One of the more iconic youth hockey tournaments in Canada, the Marlboros Holiday Classic has a rich history of more than 30 years of champions. On Sunday, the No. 1-ranked ‘07 team in the world, Toronto Marlboros won the very event that they host annually during the holiday season.
A field of 48 teams consisted of seven of the top 10 teams in Canada, and three of the top 10 teams in the United States. Competitors were split into eight divisions of five teams and two divisions of four teams. The top team in each division advanced to the playoffs, with six more at-large bids being awarded.
The Marlies went 4-0-0 in pool play, with wins over the Kingston Jr. Gaels, Windsor Jr. Spitfires, Syracuse Nationals and Hamilton Bulldogs. That earned the host team the top seed in the playoffs. When the field was whittled down to 16 teams, eight of the 10 nationally ranked teams remained.
As the top seed, the Marlboros rolled past the Vaughan Kings 7-2 in the round of 16 teams. That set the stage for a quarterfinal matchup with No. 6-ranked York Simcoe Express. Despite being two of the top teams in the country, this meeting proved to be the first between them this season. The Marlies continued their offensive domination with a 6-1 victory.
The semifinals included the Marlies, No. 7-ranked Mississauga Rebels, No. 8-ranked Halton Hurricanes and the No. 1-ranked team in the U.S., Little Caesars.
Friday morning’s first semifinal matchup pitted the top team in Canada against the top team in the U.S., and the matchup did not disappoint.
“All the boys did their part,” Kieran Witkowski said to OntarioHockeyLeague.com. “We faced a lot of adversity through the week, but we pulled through and got the job done.”
Four goals against a team that hadn’t given up three all week certainly was enough for the Marlies to ‘get the job done.’ Witkowski and company handed Little Caesars just its third loss of the season, 4-3 to advance to the finals.
The No. 8-ranked Halton Hurricanes awaited in the championship. They had defeated American No. 2-ranked Bishop Kearney 5-1 in the quarterfinals before beating No. 7-ranked Mississauga Rebels 8-2 in the semifinals.
Jeremy Martin scored the first goal of the game for Toronto with a quick shot over the goaltender’s left shoulder.
“It felt great to get the team going,” said Martin. “I just kind of picked up the puck in the neutral zone, and at that point in the game, I just went in and shot it hoping for the best, and it went in.”
Witkowski, Lev Katzin and William Moore rounded out the scoring for Toronto en route to a 4-1 championship win.
The Marlies have now won the Whitby Silver Stick and Holiday Classic within a few weeks of each other. As the top ‘07 team in youth hockey, the Marlboros continue to build their resume and cement themselves as the best in the birth year.
The No. 5-ranked Oakville Rangers exerted their dominance on the field of 39 teams. In its eight-game run to a Marlies Holiday Classic championship, Oakville blanked not one, not two, not three but four opponents. The most important shutout coming 4-0 over the Halton Hurricanes in the championship game. As a team, they allowed just six goals against in the tournament, while tallying 38 goals.
Ranked 10th in the world, Oakville showed why it’s been one of the best 2008-born teams in youth hockey. The team enters the New Year on a 28-game win streak and a Marlies Holiday Classic championship to the resume.
Four of the top 10 teams in Canada tangled in the ‘09 Division at the Marlboros Holiday Classic. No. 2 Don Mills Flyers came in as the highest ranked of the bunch, and lived up to the billing in the two biggest games of the tournament.
Chalk would win out in the tournament, as all four ranked teams survived to see the semifinals. There, Don Mills drew a matchup with No. 4-ranked Toronto Titans. A strong defensive effort led to the Flyers’ fourth shutout of the tournament, 2-0 over the Titans.
In the championship, No. 8 Huron-Perth Lakers looked to crack DMF’s stingy defense. The Lakers found the back of the net three times, which was more than the entire field of teams had done in the tournament against Don Mills. However, the Flyers’ offensive ability created problems that Huron-Perth could not match. It would be a 6-3 final in favor of the Flyers in the ‘09 championship.
Only two 2010 teams in the field of 11 came into the Marlboros Holiday Classic ranked by World Hockey Hub. Eventual tournament champion, No. 1-ranked Toronto Jr. Canadiens, and No. 9-ranked in the U.S., Buffalo Jr. Sabres.
The Jr. Canadiens edged past Buffalo 1-0 in the first game of the tournament. Narrowly escaping victory in the only ranked matchup of the tournament gave way to Toronto cruising past its next five opponents en route to the Marlies Holiday Classic championship.
Toronto out-scored its opponents 20-6, with shut-out wins over Buffalo, the Markham Majors and Toronto Marlboros.
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Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. From the hottest rivalries to the biggest tournaments, we focus on matchups that will impact the landscape among top teams in the sport. This week’s action features plenty of international matchups from tournaments like Champions League in Florida, Marlboros Holiday Classic in Ontario and Folke Lindström Cup in Sweden.
There will be plenty of first-time meetings and intriguing matchups when play begins at the second-annual Champions League in Coral Springs, Florida, this Wednesday. Eight 2009-born teams from Europe and North America will take to the ice in the hopes of being crowned champions.
Day one will see one of the premier teams in Slovakia, HC Slovan, going up against Tappara.
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| Wednesday, December 28 @ 5:45 PM EST Panthers IceDen |
Pete’s Pick: This will pit top talent against top talent, with both programs being popular names in their respective countries. Tappara mainly has their players divided into different squads throughout group play, such as Tappara Sininen, Tappara Musta etc. Bringing the “cream of the crop” onto one team to go against the best from other European teams should be a recipe for success. I expect high offense and both goaltenders for each side to be working overtime in this one, an eventual 5-4 win for Tappara.
Craig’s Pick: I’m very curious to see how the Finns stack up in this international tournament. Last year, Kiekko went 0-6-0 as the lone representative in the event from Finland. I think Tappara — and Kiekko in its return trip to the tournament — fares better this time around. However, I like Slovan to win the matchup here in a scrappy one, 4-2.
On the second day of action, Mountfield HK will battle Kiekko-Espoo in a game that is sure to keep the scorekeepers busy. Mountfield enters competition as one of the best youth hockey teams in the Czech Republic. Countering their top-tier talent will be a roster full of the best Finland has to offer.
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| Thursday, December 29 @ 8:00 AM EST Panthers Iceden |
Pete’s Pick: Kiekko-Espoo Blues I and II hold down the top two spots in the Top 10 of ‘09 Finnish teams. Compiling a team of the best players from those two rosters, as well as No. 8 K-Espoo EPS 1, and you are bound for success. If K-Espoo brings even just half the top scorers that make up those blues teams, Mountfield is in for a long morning. With both offenses possibly canceling each other out, this one will come down to goaltending. K-Espoo wins in a high-scoring 5-4 affair.
