-1 deficit only to have Nacka take the lead late in the second period. Less than two minutes later, Sebastian Von Berens salvaged the tie with his second goal of the game. Since that tie, Nacka has been on a roll, going 8-1-0 in its last nine. Djurgårdens, meanwhile, has gone 4-2-1.
What gave Djurgårdens a chance to even things up in its last matchup was preventing Nacka’s leading scorer from doing any major damage. Oliver Sundberg not only leads Nacka in points (15G, 15A) but is tied for first in scoring of the entire group. Djurgårdens’ defensive unit held him to just one assist. It will take another strong effort like that to come out on top this time with a win.
It will be interesting to see who Djurgårdens goes with in net. In the 4-4 tie, Gustav Stengård manned the crease, making 16 saves on 20 shots. Statistically, however, the club’s other goaltender, Justin Emretzon Duckmark is among the top three among all teams. He has compiled a 1.55 goals-against average, .933 save percentage and three shutouts over a 7-2-2 record.
Pete’s Pick: I truly believe this one will come down to whoever Djurgårdens goes with between the pipes. They have the confidence they can shut down Nacka’s top performer. So do they roll with the goalie who aided that effort last time they met or with the goalie with the better numbers? Stengård has started the last three games, so my gut says they stick with him. As a result, I think Djurgårdens pulls out a close 3-2 win here.
Craig’s Pick: Djurgårdens recent struggles are a concern for me. Sure, 4-2-1 is a decent run, but those wins are against the 12th, 11th, 10th and sixth place teams. For reference, there’s 12 teams in the group. Nacka’s schedule hasn’t been much more challenging, but its taken care of business in a much more impressive manner. I don’t expect Sundberg to be silenced a second time, I like Nacka in a 4-1 win.
Viggo Fors notched a goal and assist in the last meeting between No. 4 Boo HC (29-7-6) and No. 9 AIK Hockey (21-11-4) on Jan. 18. His team hopes he can produce those numbers again as they battle in a mid-week rematch this Wednesday.
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| Wednesday, March 15 Ulriksdals IP Hall 3 |
The main point-getter for Boo though is Lukas Svensson, who has tallied 13 goals and 21 points in 17 games. Just behind him is Alexander Engman (10G, 6A). Held off the scoresheet in their last encounter, Filip Nyberg will try to add to his impressive season stat line of 13 goals and 26 points. The other two thirds of AIK’s power trio consists of Viggo Låhdö (7G, 15A) and Max Balk (10G, 9A).
While those will be the players trying to fill the net, the two trying to keep pucks out are some of the best on any ‘08 Sweden team. Leon De La Gardie and Leon Andersson went save-for-save in the last game between the two sides. Andersson has backstopped Boo to 10 wins, with a 1.30 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and four shutouts. De La Gardie has recorded 1.54 goals-against average, .906 save percentage and three shutouts. When both of these goaltenders are on, offense is hard to come by.
Pete’s Pick: Like I said, this will be another low-scoring game. Despite players on both ends being able to put up points, there’s something when these two goalies play the other that makes them that much better. With Boo getting the slight edge, offensively, I favor them over AIK in a close 3-2 game.
Craig’s Pick: It’s hard to imagine an even lower scoring game than their 2-1 meeting last time out. However, I’m anticipating just that. Boo is buzzing at the rink time, and I think it gets its fifth team shutout of group play. Viggo Fors factors in offensively, again, and Boo wins a low-scoring game, again, this time it’s 2-0.
No. 3 Spartak Moscow (30-7-3) has had No. 10 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl’s (22-10-1) number this season. Victorious in three previous games, they have outscored their opponent 11-4. On Sunday, Yaroslavl will attempt to finally best its fellow ‘09 Russian club.
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| Sunday, March 19 |
In order to do so, they will have to handle the explosive production from Daniil Savin (21G, 27A) and Vsevolod Kokorin (27G, 13A), two of Spartak’s most consistent forwards. To counter, Yaroslavl will rely on Ivan Rubstov (9G, 22A) and Mikhail Bulgakov (11G, 14A).
