With Labor Day comes the busiest weekend of the early part of the North American youth hockey season. While there were a few big events scattered around the country during the final two weeks of August, Labor Day weekend long has been considered he unofficial start to the season as most teams around the United States seem to be playing somewhere.

This year, Labor Day weekend also marked the official start of the MHR season for Canadian girls teams. Results from their games played over the weekend can be entered into the MYHockey Rankings system and count toward their 2024-25 rankings. So, we wish all those teams a Happy New Year and are looking forward to the Canadian boys season getting underway in the coming weeks.

As always, our first rankings for U.S. teams should be posted the last week of September, with Canadian rankings going live as soon as enough data has been collected to make them meaningful.

While the holiday weekend brought us tournaments and jamborees that were held all over North America, our MHR Weekend Preview focused on four big mostly Tier 1 tournaments in the United States. Likewise, our Weekend Review will recap those events.

The four featured tournaments included some of the traditional American powerhouse clubs, with a couple of them including top USA Tier 2 teams and two of them featuring Canadian girls teams competing against American squads.

Here are the events we highlighted for Labor Day Weekend 2024: 

• Eastern Alliance Kickoff in Massachusetts for Tier 1 and Tier 2 USA Boys
• Chicago Mission Labor Day Showcase for Tier 1 USA Boys
• Premier Ice Prospects Labor Day Girls Fest in Pittsburgh for Tier 1 USA & Canada Girls
• North American Hockey Academy Labor Day Tournament in Massachusetts for Tier 1 USA & Canada Girls Teams

Those four tournaments included some of the top U.S. and Canadian programs, with more than 400 teams competing between Aug. 29 and Sept. 2 at the 10U, 12U, 13O 14U, 15O, 16U, 18U and 19U age levels. There even were a few Canada U22 Tier 1 teams competing in the 19U divisions of the girls tourneys.  

The good news for hockey junkies is that almost all of the tournament games were played at rinks that feature LiveBarn, so it’s a great opportunity to watch some high-level hockey on-demand and get a sneak preview of some of the teams we are likely to see competing for national championships in April.

 

Eastern Alliance Kickoff

The EA Kickoff came together a few years back when the Tier 1 Face-Off and East Coast Classic Labor Day tournaments merged to allow teams from the Unites States Premier Hockey League, Eastern Hockey Federation, BEAST Tournament Series and East Coast Elite League to compete against each other in a high-level early season event. The tournament has grown each year and now is one of the largest Labor Day Tournaments, including many of the nation’s top Tier 1 USA Boys programs.

This year’s EA Kickoff had better than 200 Tier 1 and Tier 2 boys teams competing in more than 350 games between Aug. 30 and Sept. 2. The tournament was held in Massachusetts at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro, New England Sports Village in Attleboro, Foxboro Sports Center, Canton Ice House and Cadillac Ice Arena in Walpole. Games should be available for viewing via LiveBarn for the 30 days following date they were played.   

There were more than 90 teams competing in six 18U divisions, more than 80 playing at the 16U level, more than 14 playing in the 15O Division, 12 in the 14U Division and four in the 13O Division.

Many teams that competed at the various age levels came from club programs that traditionally send teams to Tier 1 and Tier 2 USA Hockey Nationals. Nationally recognized clubs such as the Boston Jr. Eagles, New Jersey Rockets, Yale Jr. Bulldogs, Neponset Valley River Rats, Long Island Gulls, St. Louis AAA Blues, Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, Buffalo Jr. Sabres and North Jersey Avalanche were among those sending teams to play in the 2024 tournament.

CLICK HERE for the EA Kickoff home page

CLICK HERE for the schedules, results and standings for each age group

 

18U Divisions

18U Red Champions – Long Island Gulls

18U Yellow Champions – Connecticut Chiefs Split Season

18U Green Champions – Boston Bulldogs

18U Blue N/S Division – East Coast Militia (Tier 2)

18U Blue E/W Champions – Neponset Valley River Rats (Tier 2)

18U White Champions – Assabet Patriots Elite

 

16U Divisions

16U Red Champions – New Jersey Rockets

16U White Champions – Long Island Arrows

16U Yellow Champions – Tri-County Saints

16U Blue E/W Champions – Wonderland Wizards

16U Blue N/S Champions – North Suburban Wings (Tier 2)

 

15O Divisions

15O Red Champions – Boston Jr. Eagles

15O White Champions – New Jersey Rockets Black

15O Blue Champions – 95 Giants

 

14U Divisions

14U White Champions – Boston Advantage (Wallace)

14U Blue Champions – Danbury Hat Tricks

14U Red Champions – Neponset Valley River Rats

 

13O Divisions

13O Champions – Long Island Gulls

  

 

Chicago Mission Labor Day Showcase

Hosted by one of the premier youth hockey organizations in the United States, the Chicago Mission Labor Day Classic started a little earlier, on Thursday Aug. 29, with 16U and 18U games between CarShield from Missouri and the host Chicago Mission. CarShield won the 18U matchup, 5-2, with the hosts taking the 16U contest, 3-0. 