Craig’s Pick: The Czechs typically tend to play a balanced style of hockey between skill and toughness. Kiekko-Espoo may out-skill Mountfield in this matchup, but the Czechs are just a little bit grittier here. I’ll take Mountfield in a 3-2, grind-it-out type of game.
From Dec. 27 – 29th, 2008-born teams will take part in the 2022 Folke Lindström Cup. Some of the very best the country — and birth year — has to offer will be in action, as four clubs in the Top 10 will take to the ice.
Overall, 10 teams will be split into two groups of five. Group A houses most of the premier teams like No. 5 Boo Hockey, No. 7 Djurgärdens IF, and No. 9 Mälmo Redhawks. The only ranked team in Group B is No. 6 Mäläro Hockey.
Flemingsbergs IK and Rögle BK — two bubble teams — will also be participants in group A and B, respectively. A strong performance by either could increase their chances of cracking the Top 10.
Here are a few matchups to keep an eye on this week…
Pete’s Pick: Back on Dec. 8, Boo edged out a 2-1 win over their current group opponent Djurgärdens. There is sure to be some carry over from that tilt, with the latter club wanting to get revenge for the loss. These two teams are the second game of the first day of the tournament, so early fireworks are to be expected. The winner in this one could get a nice boost in confidence for the rest of the tournament. Djurgärdens brings two of the top leading scorers in group play into the contest, Nick Travergård and Lexus Zahn. They nab a win in this one, 3-2.
Craig’s Pick: Boo has won both games against Djurgärdens this season, albeit by one goal each time. However, they outshot DIF by a noticeable margin both times and Leon Andersson backstopped them to victory in September and again two weeks ago. Djurgärdens has to go prove to me they can get pucks past Andersson. Until I see it, I’m riding with Boo by a 3-1 finish. Also, keep an eye out for forward Dante Islercelik. He’s got an assist in four of Boo’s last five games and factored in on three of the team’s five total goals against DIF this season.
Keeping things on day one of the schedule, Boo has their second game against Flemingsbergs.
Pete’s Pick: With this being both team’s second game of the day, this one will come down to whoever finds that last bit of energy in their legs. Flemingsbergs is off to a 6-0-0 start to their group, and come into the tournament feeling good about their game. Sharing a division with a split squad of Boo, there will be some familiarity between the two programs in regards to who they see on the ice. While a full squad of Boo’s top players may put up more of a fight, I expect Flemingsbergs to skate away with the victory here, 5-2.
Craig’s Pick: Yea, I like Flemingsbergs here too. They just beat Boo a week ago 6-3 in Group Play. While it was a split squad for Boo, it still featured names like Leon Andersson, Dante Islercelik, Erik Lanestrand and at least six other players that will also be skating in the Lindstrom Cup this week. Flemingsbergs for the win, but I don’t think they put up six goals a second time, 3-2 final.
For a full schedule and results of the tournament games, click HERE.
The Toronto Marlboros will be heating up the holiday season with their annual Marlboros Holiday Classic. Teams from the 2007 to 2010 birth years will be in attendance.
And with a tournament of this size, there are bound to be some exciting cross-border matchups that should keep fans on the edges of their seats.
First up from the 2007 birth year is a U16 contest between No. 8 U.S.-ranked Buffalo Jr. Sabres vs. Canadian No. 4-ranked Don Mills Flyers.
Pete’s Pick: Here’s the most interesting thing about this matchup…neither team has played an opponent on the other side of their border this season. With no previous head-to-head matchups, these two programs enter this one with some uncertainty about their foe. Things might start slow in a feeling-out process, but once the competitive juices get flowing, the fun will begin. This one could be decided by the flip of a coin, but give me Don Mills taking the win, 4-2.
Craig’s Pick: The Jr. Sabres have lost eight of their last 10, and four have been to teams ranked ahead of them in the U.S. Rankings. They desperately need to get back on track, and I think they could rack up a couple wins in the tournament. I just don’t think it happens here against DMF. I’ll take the Flyers 4-1, with a strong showing in this matchup and the tournament as a whole.
In the 2009 birth year, No. 8 Canadian-ranked Huron–Perth Lakers square up against Ottawa Myers Automotive. It will be the second time the two sides will battle, with the Lakers emerging victorious in a 3-1 game back on Nov. 27.
Pete’s Pick: I expect Ottawa to play hard in this one, as they are sitting as one of the bubble teams just outside the Top 10. Like many teams across the tournaments listed here, a strong showing could do wonders for their position moving forward not only in HEO play, but in the world rankings as well. A fact that will not be lost on these players. It will be close and hard fought, but the Lakers snag a second victory, 4-1.
Craig’s Pick: Huron-Perth has proved to be the better of the two teams for the majority of this season. They proved so back in November, and I think they do so again here. Andrew Menlove and Vaughn Barr have a combined 1.65 goals-against average this season, and gave up just one goal to Ottawa Myers last time out. That tandem should force multiple offenses to struggle this weekend, and help HP to another 3-1 win.
Stay up to date on the latest scores and information about the Marlboros Holiday Classic HERE.
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What exactly is a family advisor?
“Highly debated.”
That was Chad McDonald’s answer when he was asked to describe his role as a family advisor.
He’s right, of course. Helping a youth hockey player and their family navigate the complexities of the sport is no easy task. For less than one percent of players, it’s a straightforward path right to where they always wanted to be. For everybody else, decisions have to be made along the way. Sometimes, a player may benefit from having an expert in their corner promoting and lobbying for them.
“What’s right for one player is not right for all,” said McDonald. “One of the first things I ask parents is, ‘what are you looking for in an advisor?’ A lot of parents, I hate to say it, but they think their kid is so good that they don’t need somebody to help mentor them. That they don’t need somebody to have for education or anything like that. They believe, deep down, that they just need somebody to push their kid on and get them a spot. That’s not necessarily incorrect, but it’s not necessarily correct, either. It’s debatable and not a one-size-fits-all.”
McDonald founded the True Advising Group; an affiliate of the Puck Agency. His team has consulted with dozens of youth hockey players that have gone on to play high-level junior and college hockey.
Where the definition of an advisor matters most — the NCAA rulebook — it’s still somewhat vague. In North America, there are two main paths a hockey player can take; major junior in Canada or college hockey in the United States. With the latter, understanding what is acceptable and what is not for an agent and/or an advisor is crucial.
McDonald points to two bylaws in the NCAA rulebook that are specific to hockey, and specific to the topic at hand. Rule 12.3.1.1 is an exception for hockey and baseball. They are the two major sports that feature drafts involving student-athletes graduating from high school. They both allow for an agent to represent a player in the draft process. Rule 12.3.3.1, meanwhile, allows for a “scouting service or agent” to send information to NCAA programs to lobby for a particular player, so long as the payment between the player and agent/advisor/service has nothing to do with whether the player receives a spot at said NCAA program.
