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Marlborough, MA (Youth1) – Over Presidents' Day Weekend, some of the top Squirt Minor through Bantam Minor teams traveled to Massachusetts to compete in the Eastern Hockey Federation (EHF) Elite Invitational and after five days of competition, the winners have been decided.

 

Squirt Minor – Minuteman Flames (Elite)

As the tournament's top ranked team with a record of 47-1-2, the #2 Minuteman Flames came into the EHF Invitational as heavy favorites.  Placed in the Squirt Minor Black division for the preliminaries, they opened with wins against the #22 Assabet Valley Patriots and #15 Team Comcast.  They then closed out the opening round with a 3-3 tie against the #7 New Jersey Colonials and a victory over the #18 Long Island Gulls.

 

The Flames coasted through the playoffs, defeating the 6^th ranked Mid Fairfield Blues 4-1 in the quarterfinals before topping the 11^th ranked Westchester Express 10-2 in the semi-finals.  In the championship game, the Flames shut out their league opponent, the #10 Middlesex Islanders, 5-0, giving them the championship.

 

Squirt Major – Boston Jr. Eagles (Elite)

The 22^nd ranked Jr. Eagles started off strong in the Squirt Major Black division, beating the New Jersey Rockets, #12 St. Louis Blues and #14 Bridgewater Bandits (Elite) before dropping a surprising game to the Florida Jr. Panthers.

 

In the quarterfinals, the 4^th seeded Jr. Eagles faced the #8 Middlesex Islanders (Elite).  Despite Boston having struggled against Middlesex all season, going 1-1-3 in the five games they have played against each other, they were able to pull out a 5-4 win thanks to a great effort from the entire team.  During their semi-final game, they edged past another EHF league opponent, the #9 Minuteman Flames (Elite), to advance them to the finals where they would play the #2 team in the country, the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning. In a stunning upset, the Jr. Eagles were able to shut out the Jr. Lightning 3-0 to earn their second tournament title this season.

 

Pee Wee Minor – Syracuse Nationals

During the preliminary round in the Peewee Minor White division, the 6^th ranked Syracuse Nationals had wins over the #9 South Shore Kings (Elite), Long Island Gulls and #15 Mid Fairfield Blues and tied the #19 Minuteman Flames (Elite).

 

As the division's top seeded team, Syracuse earned a bye in the quarterfinals and then took on the #4 New Jersey Colonials, who the Nationals had played twice, winning one game 2-1 and losing the other 6-2.  In a very evenly matched game, the Nationals were able to defeat the Colonials 2-1 to send them to the finals.  There, they played the #11 New England Jr. Falcons, who they had also split a pair of games with earlier this year, but with a full team effort, the Nationals were able to defeat the Jr. Falcons 5-3, earning them the championship title.

 

Pee Wee Major – Greater Boston Vipers

With a record of 41-13-6, the 34^th ranked Greater Boston Vipers entered the tournament as underdogs. They struggled during the preliminary round in the Peewee Major Black division and after beating the Seacoast Spartans, tying both the #28 New England Jr. Falcons and Minuteman Flames (Elite) and losing to the #27 Providence Capitals (Elite), they entered the playoffs as the bottom seeded team.

 

After pulling out a 4-3 win in the quarterfinals over the top seeded Bridgewater Bandits, the Vipers advanced to the semi-finals.  There, they beat the Middlesex Islanders 4-2 to send them to the championship game, where they would face the Jr. Falcons again. With great offensive play from Brendan White, Evan Daddario, Kyle Hentosh and Alex DelVento and an excellent performance from goalie Nick Fiorentino, Greater Boston pulled off the upset and topped New England 6-2, which earned the Vipers their first win over the Jr. Falcons, as well as their first tournament title.

 

Bantam Minor – Westchester Express

Ranked 14^th in the nation with a record of 42-17-4, the Express were one of the favorites to win the tournament at the Bantam Minor level.  During the preliminary round in the White division, they had wins against the #24 New England Falcons, New Jersey Colonials and Florida Alliance before tying the #21 Providence Capitals (Elite) 4-4.

 

In the playoffs, they earned convincing wins over the Rochester Alliance in the quarterfinals and Providence Capitals in the semi-finals, beating both teams 8-3 to advance to the championship game to play the Boston Jr. Eagles (Elite).  In the finals, led by a great offensive performance, the Express defeated the Jr. Eagles 9-1 to become the tournament champions.

