CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Championship Sunday: The two best words for youth and adult teams competing at the 2025 USA Hockey Sled National Championships.
The game of the early morning on May 4 at Panthers IceDen was the Wings of Steel’s 4-3 Youth Tier 4 National Championship win against the Vegas Golden Chariots. After a scoreless overtime, Zach Oxenham found the back of the net to give his New Jersey-based team a 1-0 shootout win.
“It was stressful,” Oxenham said of the shootout. “I just picked a side, the right one, because that’s been working for me. Glad I found the back of the net.”
No one found the back of the net against Logan Ashby late. The Wings of Steel netminder made some tough saves late in regulation and in overtime to keep the score knotted at three.
His teammate, Antonio Gonzales, said Ashby is amazing.
“That’s kind of what he does,” said Gonzales, who scored two goals in the title game. “He blocks every shot.”
Ashby called the game a tough one and credited his defense for saving the day.
“Our practice paid off,” said Ashby, who made all three saves in the shootout. “Our defense really stepped it up and kept things close to the vest. I told the boys where to go, and that really helped.”
Lori Kile, co-coach for the Wings of Steel, dedicated this season to her father, Tom Brake, who passed away last November. Brake was the founder of the team.
“This game was the icing on the cake,” Kile said. “We are so excited to see the kids play. This was an awesome day.”
In the other early morning game, the Columbus Blades faced off against the Indy Steel for the Youth Tier 3 championship.
Mason Kubin’s goal at the 8:44 mark of the third period held up for the Blades in their 1-0 win over the Steel.
And in the finale, the Minnesota Wild Youth Sled Hockey team went up against the Wisconsin Skeeters in the Youth Tier 2 division.
Logan Pieper scored twice before Logan Hovanetz capped a 3-0 run for the Wild in their 3-1 win over the Skeeters.
Kristofer Robinson netted a hat trick for the Pittsburgh Mighty Penguins Junior SNC in their 7-1 win over the WSF NY Sled Rangers in the Youth Tier 1 title game.
In the Adult Tier 6 championship game, Bryce Smith set up his team’s first goal before scoring two more to lift the Arizona Coyotes to a 3-2 win over the Carolina Sled Hockey team.
Due to the long weekend, Smith felt his boys came out slow but regrouped quickly to shake off the rust.
“We reevaluated things and got the dub,” Smith said. “When we play fast as a team, and communicate, we get things done right.”
Smith got the group together during the second intermission to remind his teammates to never stop skating.
“I made sure to let them know that we need to remain on the same page,” Smith said. “Stay in position to score; do anything we can to win.”
Paul Crane, head coach of the Coyotes, said the key to success is not letting any negativity enter the locker room.
“Every game, we bring each other up,” Crane said. “It’s working on the skills in practice that paid off. We kept our positions and worked as a team.”
The Ohio Warriors got two goals from Larry Draughn and two assists from Adam Harmon in their 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning Sled in the Adult Tier 5 championship game.
Luke Fanella’s hat trick proved to be the difference for the GLASA Falcons during their 3-2 win over the USA Warriors in the Adult Tier 3 division.
When the final buzzer sounded, Fanella and his teammates mobbed goaltender Alex Breuker to celebrate.
“It felt great. I wanted to cry. This is so surreal,” Breuker said. “I am baffled by winning nationals. I’ve only played in this division for a little bit, so to win with this group, it’s hard to put into words.”
For Breuker, bringing the noise is his claim to fame.
“I try to be the loudest on the team,” he said. “It’s all about screaming. The thing I kept telling the boys was, ‘We need one more goal, and then we’re good’. My boys fought for it, and it wasn’t until the final two minutes where my nerves sank. I was in panic shock.”
Zachary Bingman scored all four goals for the Indy Steel Red to lead them to a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild Adult Sled Hockey team in the Adult Tier 2 title game.
In the Adult Tier 1 championship game, Nikko Landeros tallied a hat trick for the Colorado Avalanche, leading them to a 5-1 win against the Northeast Passage Wildcats.
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
Source: usahockey.com