12.3.1.1 Exception — Baseball and Men’s Ice Hockey — Prior to Full-Time Collegiate Enrollment. [A] In baseball and men’s ice hockey, prior to full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual who is drafted by a professional baseball or men’s ice hockey team may be represented by an agent or attorney during contract negotiations. The individual may not receive benefits (other than representation) from the agent or attorney and must pay the going rate for the representation. If the individual does not sign a contract with the professional team, the agreement for representation with the agent or attorney must be terminated prior to full-time collegiate enrollment. (Adopted: 1/15/16, Revised: 1/19/18)
12.3.3.1 Talent Evaluation Services and Agents. [A] A prospective student-athlete may allow a scouting service or agent to distribute personal information (e.g., high school academic and athletics records, physical statistics) to member institutions without jeopardizing athletics eligibility, provided the fee paid to such an agent is not based on placing the prospective student-athlete in a collegiate institution as a recipient of institutional financial aid.
There are two other rules most important for the hockey community. First is 12.3.1.3, which states, “an individual shall be ineligible… if the individual enters into an oral or written agreement with an agent for representation in future professional sports negotiations that are to take place after the individual has completed eligibility in that sport.” The second is 12.1.3.1.4 which says that agents/advisors cannot give gifts or benefits to players. That means those advisors/agents who offer help with equipment deals to lure you in as a client are toeing a fine line, no matter how tempting it is when you see that $350 price tag on a new stick.
Those are the rules a player should follow if they wish to maintain their college hockey eligibility. From there, well, that’s where it’s up to the player and family on what they need from an advisor. Additionally, it’s what an advisor can offer in terms of helping the player both on and off the ice. For some, it can be consistent phone calls to discuss various topics relating to the player’s development and well-being. For others, it can be leveraging connections to help a player advance to higher levels of play.
For McDonald, his experience as a college and professional athlete provides valuable knowledge of the hockey landscape. Also, his law degree from Michigan State provides the education necessary to guide the next generation of youth hockey players.
“I feel like the one thing I offer up as compared to others is just my experience and understanding the landscape,” he said. “To put it lightly, a lot of the guys I’m competing with for players are either guys who coached when I was playing or guys who were advisors when I was playing, who have either helped a friend or somebody I know. I feel like I have a pretty good knowledge base of what the advisor role is and when you pair that with my education and my experience playing at a somewhat elite level, that’s where I would say I offer up things that others don’t.”
McDonald said most players who could benefit from having a family advisor will be approached. There’s no need for a Google search.
“I am of the opinion that I approach the family,” said McDonald. “If I’m interested in the kid, I’m going to find the family. I always tell kids that if you want to play, you have to make it so obvious that if an 8-year-old’s parents with no knowledge of hockey were watching the same game a USHL scout or college coach was watching, they and the scout/coach should both be able to say ‘wow, he is really good!’ That’s how obvious it should be, and if it is, then I’ll approach you.”
Another highly debated topic in the industry. Players and families continue to get approached at younger and younger ages every year.
“Prior to the USHL Draft at the 15s year — which only 150 kids either get drafted or tendered in — what can you do for a kid?,” McDonald said. “I really struggle in this business when I hear of kids who are 12 years old but have advisors, because truly, at that age, what are you advising them on?
“I’m not a parent, but I can’t imagine that my parents would have wanted somebody in my ear at that age. But, part of the issue with hockey is the journey is incredibly confusing and not like other sports. So, a lot of families who get approached with their kids at these young ages almost feel it is necessary to have an advisor because of how crazy the hockey world is. Not to mention, you also have those families who see it as a ‘status’ thing, as well.”
So, what if time comes and goes and you do not have an advisor? McDonald believes that an advisor will identifies those top players at the younger ages. Then, at 16, 17, 18 years old, it may make sense at that time to reach out to an advisor.
Born in 1993, McDonald played forward while growing up in Michigan. He estimates that during his playing days, about five percent of players had family advisors and 95 percent didn’t.
“It’s completely flip-flopped now,” he said. “I would argue that there’s 95 percent of people who have [an advisor] and five percent who don’t. My feeling on that is that it’s hard because it’s a business for some, but I think the rule of thumb for families going through the process is that you have to ask yourself, what do you want in an advisor? Are you wanting somebody who is going to help ultimately try to place you in junior hockey and make your dreams of Division 1 college hockey come true? Or are you looking for somebody for the, ‘hey I got this email, what should I do?’ Because if you’re looking for somebody to place you, you need to find somebody who likes your game and believes you have talent.
“I couldn’t imagine helping a kid who I looked at and thought, this kid has no hope in playing college hockey but I’m going to take him on as a client anyway because that’s how I do business. I think that’s completely wrong. For me, if your kid is aspiring to play college hockey, you need to wait until there’s somebody who approaches you and says, your son is good, I really like his game, I think he could do this. Even then I would be suspect, and I would ask questions.”
Families must find an advisor who is in it for the right reasons. However, avoiding the ones looking for a paycheck off an unsuspecting family is no easy task.
“The one thing I would like to clear up is that not all advisors are the same,” he said. “I think there are advisors out there who truthfully do this because they love the game and they want to be involved. And, I truthfully think there are advisors out there who do it because they don’t have any means to make money anywhere else or they just choose not to and this is how they want to make their living. Not saying either is right or wrong, but you have to sort through that. That’s on the parent. Do your homework. You don’t just pick up the phone and take the first offer when somebody calls you for something unrelated to hockey. So why do that if an advisor calls? Do your due diligence.”
Remember, scouts are watching and evaluating parents throughout the process too. McDonald breaks it down into typically four different relationships. First, with the player. Then, with the program the player lands at. And also, both parents involved in the process.
“Parents can ruin things, one hundred percent,” said McDonald. “When you’re helping young hockey players, there are multiple parties [involved]… One of my biggest struggles is when I meet a family and get the vibe that the parents want it more than their kids. So, yes, parents, you can ruin it for your kid. You can. Don’t ruin it for your kid. Let them live their dream, and you support them. This can’t be your dream.”
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Youth hockey schedules have been jam packed with teams getting as many games in as they can before halting for holiday breaks. Three clubs in particular took advantage of a heavy slate of games to pick up some big victories. The recent runs earned them spots as new No. 1 teams in their respective countries.
No. 1 Dynamo Moscow (12-4-0) showed up in a big way in a resounding 10-1 win over previous No. 1 in Russia Vityaz Podolsk. Ivan Ryabkin, one of Dynamo’s leading scorers, led the charge with four goals and one assist. With the match being Vityaz’s second loss on the season overall, it just shows how perfect of a game their ’07 opponents must play to best them. Dynamo proved it was more than up to the challenge.