Pete’s Pick: Lokomotiv had been on a bit of a roll lately winning their last three before a loss to No. 3 CSKA last weekend. However, Spartak’s talent is too much for them to overcome, much less many other ‘08 teams. They have kept things relatively close in the last three meetings, so I don’t expect Spartak to break open the score. Spartak will take a 4-1 final.
Craig’s Pick: In the two previous matchups, Spartak has never trailed. Despite their best efforts, Lokomotiv’s Bulgakov and Rubstov just haven’t been able to get the offense going in this matchup. That’s a tough ask for anyone at any level to produce offense on cue. Because of Lokomotiv’s struggles, I have to go with Spartak, 4-1, as they’ve seemed to crack the code on how to shut down this top-10 offense.
No. 24 Mikhailov Academy (22-10-3) will have the chance to even its regular season series versus No. 9 CSKA Moscow (26-8-2) when the two ‘08 Russian teams collide on Sunday.
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| Sunday, March 19 |
CSKA was victorious in the first game between the two back on Sept. 25th. Mikhailov took the next one before dropping the third. Since that loss, they have been winners in their last six. Matvey Cheranev (21G, 24A) and Boris Borin (13G, 30A) have propelled Mikhailov during their recent hot stretch. Goal-scoring dynamo Nikita Gromakov (28G, 6A) will be eager to add to his total. He has scored three goals against Mikhailov in their matchups thus far. Ilya Morozov’s (10G, 24A) play-making ability will look to assist Gromakov in offensive production.
Pete’s Pick: While Mikhailov impressively shut out CSKA in the second game, the true power of CSKA was on display in the other two meetings with wins of 5-3 and 7-3. Mikhailov also played last weekend, giving CSKA more time to rest its top players. A third win for them is in the cards and they will take the season series, three games to one.
Craig’s Pick: Ugh, I’d like to give Mikhailov Academy a shot in this one, especially given Ivan Buydov’s 3-0 shutout on November 13th. However, he was quickly pulled in Game 3, after giving up three goals in the first period. I just don’t think they have an answer for CSKA’s offense, so I’m going CSKA 5-2 convincingly.
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This season, 2008-born teams in the Canadian Sport School Hockey league (CSSHL) have been full of incredible talent. From high-scoring forwards and productive blueliners, to consistent goaltending, this season has seen it all.
The U15 Prep Western Championships began on Monday. While it’s difficult to limit to just six, we’ve keyed in on three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie to watch during this week’s playoff action.
No player tallied more regular season points than Liam Ruck, forward for Okanagan Hockey Academy. In 27 games, the 5-foot-8 forward from Osoyoos, British Columbia, CAN, collected 53 goals and 90 points. 34 of those points have come in the midst of a nine-game point streak. A huge step forward from last season, where he recorded 13 goals and 34 points. Ruck also put up four assists in three playoff games last year.
Known for scoring in bunches, he has put up five or more points in seven contests. The highlight of his season was a 10-point performance against the North Shore Warriors on Sept. 30th. If Okanagan has any hopes of a deep playoff run, Ruck will need to continue to find the scoresheet with his incredible offensive ability.
A name that has been mentioned extensively on WHH, Cruz Pavao has put together quite the 2022-23 campaign. He really entered the conversation when he led No. 16 Calgary Edge School to the championship at the Rocky Mountain Classic back in November. Since then, all he has done is continue to pile up the points in league play. Pavao ended the regular season as the fifth-best scorer with 32 goals and 67 points. No stranger to showing up when the games meant the most, he put up 19 points in five playoff games last season as well.
Edge School poses the biggest threat to No. 4 Northern Alberta Xtreme this postseason. In six games against NAX, Pavao notched three goals and six points. For Edge to have any hope in overcoming the juggernaut that is Northern Alberta, Pavao will have to be on his game from the minute the puck drops.