 

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If the Vipers were going to win this one it was going to have to be without JT Chamberlain as he would miss this one but the 98s stepped up as a team and got a solid effort from the goal out and cruised to a 6-2 win over the New England Junior Falcons in the finals. The Vipers would shake off a slow start and pick up the pace against the weary Flacons and after some great forechecking set up by Noah Maercklein (0-2-2), Braden Haley's (0-2-2) shot from the slot was kicked out and Brendan White (2-0-2) was johnny on the spot and knocked in the rebound for the 1-0 lead. The lead would be stretched to 2-0 with just 6 seconds left in the second period as Evan Daddario (2-0-2) would jump on a turnover high in the slot and snap the shorthanded goal by the keeper. Two minutes into the 3rd period the Vipers would jump out to a 3-0 lead on Whitey's second goal as he knocked in a goal mouth scramble, with help from Maercklein and Haley. The Flacons would would answer just 16 seconds later to trim the lead back down to 2. The Vipers would not be rattled as Kyle Hentosh would collect a Dante Maribito chip of the window at center ice win a foot race for a breakaway and deposit it over the goalies blocker to get the lead back to 3. Just two minutes later the Falcons would respond again  with a long hard slapper that evaded Nick Fiorentino and made the score 4-2 with 5 minutes left in the game. The Vipers would call timeout at this point to settle the troops and it worked as on the very next shift Evan Daddorio would sweep one in that was set up by some tenacious forechecking by Ross Wahl and Alex Delvento, who did a fine job filling in at right wing. The Vipers would add the empty netter by Kyle Lynch with a minute left that would put this one in the books. Nick Fiorentino was a rock in the nets keeping the strong talented Flacons off the board late. The Viper defense also stood tall and did a fine job of taking away time and space and holding their blue. A tremendous weekend by the 98s as they were underdogs all the way through and played near perfect hockey down the stretch of this tournament.

The Vipers controlled this one from the start and never really let the Islanders get on track as they advanced to the finals of the EHF Championship game with a 4-2 win. Special teams played a big part in this one as the Vipers PK killed off a 4:30 major penalty in the middle of the second period. Braden Haley got he 4th seeded Vipers on the board first as he one timed a beautiful centering pass from Noah Maercklein into the open left side, Brendan White picked up a helper also. The Islanders would come back and tie it up in the second but not for long as Kyle Hentosh (2-1-3) would blast a one time feed from Kyle Lynch (0-2-2) upstairs off the bar for the 2-1 lead. Kyle Hentosh would stretch it to a 3-1 lead as he finished off a beautiful 2v1 with Lynchy, Christian Kukas started the play with a nice outlet to Lynchy. Dante Maribito (1-1-2) would make it a 3 goal lead early in the third as he popped in a Hentosh rebound off the post. The Islanders would try to make this one interesting with a late goal in the third but the Vipers would not let them any closer. Aaron McDonnel was solid in this one between the pipes and he was helped with some solid team defense. Ryan Connearney, Steven Tettoni, Aaron Dollin, Patrick McCarthy, Christian Kukas and Alex Delvento would stand out on the blueline

4th Seed Vipers Take Down 1 Seed Bridgewater Bandits to advance to Semi's

The Vipers turned in an inspired solid effort and advanced to the Semi-Finals with a 4-3 win. Brendan White (1-1-2), Noah Maercklein (1-0-1) Dante Maribito and Evan Daddario would score for the Vipers in this one. Braden Haley and Ross Wahl would pick up two assists each while Christian Kukas and Kyle Lynch would also add assists in this one as the Vipers pushed out to a 4-2 lead half way therough the third. The Badnits would cut it to one with 6 minutes left but the Vipers would clamp down and go on to take this one 4-3. Nick Fiorentino would be solid between the pipes backed by some excellent team defense.

In Game 2 of the tournament this morning the Vipers wasted no time in avenging their disappointing tie from the day before as they scored 4 first period goals in route to the 7-1 whitewashing of league riveal Seacoast Spartans. Evan Daddario would score the first 2 goals in the first 5 minutes, the first coming on a low hard snapper as he came in from the wall, the second just 2 minutes later as he would be high in the slot and rifle a snapper high over the blocker side, JT Chamberlain and Ross Wahl picked up helpers on that one after some intense forechecking. Kyle Lynch (1-1-2) from Kyle Hentosh (1-1-2) on the power play would push it to 3-0 and then Noah Maercklein (2-0-2) would get his line on the board on a pretty goal with help from Brendan White (0-2-2) and Braden Haley (1-1-2). All 9 Viper forwards would have at least a point in this one. Noah Maercklein would get his second of the game as Whitey would win a race to a loose puck, knock the defender off the puck that would lead to some cycling of the puck and eventually a goal as Lynchy would pick up a helper as well, Kyle Hentosh would round out the scoring as Dante Maribito would spring him in the neutral zone and Hentosh would end up on a partial breakaway and slide one 5-hole. It was Aaron McDonnell's turn in the nets in this one and he turned in another gem as both Viper goalies continue to play well. The Viper defense also played well, and physical in their own zone and in front of their own cage. A nice team win. The Vipers take on the Providence Capitals later on today...