The Toronto Jr. Canadiens (31-7-1) put up a strong defensive effort in a 3-0 shutout of the No. 2 Don Mills Flyers. The win effectively vaulted The Jr. Canadiens into the top spot among 2009-born Canadian teams. Winners of their last four, the Jr. Canadiens will need to continue to pile up wins against premier teams to continue to hold their new position.
2010-born U.S. programs also have a new leader of the Top 10, with the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers (37-4-3). It has been a spot the No. 2 Minuteman Flames have held since rankings for this season began, but it was time the Jr. Flyers got their due. Solid wins amongst fellow Top-10 teams such as the No. 9 Buffalo Jr. Sabres and No. 8 Chicago Reapers gave them the boost they needed to finally leapfrog into the first overall spot.
When the Bishop Kearney Selects (24-13-2) faced off with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres on Dec. 10, the latter was in a firm position in the No. 10 spot among 2006 U.S. teams. The Selects were on the outside looking in, not having been in the Top 10 since Oct. 26th.
However, a two-game series was a huge opportunity for BK to make some noise, and they passed with flying colors. By beating the Jr. Sabres in both games, 4-1 and 3-2, Selects edged their way into the top tier of clubs amongst their birth year.
Some other teams that were able to get into the Top 10 conversation were ‘07 Lokomotiv 2004 Yaroslavl, ‘08 Seacoast Performance Academy, and ‘09 Little Caesars.
2011-born Little Caesars (29-9-3) used a solid stretch of results against both U.S. and Canadian teams. In doing so, they’ve stated their case to be included in the best of the best. But Caesars’ most impressive feat was splitting two games to the No. 1 team of their birth year, the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Their other victories also included topping the Don Mills Flyers, Toronto Red Wings, and Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Not to mention a tie with the No. 13 Chicago Reapers.
‘11 SKA Strelna’s (18-8-1) recent results propelled them into the No. 9 spot among Russian teams. It was a valiant effort in a 2-1 shootout loss to No. 2 Dynamo St. Petersburg, as well as a dominant 8-0 victory over the SKA Silver Lions. While the result against St. Petersburg didn’t fall Strelna’s way, taking a top team to a shootout is certainly noteworthy.
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, 200, 2010 and 2011 birth years.
As a youth hockey player, there are few moments with the game that are more enjoyable than shinny with neighborhood kids. Outside in the elements, just skates and sticks in weather so cold you can see your breath. Sporting winter gloves inside your hockey gloves to keep your fingers from going numb. Picking teams by blindly separating a pile of random sticks into two piles of random sticks. Skating until the sun goes down, before getting your dad’s construction lamp out of the garage to illuminate the ice for a few more minutes before dinner.
The sound the ice makes as a skate carves into it just hits different when you’re outdoors.
Some people enjoy such moments on a frozen lake or pond. While it can be ideal, you are usually at the mercy of Mother Nature. Victim to soft spots, rough patches and other natural occurrences. Others get by with makeshift, home-made rinks pieced together with plywood and two-by-fours. Each piece typically fits together with the next one in a very specific sequence, of which is forgotten year over year.
Why not spare yourself the time, frustration and uncertainty? Enjoy the game the way it was meant to be played every winter with EZ Ice Rinks.
Aptly nicknamed ‘the 60-minute backyard rink’ because it can be assembled on any surface, with no tools, no hammering stakes and no frustration. EZ Ice Rinks starts out as small as 10 feet by 10 feet in dimension. From there, it can be expanded as big as a full-sized NHL sheet of ice. Kits are customizable in size, and can be upgraded with ease.
From personal use in the backyard, to community recreation centers, EZ Ice Rinks are great for any use. They can be set up in the backyard, on patios, parking lots or tennis courts. Work on your personal game, get some extra shots on the net, skating and small-area stickhandling with an intimate setup at the house. Provide a service to the entire neighborhood or local community with a large skating rink equipped with full-size boards, netting and foam safety pads.
10% off your next EZ Ice Rink order
With 10-foot by 10-foot rinks starting out at $1,480.00 USD, EZ Ice Rink boards are made out of the same plastic as NHL sideboards. They come in three different heights: classic is perfect for shinny, double height provides a little extra and arena height offers game-like realism. All of them are able to withstand slapshots in excess of 100 miles per hour. There’s an option for behind-the-goal style netting to keep stray pucks from ending up in the neighbor’s yard. Plus, rounded corner options and foam bumpers for extra safety.
‘That’s a lot of money!’
Is it? After the cost of lumber and what you’d spend in 2-by-4s and plywood, not to mention the time investment. You get what you pay for with EZ Ice Rink; something durable, long-lasting and easy to set up as well as maintain.
While studying mechanical engineering at Yale University, CEO and inventor Dylan Gastel launched EZ Ice Rink in 2016. Now, a team of 20-plus employees sells EZ Ice Rinks out of their offices in Newton, Massachusetts, USA.
“Truly, my best childhood memories are skating with my [siblings] and my teammates in my backyard,” said Gastel.
His goal is to help grow the game of ice hockey, so that others can fall in love with the sport as he did. Growing up in Rhode Island, he’s had a passion for the game since he started skating at three years old. Now, he’s managed to share that passion with the hockey community by developing an outdoor rink that can be assembled by anyone, in any backyard, all across North America.
“I wake up every single day knowing that I’m getting kids off a device and onto the ice,” said Gastel.
Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. From the hottest rivalries to the biggest tournaments, we focus on matchups that will impact the landscape among top teams in the sport.
The world-ranked No. 21 Dallas Stars Elite (19-6-1) will aim for a big victory when they face off against No. 20 Buffalo Jr. Sabres (21-13-1) on Friday.
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| Friday, December 16 @ 11:15 AM MST Ice Den Scottsdale |
After dropping two games to the No. 22 Bishop Kearney Selects their last time out, the Jr. Sabres know that this matchup will be a crucial one to gain confidence back in themselves. Not only that, with the Stars breathing down their necks among the top teams in the U.S., their current spot in the rankings may not be safe.
The toughest task will be trying to contain Cullen Potter, who has been a revelation for Dallas. The 5-foot-8 native of Melville, New York, more than makes up for a lack of size in his sheer ability to put up the points. Notching 19 goals and 21 assists on the season, Potter’s two-way ability to play both forward and defense has been one of the main reasons for his team’s success.
And we mention Potter’s size because, on paper, both of these clubs are not that different in that regard. The Jr. Sabres averages measure up to 5-foot-10, 162 lbs. Compare that to the 5-foot-10, 150 lbs. averages of the Stars. It leads one to believe that speed more than physicality will be a showcase in this tilt.
