Youth hockey’s opening weekend In the United States for the 2024-25 season officially is in the books.

And as we move forward over the next few weeks, by the time we get through Labor Day Weekend most of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 club travel teams in the U.S. will have embarked on their seasons. As of Thursday, Aug. 15, any sanctioned youth hockey games played in United States from that point forward can be entered into the MYHockey Rankings system and count toward a team’s 2024-25 ranking.

Of course, the opening weekend of the season brought with it the first big tournament of year.

Last weekend, the Mid-Atlantic Showcase Series held its first event of the year. The Mid-Atlantic Showcase Series Summer Showcase featured more than 80 USA boys teams, nearly 1,500 players and better than 160 games. Games were played at Hatfield Ice Arena in Colmar, Pa., and Oaks Center Ice in Phoenixville, Pa., Friday morning and running through Sunday afternoon.

Tier 2 “AA” and “A” teams from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, North Carolina and Delaware competed at the 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U levels. Each team was guaranteed four games, with quarterfinals taking place late Saturday and the semifinals and championship games being held Sunday.

There were 20 teams competing at the 18U AA level, 6 teams in the 18U A Division, 22 competing 16U AA teams, 8 teams at the 16U A level, 8 competing 14U AA teams, 4 teams playing in the 14U A Division, 4 teams at the 12U AA level, 4 competing 12U A teams and 4 teams playing in the 10U AA Division

The Field

This year’s Mid-Atlantic Showcase Series 18U AA Division included three teams – the Reston Raiders, Team Philadelphia and New Jersey Colonials – that advanced to USA Hockey Nationals last April. Reston and Team Philadelphia competed in the same pool at Nationals, with the Raiders earning a 5-2 victory in their matchup. Reston finished the year ranked eighth in the country, while the Colonials were 22^nd and Team Philadelphia was 45^th. Reston went undefeated in pool play at Nationals before falling in the quarterfinals. Team Ohio, which concluded the 2023-24 season ranked 20^th, also had a team that competed at the Summer Showcase in the 18U AA Division.

The 16U AA Division also featured three clubs that sent teams to Nationals following the 2023-24 campaign. Reston finished the season ranked third, with Team Philadelphia ranking 27^th and the Carolina Jr. Canes finishing at No. 75. Reston posted a 3-2-0 record at Nationals and advanced to the semifinals. Perennial Mid-Am and national-power Team Ohio, which finished last season ranked 29^th, also participated in the Summer Showcase.

All Mid-Atlantic Summer Showcase games still can be viewed live on-demand via LiveBarn.

18U AA Recap

The Long Island Rebels rolled through the weekend at the Summer Showcase, posting a 6-0-0 record and knocking off the New Jersey Colonials (Brophy), 4-1, in the championship game. Long Island scored the first three goals of the title clash, two of those coming off the stick of Brody Ordt, and Shane Kirby stopped 21 shots to earn the victory in goal. James Schendorf had the other championship-game goal for the Rebels, while Christian Adamaski scored for the Colonials. New Jersey finished the opening weekend with a 5-1-0 mark. The Rebels outscored their opponents, 32-11, for the weekend. New Jersey outscored its foes, 23-8. Jesse Lemza of Long Island led all 18U AA scorers with 12 points on 6 goals and 6 assists in six games. New Jersey teammates Adamski, Andrew George and Dylan Gibbs tied for third in tournament scoring with 8 points apiece. Gage Bromley of the Pittsburgh Vengeance was the second-leading scorer in the 18U AAA Division with 5-4-9, while Lucas Mott of the Colonials recorded 2-6-8 to also tie for third.

16U AA Recap

The Princeton Jr. Tigers got a third-period goal from Louis Barrandon in a 1-0 championship-game shutout victory against the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes in the 16U AA North Division. Mason Roitburg made 21 saves to earn the win in goal over Carolina’s Nicholas Foy, who stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced. Princeton finished the weekend with a 3-0-2 record after opening the tournament with ties against Team Philadelphia and Team Ohio. The Jr. Canes went 3-2-0 on the weekend.

In the 16U AA South Division, Team Philadelphia’s second team went 5-0-0 and outscored its opponents, 27-9, en route to the tournament title. Team Philly needed overtime to beat Genesis Hockey Club, 4-3, in the championship game. Genesis concluded the weekend with a 4-1-0 record. In the title matchup, Colin Franciscus scored with 42 seconds remaining in overtime to lift Team Philadelphia to victory. Franciscus also assisted on Chase Campanile’s game-tying goal with 4:33 remaining in regulation. Chase Himes and Chase Robinson – that’s three Chases if you’re counting – also scored for the champs, who overcame a 3-0 deficit to force extra time with three goals in the game’s final 21 minutes. Lucas Yancey made 28 saves to earn the win in goal over Isaac Mays, who stopped 44 shots to give Genesis a chance. Isaak Bystol netted a pair of goal for Genesis.

Brady Lee of Princeton led all 16U AA scorers with 9 points on 4 goals and 5 assists. Four players tied for second with 8 points each, including Franciscus and Colin Colstello of the Team Philadelphia championship squad.

14U AA Recap

Genesis Hockey Club capped a 4-1-0 weekend by beating the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 5-3, to capture the 14U AA championship. Ashton Reynolds and Riley Berger each scored twice for the victors, with Alex DeSantis adding the fifth tally as Eric Curtis (18 saves) earned the win in goal. Colton Vanicky staked the Phantoms to an early 1-0 lead with a first-period goal. Aiden Snowden and Aaron Kraus also scored for Lehigh Valley, which led by a 3-2 margin late in the second period before Genesis rallied for three-straight scores to claim the title. The Phantoms also posted a 4-1-0 mark at the tournament.

The Reston Raiders produced the top-two scorers in the 14U AA division, with Jonathan Petzold compiling 12 points on 6 goals and 6 assists and Rodney Lester notching 5-3-8 in four contests. Vanicky tied with Lester for second in the scoring race with 6-2-8 In five games.  

12U AA Recap

Genesis Hockey Club completed its perfect 4-0-0 weekend with a 4-2 victory against the Philadelphia Blazers to earn the tourney crown. The Blazers finished the weekend 2-2-0. Connor Williams netted a pair of goals in the first two periods, with Benjamin Fahy also tallying, as Genesis jumped to a 3-0 lead. Rocco Prate and Ryan Mort cut the margin to 3-2 in the final frame before Robert Munoz put away the game with a goal for Genesis in the waning moments. Alice Slutsky earned the win in goal by making 20 saves for the champs.

Williams was the top scorer in the 12U AA Division with 7 goals and 3 assists in his team’s four contests, while his teammates Jackson Horton and Austin Fisher ranked second and third with 8 and 6 points, respectively.