Sitting just behind Pavao in overall scoring is Joe Iginla, and it seems the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. Suiting up in 27 games for No. 8 Canadian-ranked RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna, Iginla’s knack for finding the net has led to 37 goals and 65 points. A threat on the man advantage, he has also produced 15 points on the power play (8G, 7A). But perhaps the most impressive aspect of his game is Iginla’s ability to stay out of the penalty box. Behind Ruck (6), Iginla has the least amount of penalty minutes at just four. Iginla gained crucial first-hand experience in last year’s playoffs, where he scored one goal in four games. That experience will help him prepare for this year’s playoff run, which will be a gauntlet given the talent involved from participating teams.
When a player puts up 17 goals and 50 points in 30 games, it’s an impressive feat. If that player happens to be a defenseman, it’s that much more of an incredible accomplishment. That is just what Daxon Randolph did this season for NAX. Only held off the scoresheet in two games, Randolph has been a prime example of how consistent production from the blue line can bolster a team’s attack. He enters the playoffs having scored at least one point in his last 13 games.
The area where Northern Alberta truly receives a jolt from Randolph is the power play, where he has produced 19 points (6G, 12A). He even has the mitts to show up in the shootout, where he went 1-for-2 this season.
Another fellow defenseman who piled up the points was Landon DuPont for Edge. Seeing action in 27 games, DuPont was able to score 15 goals and 47 points. He was held scoreless in the first four games against NAX before tallying a goal and an assist in their final two-game series of the season. With some added confidence, getting production from him will be vital for Edge to go toe-to-toe with some of the best of their birth year, Not to mention a possible tilt with NAX, should the chips fall that way.
Simply put, you would be hard pressed to find a better goaltender than Parker Snell this season not only in the CSSHL, but in other ‘08 youth hockey programs around the world. Across the course of 15 wins, he put together a 1.35 goals-against average, .944 save percentage and four shutouts. Numbers that were so impressive to start this season that he was put on the WHH radar quite early.
No stranger to playoff hockey, he manned the crease in two games of the Western Championships last year for Northern Alberta, going 1-1-0 with a 1.00 goals against and .963 save percentage. After getting a taste, a more seasoned and experienced Snell can be a major problem for opponents.
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The Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) will kick off its U15 playoffs this week. Many of the top ranked ‘08 Canadian teams will be in action, including No. 2 Northern Alberta Xtreme, No. 6 Calgary Edge School and No. 8 RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna.
Back on October 2nd, Northern Alberta made its way to No. 2 in the WHH Rankings; a spot they have consistently held since. Not to mention, they finished in first place following the regular season among the 17 teams in the league. The top 12 teams advanced to the playoffs, and NAX is still in a prime position to carry its success into the playoffs.
Northern Alberta finished the regular season with a 28-1-1 record, with only two teams able to end up in the win column against them. A 5-4 loss to RINK Kelowna and a 4-3 shootout loss to Edge School were the only blemishes on an otherwise stellar run of play. Statistically, Alberta finished first in most categories well above its counterparts. Following the final games of the regular season, the Xtreme led the division in wins (28), points (81), goal differential (plus-141), penalty-kill percentage (93.9), goals scored (193) and fewest goals against (52).
What will surprise most people is that NAX only had one skater among the Top 10 scorers in the league. Tucker Tullikopf registered 22 goals and 55 points to lead his squad. Other top contributors were Daxon Rudolph with 17 goals and 50 points from the blue line and Nolan Stewart (22G, 24A). The most dangerous thing that stands out about Northern Alberta is its team depth. Browsing their roster, all but one player has surpassed 10 or more points.
In net, teams will be tasked with trying to solve the dynamic tandem of Parker Snell and Taylor Raynard. Snell finished first among all goaltenders, unbeaten in 15 starts, with a 1.95 goals-against average and .944 save percentage, as well as four shutouts. Raynard finished third in the regular season with 13 wins, a 2.02 goals against and .911 save percentage, with two shutouts. NAX will be a tough out in the playoffs largely due to these two in the crease.