Pete’s Pick: These two have yet to play each other this season, and while Buffalo has a slightly better record, I think they are quite even. What it is going to come down to is how well the Jr. Sabres can slow down Potter and the rest of a potent Stars attack. It’s going to be close, but Dallas edges out a 4-3 win.
Craig’s Pick: I actually think the Jr. Sabres are the better team, but I’m going with my heart and not my head with this pick. I’ve seen Potter in action off and on since he was playing 12U spring hockey. He’s the real deal and one of the top forwards in the country amongst ‘06s. A win here for Potter, Jackson Crowder, Landon Hafele and company could have significant implications in the world rankings ahead. Stars Elite win a close one, 3-2.
Back on Nov 26, the No. 25 Mississauga Rebels (16-5-6) fell to the No. 1 Toronto Marlboros (28-9-0), 4-2. A sign that Mississauga has the talent to hang with the top dogs of their 2007-birth year. In the first meeting of the two programs this season on Oct. 24, the Rebels played their opponent close despite in an eventual 2-1 victory.
The two teams will drop the puck again on Saturday.
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| Saturday, December 17 @ 3:25 PM ET Westwood Arenas |
Despite holding onto the top spot in the World Rankings, the Marlboros have had a few bumps in their road recently. They uncharacteristically dropped two straight games to the No. 21 Mississauga Senators and Vaughan Kings on Dec. 1 and 2. Not dwelling on those, they have rebounded with wins over the Toronto Titans and North York Rangers.
The Rebels are feeling good about their game recently, unbeaten in four meetings since the 4-2 loss to Toronto. Despite the Marlboros’ incredible ability for scoring, Mississauga has shown they are not daunted by the task of trying to shut down a formidable offense.
Pete’s Pick: I think the consecutive losses were a blip on the radar for the Marlboros. Mississauga will play them tough and give them all they can handle, but Toronto will slip by with a 4-2 win.
Craig’s Pick: Ugh, this would be so much easier if the Marlboros were playing their best hockey. The slump scares me, and even their last two wins weren’t exactly dominating against unranked opponents. Rebels have beaten them before, and may just capitalize on the struggling Marlies. Mississauga wins 3-1.
With the next stage of group play getting underway for 2008-born Swedish clubs, No. 14 Södertälje SK (11-4-3) and AIK Hockey (12-7-0) both look for better on-ice results.
Tuesday’s contest between the two will be a crucial point in getting things back on track. Södertälje currently sits with a 2-2-0 record compared to that of AIK’s 1-1-0 mark.
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| Tuesday, December 13 @ 7:50 PM CET BST-rinken |
While AIK had the weekend off, Södertälje was busy besting Järna SK, 3-2. The very same Järna squad that defeated AIK 4-3 back on Dec. 7.
Christian Furuvik has been an early bright spot for SSK. He leads the team in points thus far with two goals and one assist. For AIK, their offensive leader has been Filip Nyberg’s one goal and two assists. While it is still very early, it will be worth keeping an eye on these players both in terms of leading their respective squads but also in relation to all players in the group as well.
Pete’s Pick: This will come down to whomever’s secondary scoring shows up best. With both sides led by dynamic offensive players, the supporting casts will come under even more scrutiny. With that being said, Södertälje has had a slightly more difficult schedule and has a win against one of the best teams of their birth year vs. No. 8 Nacka HK. It will be them taking the win here in a tight game.
Craig’s Pick: We got caught sleeping on Södertälje earlier this season. They were unranked and off the radar before shocking the world by winning a championship at the Folke Filbyter. I won’t bet against them again. SSK wins handedly, 4-1.
No. 2-ranked CSKA Moscow (25-7-2) will meet No. 7 Atlant Mytishchi (15-6-0) for the third time this season. The two teams have split the previous two meetings. CSKA was victorious, 2-0, in the first meeting back in September. Atlant won the most recent meeting on Nov. 15, shocking its fellow 2009-born youth hockey teams with a sound 6-2 win
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| Sunday, December 18 |
The loss to Atlant was in the middle of an unusual stretch of four consecutive losses for CSKA. Given their track record of success this season, any loss stands out. But string a few together, and eyebrows begin to raise.
It seems CSKA had squashed any doubt of their reputation as one of the country’s best, with a shutout victory over No. 4 Spartak Moscow. However, they lost the following matchup vs. Dynamo Moscow, 6-5. Atlant knows their opponent is still dangerous,despite possibly having put a seed of doubt in CSKA’s minds. But sometimes that’s all it takes.
Reliance on players like Nazar Privalov and his 17 goals and 34 points will be paramount for CSKA’s success. Closely behind him will be the dynamic duo of Artem Katsuro (14G, 18A) and Artem Mishin (13G, 19A). Atlant will be focused on more heroics from leading scorer Artemy Laskavy, who has tallied 25 goals and 52 points on the year, including two goals in their 6-2 win.
Pete’s Pick: I firmly believe that CSKA’s rough patch is past them, and they are back on track in being able to handle the teams they should beat. CSKA will use what they learned about themselves during that losing streak to fix what was going wrong for them. They win 5-4.
Craig’s Pick: Neither Privalov, Katsuro or Mishin played for CSKA in its previous 6-2 loss to Atlant. I’m not really sure why, but missing your top three leading scorers could certainly explain the unusual outcome. Assuming CSKA is at full strength with all of its top guys on Sunday, I think they will dominate. Give me the Red Army to win big, 6-2.
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This weekend, the Vaughan Kings will play host to a variety of Canadian youth hockey teams at the 7th Annual Vaughan Kings Classic. In total, more than 70 programs from the U18 and 2008 through 2013 birth years will be in attendance. Action will commence Thursday night with 19 games across all divisions.
Given the sheer talent across the board, we are going to focus on the two divisions of U15 teams, which contains three clubs in the 2008-born World Hockey Rankings. Making up Division A of this group are the host team No. 1 Vaughan Kings, the Barrie Colts, Markham Majors, Mississauga Senators, Peterborough Petes and Soo Jr. Greyhounds.
Division B will feature the No. 4 Elgin-Middlesex Canucks and No. 11 York Simcoe Express, as well as Greater Kingston Jr. Gaels, North York Rangers, Quinte Red Devils and Toronto Red Wings.
The Kings are the only world-ranked team in Division A. In the four games they have played already this season vs. Division opponents, they are 3-0-1, with a 1-1 tie coming against Barrie. They have yet to play the Jr. Greyhounds or Petes this year. After winning the U14 group last year, they will be out looking for a repeat performance.
In Division B, the Canucks have not faced any of the clubs in their division.York Simcoe, on the other hand, has split two games against the Gaels and edged out the Devils, 3-2 back on Nov. 27.