In their first game of the EHF Invitational the 98 Vipers couldn't hold on to a game they clearly should have won as they settled for a 3-3 tie with the Falcons. The Vipers would come out strong and Dante Maribito would get his first of two on the day to put the Vipers up 1-0, then the first miscue of the game would come while on a 5v3 power play as the Flacons would cash in on a turnover on the blueline for a breakaway goal with just 9 seconds left in the period. The Vipers would go up 2-1 on a pretty goal by Kyle Hentosh on an even nicer pass from Dante Maribito for the lead. The Vipers would go up 3-1 on on the power play as Dante Maribito would clean up a rebound of a Steven Tettoni blast from the point, Christian Kukas also picking up a helper. The Vipers had a great chance to push the lead to 4-1 but Lynchy was denied on a breakaway that looked like it may have crossed the line. The Falcons would capitalize on another bad Viper mistake and cut the lead to 3-2 with just 4 minutes left, then with the goalie pulled and just 13 seconds left and the Falcons swarming the net they would tie the game. Nick Fiorentino would shine between the pipes in this one coming up big when tested

The Vipers used 3 third period goals to win from behind in this one 4-2. Showing a little bit of fatigue early on it took the visitors awhile to get going but they finally did for the important league win. Noah Maercklein from Brendan White would get the Vipers tied with a nice shot on the short side and the Vipers would be tied 1-1 after 2. The Crusaders jumped out to the 2-1 lead 3 minutes into the third and it looked bleak for the Vipes. The equalizer came on a pretty 2v1 with Maribito and Hentosh as Henny put some sauce on his pass over a defender onto Dante's stick who deked and slid the puck into the open side. Kyle Lynch would score the next two goals one set up by Hentosh and another on the PP set up on a beautiful give and go with Dante Maribito. Aaron McDonnell would get the call between the pipes in this one and was up to the task making a couple big saves at critical times. Alex Delvento would chip in with a nice game from the blueline and all 3 forward lines would grind it out in this one, The well coached Crusaders playing desperation hockey gave the Vipers all they could handle

The Vipers played what could have been their most complete game of the season in a 5-0 win in Exeter against the talented and very dangerous Spartans. The win locks up second place for the Vipers and gets them a first round bye in the playoffs. The Vipers would take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission as Ross Wahl (2-0-2)Â would pounce on a loose puck in front and deposit it far side for the pretty goal and the eventual game winner, Evan Daddario (0-2-2) and JT Chamberlain would add assists. Dante Maribito (1-1-2) from Kyle Hentosh would put the visitors out front 2-0 after 2. Nick Fiorentino would play a solid game between the pipes to keep this one close. The third period saw Noah Maercklein clean up a Steven Tettoni blast from the point on the Power Play for the 3-0 lead and then just 2 minutes later Kyle Lynch would push the lead to 4-0. Ross Wahl would cap a nice morning pouncing on another loose puck in the last minute for his second of the day. The Vipers used an intense forecheck to keep the Spartans hemmed in and in the D-Zone used an air tight team defense that limited the real scoring chances, and took full advantage of the iron as Nick was the beneficiary of a few posts. Christian Kukas and Steven Tettoni as well as the entire team played great team defense.

The 98 Vipers made the long trek to Connecticut to take on the Wolfpack and forgot to get out of the car when they got there as they mailed in a very lackluster performance. Kyle Lynch would score both goals and Dante Maribito and Kyle Hentosh would pick up the helpers.

The Vipers lacked urgency and intensity in this one as the Braves would score both goals within a minute after the Vipers would get their goals to earn the tie. The Vipers did enough to control long stretches of the game and hold an edge in the shot total but were not willing to get dirty and finish against the very talented Braves. Evan Daddario would finish off a nice play with JT Chamberlain and bury a wrister 5 hole for the first period lead, the Braves would answer less than a minute later to end the first tied at 1. Brendan White with assists from Alex Delvento and Noah Maercklein would give the Vipers the lead again in the second, only for them to cough it back up for the 2-2 tie