If Northern Alberta happens to falter at any point in its playoff run, look to one of the two teams who were able to get the best of them in the regular season. Edge School and Kelowna finished second behind NAX in the regular season, despite Alberta finishing with 20 more points in the standings.
Finishing with a 22-6-2 record, Edge has been battle tested not only within the CSSHL, but in tournament play such as the Rocky Mountain Classic. There, Edge was victorious among a field of highly competitive teams — including NAX — who was upset by the Airdrie Xtreme. One name that got constant recognition was that of Cruz Pavao, who led Edge in scoring not only at that tournament, but also in the CSSHL. He finished the season as the fifth-best scorer in the league, collecting 32 goals and 67 points. A special teams dynamo, he tallied 10 power-play points (7G, 3A) and four game-winning goals. The moment is never too big for him.
To counter NAX’s potent blue-line scoring from Rudolph, Edge can rely on Landon DuPont. DuPont scored 15 goals and 47 points across Edge School’s 30 league games. He is currently on a four-game point streak as well.
In total, Edge faced off against Alberta six times in the regular season. Edge took them to a shootout three times, winning once. Their three regulation losses came by two 5-2 scores and one 2-1 decision. They have shown they can skate with NAX, and have the confidence needed to take on a powerhouse team on the playoff stage.
The team that finished third in the regular season standings, RINK Kelowna, also has the ability to make some noise come playoff time. Ending with a 22-5-1 record for league matchups, they were led by the consistent offense from Joe Iginla and goaltending from Steele Bass.
Iginla has really come into his own this season, sitting first among teammates with 37 goals and 65 points. Bass has been a constant source of solid goaltending all season long, skating to a 2.06 goals against and .916 save percentage in 14 games, of which he won 13. If both of these players show up, Kelowna will be a tough out for any opponent.
The team has also shown they have what it takes to win consistently, as they won 16 consecutive games from Oct. 2 to Nov. 10.
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With the 15O, 16U and 18U Massachusetts-based youth hockey teams already securing their spots at USA Hockey Nationals, only the 14U division remained undecided. From March 3-5, the Boston Jr. Eagles, Neponset Valley River Rats, South Shore Kings, Assabet Valley Patriots, Valley Jr. Warriors, East Coast Militia, North Suburban Wings and Top Gun all took part in the state tournament.
Going undefeated, the 2008-born Boston Jr. Eagles earned their spot to represent their state with a thrilling overtime victory in the championship game against Neponset.
The Jr. Eagles kicked the tires off on their pool-play schedule with a big victory over Top Gun. They then went on to collect two more wins against the Jr. Warriors and Patriot Hockey to finish preliminary-round play at 3-0-0. Their incredible ability to score was on display, tallying 29 goals while just allowing two.
Early tournament success led to a semifinal matchup with South Shore. In the regular season, the two teams had previously met three times, with the Jr. Eagles winning twice. It would be a similar script once again as they downed the Kings, 3-1, to move on to the championship game.
The River Rats were waiting for the Jr. Eagles in the title match. Skating to a 3-0-0 record themselves, they outscored their opposition 14-2. The two teams only played each other once before, back in August in a 2-0 win for Neponset. In what would be a close-fought game, overtime was needed following a scoreless regulation frame. Draped by a defender, Noah Survilas skated into the zone and whipped a low shot in from the left circle, securing the victory.
U14 Elite win 1-0 in OT over the @NVRiverRats in the @Mass_Hockey State title game on a Noah Survilas snipe! #GWG #NattyBound @fedhockey pic.twitter.com/60CLKPuikw
— Boston Junior Eagles (@BostonJrEagles) March 6, 2023
They join the following teams who have also earned automatic bids to USAH Nationals:
Boston Jr. Eagles (Massachusetts)
Pittsburgh Vengeance (Mid-American)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Los Angeles Jr. Kings (Pacific)
Neponset Valley River Rats (Massachusetts)
Pittsburgh Penguins Elite (Mid-American)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Los Angeles Jr. Kings (Pacific)
Boston Little Bruins (Massachusetts)
Cleveland Barons (Mid-American)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Anaheim Jr. Ducks (Pacific)
Boston Jr. Eagles (Massachusetts)
Culver Academy (Mid-American)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Anaheim Jr. Ducks (Pacific)
The Mid-American districts – consisting of teams from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia – had bids awarded to two teams from Pittsburgh, one from Ohio and one from Indiana.