This year’s Chicago Mission Labor Day Showcase offered competition for 10U, 12U, 13O, 14U, 15O, 16U and 18U Tier 1 Boys teams. There were a total of 47 teams competing across the seven age groups, with clubs representing Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, Florida and South Dakota participating. The tournament featured nearly 100 games between Aug. 29 and Sept. 2, with most teams playing four times.

Tournament games were played at Darien Sportsplex in Darien, Ill., and Fifth Third Arena in Chicago. Both rinks offer LiveBarn feeds.

Competing clubs, in addition to the Chicago Mission and CarShield, include the Chicago Reapers, Ohio Blue Jackets, Team Wisconsin, Sioux Falls Power, HoneyBaked, Madison Capitols, Team Illinois, Los Angeles Jr. Kings, Windy City Storm, New Jersey Colonials, Anaheim Jr. Ducks, Florida Alliance, St. Louis AAA Blues and Minuteman Flames. 

CLICK HERE for links to Chicago Mission Labor Day Showcase scores, schedules, standings and more.

 

18U Division

The Ohio Blue Jackets led the pack with a perfect 4-0-0 record, followed by the Chicago Reapers and CarShield, both of whom went 3-1-0. Ohio outscored its opponents, 23-7, and earned one of its wins against CarShield, 3-2. The Reapers outscored their foes, 26-8, but did fall to CarShield, 4-2.

 

16U Division

Team Illinois was the lone undefeated 16U team, going 4-0-0 and outscoring its opponents by a 24-8 margin. The host Chicago Mission and Sioux Falls Power each went 3-1-0. TI did not play either of those teams but did earn a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Team Wisconsin. The lone Mission setback was a 4-3 decision vs. the Ohio Blue Jackets, but Chicago did beat Sioux Falls, 6-2. Chicago compiled a 16-8 scoring advantage over its opponents, while the Power outscored its foes, 17-14.

15O Division

A pair of Chicago teams, the Reapers and host Mission, concluded the tournament without a loss. Both teams went 4-0-0, with the Reapers piling up a 27-6 scoring advantage during the weekend while the Mission outscored their opponents, 26-6. The Cleveland Barons posted a 2-2-0 record, the losses coming against the Mission, 5-4, and Reapers, 7-2.

 

14U Division

The hosts led the way in the 14U Division, going 4-0-0 and skating to a 19-6 scoring advantage over their opponents. The Minuteman Flames, Ohio Blue Jackets and Team Illinois each went 3-1-0. The Chicago Mission knocked off the Minuteman Flames, 3-0, while the Flames handed Team Illinois its only loss, 6-1. Ohio’s only loss was by a 6-1 margin vs. Team Wisconsin

 

13O Division

The host Mission played each of the other two 13O teams twice, posting a 3-1-0 record. They split with the LA Jr. Kings, falling by a 6-3 score and then rebounding for a 6-2 win. Chicago beat the New Jersey Rockets, 8-0 and 6-1.

 

12U Division

The Chicago Reapers were the only team to go undefeated in 10-team 12U Division. They outscored their opponents, 26-12, and beat both the LA Jr. Kings and New Jersey rockets, who posted the next-best records in the division. Chicago beat the Rockets, 8-4, and the Kings, 5-1. Los Angeles had a 4-1-0 weekend, while the Rockets were 3-2-0.

 

10U Division

CarShield and the host Mission each went 3-1-0 to lead the way in the 10U Division. Chicago did win the head-to-head matchup against CarShield, 5-0, but fell to the Windy City Storm, 6-5. Windy City finished the weekend 2-2-0. The Mission outscored their opponents, 18-9, while the Storm were the only other team with appositive goal differential (22-160

 

 

Premier Ice Prospects Labor Day Girls Fest

The PIP Labor Day Girls Fest in Pittsburgh included USA and Canada Girls teams competing in 14U/U15, 16U/U18 and 19U/U22 age groups with a five-game guarantee for all 66 competing teams. There were 20 teams in the 14U/U15 Division, 24 in the 16U/U18 Division and 22 in the 19U/U22 division.

Games were held from Aug. 30 through Sept. 1 at the Ice Castle Arena in Pittsburgh, UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pa., Baierl Ice Complex in Warrendale, Pa., and RMU Island Sports Center in Pittsburgh. Each of those rinks offers a LiveBarn feed. Nearly 200 total games were played.

Top USA programs such as the East Coast Wizards, Little Caesars, Northern Elite (Minn.), Connecticut Polar Bears, Assabet Valley, Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, Minnesota Whitecaps, Boston Jr. Eagles, Philadelphia Jr. Flyers, Chicago Mission, Belle Tire, Mid-Fairfield Stars, Bishop Kearney Selects, HoneyBaked and Massachusetts Spitfires are sending teams. Top Canadian clubs such as the Nepean Wildcats, Stoney Creek Sabres, Ottawa Lady Senators, Oakville Hornets and Burlington Barracudas also are participating.

CLICK HERE for links to the Labor Day Girls Fest schedule, scores and standings.