Proceedings should be high-level and emotional, as both divisions have their equal share of repeat matchups and first-time meetings. Where things can get interesting is if the Kings, Canucks or Express meet in the group final, as neither have played the other this season.
What the Kings do have, however, is tournament experience. They bested some of the premier ‘08 teams from the U.S. en route to the championship at the Little Caesars Invitational back in October.
Group Favorite: Given the lack of firepower of the clubs surrounding them, Vaughan should come out of Division A with relative ease. Division B is more tricky, but in the end York Simcoe comes through. While EMC has the slightly better record, Simcoe’s familiarity with some opponents in the division will prove to be crucial. In the championship game, it’s battle-tested Vaughan for the win.
Division A has only one ranked team amongst the group, the Toronto Marlboros, ranked No. 10 among 2009-born Canadian teams. Also here are the Markham Majors, Mississauga Rebels, Nickel City Sons and Whitby Wildcats.
Division B is comprised of the Vaughan Kings and York Simcoe Express, both sitting just outside of the Top 10. Joining them are the North Bay Trappers, Peterborough Petes and Waterloo Wolves. Vaughan went undefeated to win the group last year, so they won’t make it easy.
Group Favorite: The Marlboros have two sound victories against the Rebels this season, outscoring them 11-3. They also have one against Markham, 3-1, so there should be no issues in them getting out of their Division. Vaughn or York Simcoe could come out of Division B, which should be much closer. In the end, the Marlboros take the crown.
Expect No. 11 Vaughan Kings and Peterborough Petes, the No. 10-ranked team in Canada, to duke it out in Division A among 2010-born teams. The rest of the Division is home to the Kitchener Jr. Rangers, North York Rangers and Ottawa Myers Automotive. With all three on the cusp of cracking the world rankings, they view any success here as a boost to their resume. Plus, the Rangers won the group going 6-0-0 a year ago. As a result, it will be no cake walk for the Kings or Petes to come out of the Division.
Division B includes two other fringe teams, the Toronto Titans and Whitby Wildcats. Joining them are the Eastern Ontario Wild, Nickel City Sons and Toronto Red Wings.
Group Favorite: While it will be a dogfight to get out of Division A, expect Vaughan to edge out there. Division B is much more interesting, as the Wildcats can put up a fight as well as anyone. Not to mention, the Titans tied the Vaughan Kings 1–1 back on Nov. 28. It’s a Vaugh/Titans matchup in the final with the Kings sliding by for the win.
This group is the biggest one heading into the tournament, and as a result has 16 teams split into four divisions.
No. 13 Vaughan Kings are the lone ranked team in Division A, joined by the Hamilton Huskies, Markham Waxers and Ottawa Valley Titans. Standing out in Division B is the No. 4 Toronto Jr. Canadiens and Don Mills Flyers. Rounding out this batch is the Ajax-Pickering Raiders and Eastern Ontario Wild.
The Peterborough Petes and Toronto Marlboros look to separate themselves from the rest in Division C and try to hold off the Nickel City Sons and Little Caesars — the lone U.S. team in any division. Division D currently has one club, the Toronto Red Wings, on the outside looking in of the world rankings. Trying to increase that gap will be the Mississauga Reps, Ottawa Jr. 67’s and Soo Jr. Greyhounds.
Group Favorite: Vaughn and the Jr. Canadiens get through their divisions with little issue. Little Caesars has defeated both the Petes and Marlboros in cross-border matchups already this season, so expect them to come out of Division C. The Red Wings have won and tied the Reps, and soundly bested the Jr. Greyhounds, 6-1. In addition, they have put up admirable fights against the Jr. Canadiens, splitting two games with them and tying a third. They are the ones victorious in Division D. When it is all said and done, however, the one team that will be left standing from this birth year will be the Jr. Canadiens.
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People should get used to seeing Compuware amongst the best the U.S. has to offer in youth hockey. With a solid showing since our last rankings release, the 2006 and 2007-born squads for the Plymouth, Michigan program have both entered the chat for the World Rankings.
Ranked No. 16 in the world among ‘06 teams, Compuware (20-7-2) is on a five-game winning streak dating back to Nov. 20. Most notably included in this stretch were two key victories over No. 10 Chicago Mission and No. 19 Windy City Storm.
John Delverne led the way for Compuware, tallying a goal and two assists in regulation. His second assist would be on the game-tying goal by Cameron Springer halfway through the third period. After a scoreless overtime, the stage was set for Luke Osburn, who netted the only goal in the shootout to cement the win.
On a seven-game win streak of their own, the No.10 U.S.-ranked ‘07 Compuware team (20-12-0) outscored the Cleveland Barons, Belle Tire and Fox Motors 13-2. With a focus on offense for both birth years, the ‘06 unit has a plus-65 goal differential compared to the plus-45 differential for the ‘07 squad.
KalPa Keltainen bested KalPa Musta (16-4-2) 8-0 back on Oct. 27. For the top two teams of their group among 2008-born Finnish clubs, most were expecting a more even matchup.
On Nov. 24, the two sides met for a rematch that would see Musta avenging that October defeat with a 6-3 win. They have also used that previous loss as a stepping stone for their current nine-game winning streak. That streak, coupled with the victory over Keltainen, slotted them back into the Top 10 in Finland.
Even more impressive was the defensive effort by Musta to keep the top three scorers of the group — all from Keltainen — from doing major damage on the scoresheet. Holding the top offensive players from nine teams to just four points (1G, 3A) is a solid day’s work.
It will be a dogfight to finish atop the group as the season rolls along, and we are more than curious to see how things shake out when the dust settles.
With a stellar record of 7-1-0 over their last eight games, the ‘09 Huron-Perth Lakers (25-6-1) have made enough noise to place them back into the Top 10 among Canadian teams at No. 9. Overcoming opponents such as the No. 10 Toronto Marlboros, Ottawa Myers Automotive and Oakville Rangers, their lone blemish was a 2-0 loss to No. 1 Don Mills Flyers.
Heading into that eventual loss, the Lakers were unbeaten in their last eight contests. Rebounding quite nicely, they have gotten back in the win column with defeats of the Kitchener Jr. Rangers and Hamilton Huskies.
Shifting focus to Quebec, No. 14 As de Quèbec (19-3-2) is a fresh face not only in the Canadian rankings, but the world rankings as well. With an incredible 15-game winning streak ended on Nov. 27, they will look to get back on track against Blizzard AAA on Dec. 10.
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, 200, 2010 and 2011 birth years.
The Russian Federal District Championships concluded over the weekend. The annual tournament features all-star teams from seven of the country’s districts (Central, Far Eastern, Northwestern, Privolzhsky, Ural, Siberia, Southern), its two major cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg) and an honorary member from Belarus. Separate tournaments are held at the U14, U15 and U16 age groups.
