As we pass the mid-point of October and the end of split-season schedules loom on the horizon in New England and Minnesota, the tournament and showcase activity always seems to ramp up all over the United States. Some of the biggest events of the year – and most competitive – traditionally are held in the United States at this time of the year, and the weekend of Oct. 18-20 certainly is proof of that.

In Minnesota, the Tier 1 Girls teams there close out their seasons with the annual Minnesota NIT, and more than 100 of the top U.S. and Canada Girls programs at the 14U, 16U, 18U and U22 age levels will be joining them.

The 14U Division of the tournament, which is called the CCM HP Minnesota NIT, includes eight of the top 10 United States Tier 1 Girls teams, according to the Week 4 MHR rankings. The 16U Division, hosted by the Upper Midwest High School Elite League, features eight of the top 10 U.S. Tier 1 Girls teams and 14 of the top 25, while the “19U” Division boats six of America’s top 10 and 18 of its top 25. Those teams are joined by five of Canada’s top 10 and seven of its top 14 U18 programs and three of Canada’s top 22 U22 clubs.

Moving to another United States hockey hotbed, the Eastern Hockey Federation is hosting one of its three EHF Selects National Showcases Oct. 19-20 in Massachusetts. Known as the “Fed” – no, not THAT Fed! – the EHF is one of the top youth leagues in the United States. Founded in 2004, the Fed includes teams from all over New England representing some of the nation’s premier associations. It began with 10 member clubs, and in 20 years has grown to include 21 associations and more than 6,000 participating players. The league has produced countless NCAA and NHL players. It started with teams competing at the “Elite” level but since has grown to include second and third tiers to better serve a larger number of players.

The EHF Selects National Showcase features a total of 31 USA Boys teams competing at the 18U, 16U and 15O age levels. In the 18U Division, three of the top 10 U.S. teams and five of the top 22 are competing. The 16U Division includes six top 65 U.S. programs, and there are five of the top 32 15U teams participating.

Moving a few miles north to New Hampshire, Seacoast Performance Academy is hosting a weekend of games featuring the second, third and eighth-ranked 16U USA Boys teams. The second-ranked New Jersey Rockets are joining No. 3 SPA and No. 8 Mount St. Charles for a series of games Oct. 18-20.

Finally, wrapping up a typical busy fall weekend in New England, the BEAST Tournament Series is hosting its 150, 16U and 18U Playoffs at multiple rinks spread around suburban Boston. Featuring teams from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, the BEAST Tournament Series is finishing up its eighth season and has established itself as one of the nation’s top “showcase leagues” for 18U, 16U, 15O, 14U and 13U teams. The BEAST has helped send more than 500 players on to play college hockey for NCAA programs.

The top division of the BEAST 18U playoffs includes three USA Boys Tier 1 top 10 teams, with six of the eight participating clubs currently ranked among the nation’s top 10 and all eight ranked among the top 31. There are four teams ranked among the top 17 competing in the 15O playoffs, while the 16U tournament features five of the nation’s top 28 teams. All games are scheduled for Oct. 19 and 20.

 

Upper Midwest High School Elite League & CCM HP Minnesota NIT

The CCM High Performance Minnesota 14U NIT began the morning of Oct. 18 and runs through later afternoon Oct. 20, with each of the 26 participating teams playing four games in Andover, Minn. All teams can be viewed via webstram at MNHockey.TV.

 

14U NIT Participants Ranked in the U.S. Top 10

#1 Minnesota Lakers

#3 Madison Capitols

#5 Minnesota Green Giants

#6 Chicago Mission

#7 Team North Dakota

#8 Minnesota Moose

#9 Philadelphia Jr. Flyers

#10 Team Illinois

 

CLICK HERE for links to the Minnesota NIT 14U scores, schedule, standings & stats

 

The CCM High Performance Minnesota 14U NIT began the morning of Oct. 18 and runs through late afternoon Oct. 20, with each of the 26 participating teams playing four games in Andover, Minn. All games can be viewed via webstram at MNHockey.TV.

 

14U Minnesota NIT Participants Ranked in the U.S. Top 10

#1 Minnesota Lakers

#3 Madison Capitols

#5 Minnesota Green Giants

#6 Chicago Mission

#7 Team North Dakota

#8 Minnesota Moose

#9 Philadelphia Jr. Flyers

#10 Team Illinois

 

The 16U Division of the Minnesota NIT, hosted by the Upper Midwest High School Elite League, began the morning of Oct. 18 and runs through late afternoon Oct. 20, with each of the participating teams playing four games at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. All games can be viewed via webstram at MNHockey.TV.

 

16U NIT Participants Ranked in the U.S. Top 10

#1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s

#2 Minnesota Elite Silver

#3 Lovell Academy Lions

#4 Minnesota Elite Sky

#6 Minnesota Elite Blue

#7 Minnesota Elite Orange

#8 Chicago Mission

#9 Little Caesars

 

CLICK HERE for the Minnesota NIT 16U schedule

CLICK HERE for Minnesota NIT 16U scores

CLICK HERE for Minnesota NIT 16U participating teams

 

The 19U Division of the Minnesota NIT, hosted by the Upper Midwest High School Elite League, began the morning of Oct. 18 and runs through late afternoon Oct. 20, with each of the participating teams playing four games at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. All games can be viewed via webstram at MNHockey.TV.