 

19U/U22 Silver Championship

Assabet Valley capped a 5-1-0 weekend with a 3-2 overtime victory against the Ottawa Lady Senators in the 19U Silver Division championship game. Assabet rallied from an early 2-0 deficit, getting the game-winning goal from Madison Cronan after Caroline Averill’s second goal of the game forced OT. Ottawa went 3-3-0 during the weekend.

 

19U/U22 Gold Championship

The Bishop Kearney Selects completed a perfect 6-0-0 weekend showing by getting third-period goals from Rhianna Mayer and Nela Lopusanova to capture the 19U Gold Division title. Lia Nevo stopped 19 shots in the shutout win for BK.

 

16U/U18 Silver Championship

The East Coast Wizards scored the game’s first three goals before the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers could find the back of the net in skating to a 4-1 win in the 16U Silver Division championship. Paisley Meyer scored twice for the Wizards, and River Grady made 22 saves.

 

16U/U18 Gold Championship

A pair of Minnesota clubs faced off for the Gold Division title, with the Minnesota Jr. Whitecaps coming away with a 7-3 victory against Minnesota Northern Elite to capture the championship. The Jr. Whitecaps, which concluded the weekend 6-0-0, got 2 goals and 1 assist each from Jaycee Chatleain and Emily Pohl. Opal Anderson and Bailey Rupp scored to give Northern Elite a 2-1 second-period lead, but the Jr. Whitecaps scored the next six goals to put away the game. Northern Elite went 5-1-0 at the tournament.

 

14U/U15 Silver Championship

The Boston Jr. Eagles scored the first three goals of the game, with Caroline Kreuz, Finley Kolaric and Margaret Grant doing the honors, as they cruised to a 4-1 championship-game win against the East Coast Wizards. Keagn Gray got the win in goal with 19 saves. Both teams concluded the weekend with 4-2-0 records.

 

14U/U15 Gold Championship

The Madison Capitols scored once in each period, with Brooke Lakowske burying the game-winning goal in the third period, in skating to a 3-2 Gold Division championship-game victory against Assabet Valley. Lakowske scored all three Madison goals, with Claire Napier assisting on two of her tallies, and Ivy Hare was the winning netminder.

 

 

North American Hockey Academy Labor Day Tournament

North American Hockey Academy, a perennial USA national power, hosted its annual Labor Day Tournament at rinks just outside of Boston Aug. 30 to Sept. 1.

Games were played at the Asiaf Arena in Brockton, Mass., Mark Bavis Arena in Rockland, Pilgrim Skating Arena in Hingham, Boston Sports Institute in Wellesley, Babson Skating Center in Wellesley, Lovell Rink in Rockland and William L. Chase Arena in Natick. Most of those rinks offer LiveBarn feeds. There were 91 games Aug. 30, 85 Aug. 31 and 50 Sept. 1. Playoff rounds took place Sept. 1. 

A total of 97 teams competed in the 14U/U15, 16U/U18 and 19U/U22 divisions, including teams representing Canadian clubs such as the Kingston Wolves and Stanstead College. Top American participating clubs in addition to NAHA includee Assabet Valley, the Lovell Lions, Valley Jr. Warriors, Minnesota Jr. Whitecaps, Massachusetts Spitfires, Boston Jr. Eagles, Bay State Breakers, Team Wisconsin, Arizona Kachinas, Washington Pride and Team Colorado.

CLICK HERE for NAHA Labor Day Tournament streaming information.

CLICK HERE for links to the NAHA Labor Day Tournament schedule, scores and standings.

 

19U/U22 Blue Division

Stanstead College from Quebec defeated the Valley Jr. Warriors, 3-1, to capture the Blue Division championship and finish with a 4-0-2 record. Valley concluded the weekend 3-2-1. Isabelle Michaud, Maxim Tremblay and Maelie Pion scored for Stanstead in the title game.

 

19U/U22 Red Division

Irounbound Elite got a goal from Annabelle Matchett with 8:14 left in overtime to capture the Red Division championship, 2-1, against Islanders Hockey Club. Ellin Rees had the other goal for the winners, while Lauren Elliott scored for IHC. The victory concluded a perfect 6-0-0 weekend for Irounbound. It was the lone loss of the weekend for IHC, which finished 5-1-0.

 

16U/U18 Division

Aubryn Monter, Sierra Hickling and Annabelle Lovell scored for the Lovell Lions to give them a 3-0 victory against NAHA Red in 16U/U18 Division championship game. Lovell also assisted on Monter’s goal, and Peyton Scott earned a shutout with 17 saves. The Lions concluded the weekend 6-0-0, while NAN finished 5-1-0.

 

14U/U15 Division

The Bay State Breakers capped a perfect 6-0-0 Labor Day weekend with a 3-2 double-overtime victory against the 5-1-0 Minnesota Jr. Whitecaps in the championship game. Grace Hildebrandt scored with 41 seconds left in the second extra session to give the Breakers the title. Giuliana Polcari and Vanessa Hall also scored for the winners. Ellie Bailey and Teagan Olson scored for Minnesota. The two teams combined for 80 shots. Winning netminder Julia Alessandro made 33 saves for the victors, while Jr. Whitecaps goalie Poppy Carlson made 32 saves.