The tournament is similar in structure to that of TV-Pucken in Sweden or the Youth Olympic Games in Canada. It has a Little League World Series feel to it as teams represent the various regions of the country. Top youth hockey players from several winter clubs are selected in an all-star team type of way. For instance, players from Dynamo Moscow and CSKA Moscow clash repeatedly throughout the winter season. However, for a 10-day stretch each November, they set their rivalries aside to represent Moscow on the national stage. Similar situations occur in St. Petersburg and throughout the other districts in the tournament field.
In the previous two ‘07 Federal District Championships, Moscow came up just short both times at the hands of St. Petersburg. In 2020, Moscow’s lone loss in the U14 tournament was a 5-3 decision to eventual champion St. Petersburg. Again in 2021, the two clashed on the final day of the U15 tournament, and again St. Petersburg was victorious 7-4.
In the 2007 birth year’s third and final Federal District Championship tournament, Moscow finally broke through. Not only did they knock off St. Petersburg 4-3 in the semifinal, they won big over the Central District to win tournament gold.
After losing on the opening day of the tournament to Siberian District, Moscow went on to win its next six games by an average margin of victory of 4.6 goals. Ivan Ryabkin and Ivan Arkhipov led the way offensively for Moscow. Both have been standout forwards this season for the No. 2-ranked team in the world, Dynamo Moscow. Ryabkin has 22 points in 11 games and Arkhipov has 18 points in 15 games.
At the tournament, they continued that success. Ryabkin recorded at least one point in every game of the tournament. Additionally, Arkhipov posted multi-point games against Belarus, Northwestern and Central.
While it was the first time Moscow won the 2007-born Federal District Championship, the district had won the U16 tournament twice in the past four years. The ‘06s won it last year, and the ‘03s won in 2018.
While heavy hitters like Ryabkin and Arkhipov helped get Moscow to the final four, it was depth players that ultimately exorcized their tournament demons.
Mikhail Melikov put Moscow on the board first with a strong move to the net and a follow-up attempt on his own rebound. After back-to-back goals by St. Petersburg gave them the lead, it was Nikita Esipov who tied it back up at 2-2.
Before the end of the second period, though, St. Petersburg would regain the lead for the second time.
With 11:43 left in regulation, Ryabkin won an offensive-zone face-off cleanly back to Roman Rizvanov. Rizvanov — who had several scoring chances throughout the game — quickly corralled the puck and fired it into the net before goaltender Victor Levchenko could react.The game headed into the late stages tied at 3-3.
Just over a minute later, Esipov carried into the zone, cut into the slot and sent a backhand shot over Levchenko’s shoulder to give Moscow the 4-3 lead. Esipov only had one goal in pool play, yet came up with two huge tallies when Moscow needed it most. They would hold onto that lead down the stretch to ultimately eliminate St. Petersburg and advance to the championship.
A district that includes the country’s capital city of Moscow does not actually pull players from the city limits itself. Moscow — and St. Petersburg, for that matter — fields its own team in the tournament. So, the Central District pulls the majority of its players from surrounding programs like Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (10), Vityaz Podolsk (eight) and Mikhailov Academy (five). All three of those programs are ranked among the top 10 teams in Russia. Players like Victor Fedorov, Matvey Kotkov and Nikita Daryavin showed just why their winter season clubs are ranked so highly.
The Central District went 5-1-0 in group play, with the lone loss coming 3-1 against Moscow in the second game of action. Finishing atop Group B, Central earned a first-round bye and top seed in the elimination rounds, along with the Ural Federal District on the other side of the bracket.
In the quarterfinals, Central put a hurting on the Southern District 10-4, scoring three unanswered goals three different times. The semifinals followed a similar pattern, as Central thumped St. Petersburg 9-2, with seven different players recording a goal.
Chalk eventually won out in the bracket, as the top team in Group A, Ural, moved on to meet the top team in Group B, Central. However, in a matchup of best on best, Central still proved to be dominant with an 8-3 win in the final.
Fedorov finished as the leading scorer for Central with five goals and 12 points. However, SKA-Yunost Yekaterinburg forward Alexey Vlasov led all skaters in the tournament with 14 points while representing the Ural District. Vlasov opened up the tournament with a five-point performance against the Southern District. He quickly added a hat trick in a win over Far-Eastern District the next day. Then, Vlasov closed out the tournament with five points in Ural’s last two games against Belarus and Privolzhsky District.
While he may have trailed Vlasov in points, Fedorov did prove to be the only skater to tally a point in every game. He factored in on 35 percent of the team’s offensive in the tournament.
Ural District’s Nikita Fedotov led all defensemen in points with seven. All of those came in the form of assists, as he distributed the puck well to produce offense. In fact, Fedotov tallied three assists in Ural’s 4-3 win over Privolzhsky District, setting up the game-tying goal and game-winning goal 10 minutes apart.
Moscow’s Vladimir Selivanov and Central’s Dmitry Borichev had matching 1.54 goals-against averages. Selivanov has played 15 games this season for world-ranked No. 16 Dynamo Moscow; they are 8-7-1 overall. Borichev backed Central in all five of the seven tournament games. He’s allowed a total of 18 goals in 10 games this season between the Federal District Championships and his regular-season action with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
The Moscow District, while one of the most dominant hockey regions in the country, had not won a Federal District Championship at the U14 age level since 2018 when the ‘05s won. Undefeated throughout the entire tournament, Moscow District out-scored its opponents 49-6 in group play. Moscow produced seven of the top 10 scorers in the tournament. Nazar Privalov and Dmitry Savin led the way with 13 and 12 points apiece. They were bested only by Sergei Skvortsov of the Privolzhsky District, who produced 14 points.
Moscow’s depth was on full display, with Artem Mishin, Bogdan Vasilevsky and Daniil Ermolov helped propel Moscow to dominant wins over the Southern District, Ural District and Far-Eastern District. Moscow, along with the Central District, finished as the top two seeds for the playoffs after pool play.
Once there, Moscow continued its dominance with a 10-1 win over Siberia in the quarterfinals. In the final four, Moscow faced the Ural District — a team it had beaten 8-1 five days earlier. Victorious in the rematch, it set the stage for a championship game of best on best, as the top team from Group A finally clashed with the top team from Group B. Moscow capped off its impressive performance with its eighth victory of the week over Central District, and most importantly, a Russian national championship.
Daniil Martynov — who plays for world-ranked No. 3 CSKA Moscow during the regular season — earned best goaltender of the tournament. His CSKA teammate Nazar Privalov was named top forward of the tournament after scoring five goals and 13 points. Artem Mate was awarded top defenseman honors and will return to action for No. 4-ranked Spartak Moscow this weekend.