 

19U NIT Participants Ranked in the U.S. Top 10

#1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s

#2 Bishop Kearney Selects

#5 Chicago Mission

#7 NAHA White

#9 Minnesota Elite White

#10 Minnesota Elite Black Royalty

 

19U NIT Participants Ranked in the Canada U18 Top 11

#2 Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna

#3 Saskatoon Stars

#6 Red Deer Chiefs

#8 Notre Dame Hounds

#10 Winnipeg Ice

#11 Calgary Fire

 

19U NIT Participants Ranked in the Canada U22 Top 22

#4 Delta Hockey Academy Green

#18 Nepean Wildcats

#22 Balmoral Hall

 

CLICK HERE for the Minnesota NIT 19U schedule

CLICK HERE for Minnesota NIT 19U scores

CLICK HERE for Minnesota NIT 19U participating teams

 

 

Seacoast Performance Academy 16U Boys Weekend

All of these games are being held at the Rinks at Exeter in Exetter, N.H. and should be available via webstream on LiveBarn.

 

Friday, Oct. 18

5:00 p.m. EST – #3 Seacoast Performance Academy vs. #8 Mount St. Charles

 

Saturday, Oct. 19

10:00 a.m. EST – #2 NJ Rockets vs. #8 Mount St. Charles

3:00 p.m. EST – #3 Seacoast Performance Academy vs. #2 NJ Rockets

 

Sunday, Oct. 20

9:30 a.m. EST – #3 Seacoast Performance Academy vs. #2 NJ Rockets

 

Eastern Hockey Federation Selects National Showcase

Games in this 15O, 16U and 18U Boys Tier 1 event begin on the morning of Oct. 19 at New England Sports Center in Marlboro, Mass., and continue through the evening of Oct. 20. All games are being played on Rinks 1, 2 or 3, each of which should be serviced by LiveBarn.

 

Notable 15O Competing Teams

#9 Boston Jr. Eagles

#37 South Shore Kings

#38 Providence Capitals

#42 Islanders Hockey Club East

#43 Cape Cod Whalers

 

Notable 16U Competing Teams

#12 Boston Jr. Eagles

#35 South Shore Kings

#44 Cape Cod Whalers

#49 American Hockey Academy

#58 North Suburban Wings

 

Notable 18U Competing Teams

#3 Boston Jr. Eagles

#9 Cape Cod Whalers

#10 Boston Little Bruins

#21 Islanders Hockey Club West

#22 American Hockey Academy

 

CLICK HERE for the complete EHF National Showcase Schedule

 

 

BEAST Tournament Series Playoffs

Quarterfinals and semifinals for the 15O, 16U and 18U BEAST Playoffs are set for Saturday at various Boston-area rinks, with championship games scheduled for Sunday at Canton Ice House. All host rinks should have LiveBarn feeds.

 

BEAST Tournament Series 15O Quarterfinals – Saturday, October 19

All times Eastern

#74 Springfield Thunderbirds vs #11 Seacoast Performance Academy – 11:50 a.m. at New England Sports Village 2

#50 Boston Hockey Academy Prep vs #13 Long Island Gulls – 12:00 p.m. at NESV 1

#45 East Coast Militia vs #17 Neponset River Rats – 11:50 a.m. at Cadillac Arena

N/A Boston Hockey Academy vs #15 Yale Jr. Bulldogs – 12:10pm Cadillac Arena

 

15O Semifinals – Saturday, Oct. 19

1/8 winner vs 4/5 winner – 5:20pm at NESV 1

2/7 winner vs 3/6 winner – 5:30pm at NESV 2

 

15O Championship – Sunday, Oct. 20

Semifinal winners – 9:00 a.m. at Canton Ice House Red

 

BEAST Tournament Series 16U Quarterfinals – Saturday, Oct. 19

#79 NH Mountain Kings vs #6 Long Island Gulls – 1:40 p.m. at NESV 1

#41 Yale Jr. Bulldogs vs #28 (ALL) Boston Hockey Academy – 1:50 p.m. at Cadillac Arena

#33 Nor’Easter Storm vs #16 Mid-Fairfield – 1:50 p.m. at NESV 2

#23 East Coast Militia vs #18 Neponset River Rats – 1:40 p.m. at Cadillac Arena

 

16U Semifinals – Saturday, Oct. 19

1/8 winner vs 4/5 winner –7:10 p.m. at NESV 2

2/7 winner vs 3/6 winner – 7:20 p.m. at NESV 1

 

16U Championship – Sunday, Oct. 20

Semifinal Winners – 11:30 a.m. at Canton Ice House Red

 

BEAST Tournament Series 18U Quarterfinals – Saturday, Oct. 19

#31 Mid-Fairfield vs #5 Long Island Gulls – 3:30 p.m. at NESV 1

#28 Springfield Thunderbirds vs #7 NJ Rockets – 3:40 p.m. at NESV 2

#12 Central Mass Penguins vs #8 Nor'Easter Storm – 3:10 p.m. at Cadillac Arena

#19 Yale Jr. Bulldogs vs #15 Neponset River Rats – 3:30 p.m. at Cadillac Arena

 

18U Semifinals – Saturday, Oct. 19

1/8 winner vs 4/5 winner – 9:00 p.m. at NESV

2/7 winner vs 3/6 winner – 9:10 p.m. at NESV

 

18U Championship – Sunday, Oct. 20

Semifinal Winners – 1:10 p.m. at Canton Ice House Red