The Pittsburgh Vengeance went undefeated among fellow ‘08 squads at the Mid-American district playoffs. While they were led by prolific scorers such as Sean Miller (8A), Rhys Medved (4G, 2A) and Caden Harvey (6G), their netminders were the true stars.
Tyler O’Keefe and Giovanni Scally were virtually unbeatable across four games. Alternating time between the pipes, O’Keefe helped the team get off to a hot start in a 7-0 win against the Cleveland Barons. Over the next two games, Scally collected a shutout and O’Keefe notched his second. Setting up a championship game against fellow Steel City foe, No. 15 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite.
Pens Elite took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission before the Vengeance tallied four unanswered goals to take a 4-1 lead after the second. Drew Grasser would score in the third to cut into the lead, but it wasn’t enough to mount a full comeback attempt.
The Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 2007-born roster fared better than their ‘08 counterparts in the championship game, besting the Esmark Stars 4-0. After handling the South Hills Panthers, Ohio Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Vengeance, their final test was Esmark.
Like the Pens Elite, Esmark had skated to a 3-0-0 record in pool play. However, their skill level was no match for that of the Penguins Elite. Through their four games, the Pens Elite were led by Jacob Cloutier’s seven goals and 12 points. Holding onto a 2-0 lead in the third period, Cloutier cemented his club’s win by adding two more goals for the 4-0 lead. Jake Shingles also stopped all 18 shots he faced for the shutout.
15U are MidAm District Champions. Congratulations and good luck @usahockey Nationals! #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/WOH1U8sGMX
— Penguins Elite (@PghPensElite) March 5, 2023
The Cleveland Barons began their road to the championship game at Mid-Atlantic districts against the Esmark Stars. The Barons secured a 4-2 win, their first of four consecutive victories to win the 16U division. The Stars kept things close, erasing a 2-0 deficit with two quick goals in the third period. The Barons would regain their lead shortly after that before Troy Hunka put away any hope of a comeback with a late goal in regulation for a 4-2 lead.
After dispatching the South Hills Panthers and Ohio Blue Jackets, a rematch was in the cards against the Stars for the division championship. It would be another close battle, with both goals coming in the second period from Ryan Rucinski and Mykyta Yalovyi. With overtime underway, Dan Ramirez scored at 13:25 to put the Stars away for good. He would finish as the second leading scorer for the Barons behind Landon Watson (1G, 4A), collecting three goals and four points. Hbleb Subach did all he could for the Stars in net, turning aside 47 of 49 shots that came his way.
Culver Academy and Pittsburgh Penguins Elite have had numerous tilts this season. Entering district playoffs for the 18U division, they had played each other three previous times with Culver coming out on top each time. Those contests were close, so it was not a surprise that overtime was needed to figure out a winner for this matchup.
The story of the game was goaltending, as Culver had a 75-41 shot advantage. Eliott Pratt, goaltender for Pens Elite. Despite the loss, Pratt recorded 71 saves on 75 shots, easily the most impressive goaltending performance of the weekend. Vaughan Makar’s 38 saves in the other crease in Culver’s winning effort was also impressive. Zach Zhang recorded the heroics for Culver in the extra frame, where he netted the game-winning goal, which was also his second of the game.
USA Hockey District playoffs will continue this week. Michigan, New England, Rocky Mountain, Southeastern, Central District, New York District and Atlantic playoffs will take place this week. WHH will have continued coverage of each of the 12 USA Hockey District playoffs, as well as Nationals next month!
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