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When looking across the premier youth hockey teams in the United States, two names that pop up frequently are Shattuck-St. Mary’s and Chicago Mission. Two storied clubs who have already met at the ‘07 and ‘08 age groups will finally collide at the ‘06 level this weekend.
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| Saturday, December 10 @ 2:00 PM ET |
For No. 1 SSM (31-1-1), this season has gone just about as well as one could hope thus far. There are just two blemishes among their incredible record, a 6-5 overtime loss to the No. 10 Dallas Stars Elite on Oct. 8 and a 3-3 tie with the Boston Jr. Eagles on Oct. 22. Since the tie, they have rattled off 13 consecutive victories.
However, throughout all their games, they have yet to play the No. 10 Mission. Making up for lost time, the two will stand against each other on the ice with a two-game series beginning Saturday.
Shattuck has numerous players throughout their lineup with impressive stat lines, including six goals and 30 points from Brandt Harpe alone. But the team’s best strength is between the pipes, led by goaltenders Jack Hirshorn and Harry Boettinger.
Between the two of them, the duo has only let in 60 goals across all contests. Statistically, you’d be hard pressed to find a better tandem in youth hockey. Hirshorn has collected a 1.79 goals-against average, .907 save percentage and four shutouts. Additionally, Boettinger has amassed a 1.98 goals against, .918 save percentage and two shutouts.
The biggest challenge for Chicago (18-6-4) will be trying to solve these two goaltenders as they will likely be seeing both in the two-game set. One thing Mission has done well up to this point in the season is score, recording a plus-52 goal differential. If there is one club who can solve SSM’s goalies, it’s them.
Chicago hopes these two games can be a jumping off point for a strong month of December. It was an up-and-down November for them, as they went 2-2-1.
Pete’s Pick: SSM is one of the strongest ‘06 teams in the world, and they have done most of the talking with their on-ice results. I expect Chicago to put up a fight, but the depth and goaltending of Shattuck is just too much to overcome in two games. Shattuck takes two very close games.
Craig’s Pick: Shattuck and Mission have nine shared opponents this season. In those games, Mission has an average goal differential of plus-2.16 whereas Shattuck has a plus-4.9 goals per game. The transitive property isn’t always a perfect predictor tool, but in this case, I think Shattuck is way too much for Mission to handle. Clean sweep for SSM with a pair of decisive wins.
Back on Nov. 21, the No. 18 Mississauga Senators (18-15-2) shut out the No. 20 Don Mills Flyers (18-10-1), 6-0. It was the first matchup of the season between the two, and served as an eye-opener for the Flyers.
Now, just a few weeks later, they will have the opportunity to return the favor when these two clubs square off on Tuesday.
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| Tuesday, December 6 @ 8:25 PM ET Victoria Village Arena |
The Senators are coming off a 4-1 win over the No. 9 U.S.-ranked Pittsburgh Penguins Elite. Don Mills was also victorious in their last time out; a 4-3 win against the Toronto Nationals. With these programs close together in the Top 10 for Canada, this tilt could play a role in rankings implications. As a result, both teams should expect to receive a less than warm reception from the other, which could lead to some great action on the ice.
Pete’s Pick: I’m tempted to go Don Mills here, but Mississauga beat them soundly last time they met. I could see them putting up more of a fight here with one game’s experience under their belt, but Mississauga wins this one, 5-2.
Craig’s Pick: These two teams are much more evenly matched than Game 1’s first result of 6-0 would suggest. Nine of Don Mills’ losses have come at the hands of just six teams. Of those six opponents, DMF has turned around to beat three of them. It’s bold, but I’ll take a shot on the Flyers to make it four with a win over the Sens.
No. 3 Tappara Sininen (15-2-4) and No. 6 Pelicans Turkoosi (11-8-2) will face off for the third time this season on Sunday. And if the first two games are any indication, this one will boil down to whoever gets the favorable bounces.
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| Sunday, December 11 |
Tappara is one of the hottest teams in Finland. Unbeaten in their last 11, they have had solid wins against other Top 10 teams in their group such as No. 4 JYP and No. 7 Tappara Musta. Not to be outdone, the Pelicans too have wins over JYP and Tappara Musta, but also defeated Sininen in their first outing back on Oct. 8.
In the second matchup, both sides played to a 2-2 tie.
Tappara brings in three of the top 10 scorers of their group into the contest. Jonatan Seppälä (20G, 15A), Eemil Mattanen (11G, 14A), and Viljam Kivimäki’s eight goals and 24 points lead the way.
Behailu Pussinen’s seven goals and 15 points is the most for the Pelicans, with Romeo Mikkonen (7G, 7A) and Joakim Koivunen (6G, 7A) close behind.
Pete’s Pick: The season series has been very close, and this game could go in favor of either opponent. That being said, I like Tappara’s offense slightly better in this one and feel that could be the factor that boosts them to a victory, 3-2.
Craig’s Pick: What’s weird about their first two matchups, is that the leading scorers from both teams were only mildly effective. A secondary assist from Romeo Mikkonen on one end; a power-play assist from Eemil Mattanen on the other. If one of the big dogs doesn’t step up and dominate this matchup, then the scales tip in favor of whoever has better depth. That, to me, is Tappara Sininen in another low-scoring contest.
The Top 10 among 2008-born Russia has a cluster of teams jockeying for position. No. 5 CSKA Moscow (17-6-2) and No. 7 Vityaz Podolsk (17-5-0) are right in the thick of things, with a big matchup scheduled for Saturday.
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| Saturday, December 11 |
Back on Sept. 22, CSKA defeated Vityaz, 4-1, helped largely by a goal and assist from Igor Poss. Nikita Gromakov has totaled 16 goals and 20 points on the season, trailed by Poss (8G, 8A) and Nikita Ovcharov (9G, 10A) for the team lead.
Vityaz will aim to counterpunch their attack with the trio of Gleb Pugachev, Maxim Seldemirov, and Makar Dudar. Pugachev’s 15 goals and 33 points sit atop the club. Seldemirov’s 13 goals and 30 points and Dudar’s nine goals and 26 points round out the top three.
CSKA got back in the win column last weekend after four consecutive losses with a 5-0 victory over Khimik. Vityaz was shut out by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, 4-0.
Stemming from this game, there should be some clarity into the middle of the field for Russian ‘08s, which could lead to some movement in the overall rankings.
Pete’s Pick: CSKA seems to have gotten through a rare rough patch and is back to their winning ways. Some adversity is never a bad thing, and they clearly learned to clean up a few things as a result. They win 5-1.
Craig’s Pick: This is a weird one because most of the country took a one-month hiatus for Federal District Championships. So it really comes down to who can get back into a rhythm the quickest after the extended break. I’ll go with Vityaz here, but I don’t like it due to the coin-flip nature of the matchup already and so much uncertainty after the long layover.
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