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Minnesota HP 18 Wins Second Straight Boys NIT

By Minnesota Hockey, 04/24/16, 6:15PM CDT

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The Minnesota Seniors claimed the 2016 Girls' NIT to give Minnesota a clean sweep of the two festivals.

The championship game of the 2016 CCM National Invitational Tournament was an all Minnesota affair as the Minnesota HP-18 team (“HP-18’s”) took on the Minnesota Seniors (“Seniors”).  At the end of the day, it was the HP-18’s who would win their second consecutive CCM Boys NIT title with a 7-1 victory.

The HP-18s would get the scoring started just 4:30 into the game.  Ben Meyers (Delano) tipped a D-to-D pass in his own zone that bounced to Micah Miller (Grand Rapids).  As Meyers took off, Miller was able to hit him with a pass for a breakaway that Meyers would take advantage of to put the HP-18’s up 1-0.  Later in the period, Bryden Stoskopf (Roseau) and Henry Enebak (Lakeville North) extended the HP-18’s lead to 3-0 despite shots being even at 7-7. 

The Seniors came out in the second period looking poised to get back into the game in a hurry.  They would put six more shots on Matthew Muller (Minnetonka) and eleven on Trevor Rowe (Waconia) after the goalie change, but they only managed to get one goal past the goaltending tandem.

Instead, it was the HP-18s who would add to their lead in the second, as Cameron Buhl (South St. Paul) would tally two goals just thirty-nine seconds apart to up the HP-18 lead to 5-0. The HP-18’s would have had an even bigger lead if it wasn’t for a little help from the iron when Jesse Jacques used his speed to get a breakaway against his Hermantown teammate Luke Olson.  Olson came out on top as Jacques’ shot ripped off the crossbar and actually sent one of the Seniors the other way for a breakaway of their own, which was stopped by Rowe. 

The Seniors showed some life late in the second as Ethan Johnson (Thief River Falls) picked up a loose puck at center ice, split the HP-18 defensemen, and beat Rowe to get the Seniors on the board 5-1. 

The Seniors were able to carry that momentum into the third period and they came out as if they were shot out of a cannon, peppering Rowe with a shot per minute for a total of eighteen shots and hitting at least one post.  Rowe was up to the challenge, however, as he stopped all eighteen. 

Yet again, it was the HP-18 team that would capitalize on their chances in the third period.  Samuel Huff (Maple Grove) and Hunter Johannes (Eden Prairie) fed Nicklaus Perbix (Elk River) in the slot who fired a shot high glove to make it 6-1 and Stoskopf and John Stampohar (Grand Rapids) connected on a 2-on-1 for the game’s final tally and 7-1 score in favor of the MN HP-18 team.

The HP-18’s were coached by Christian Koelling (Minnesota Hockey Coach-in-Chief) and Mark Manney (Andover).  The Seniors were coached by 2016 MHCA Coach of the Year honorees Pat O’Leary (Wayzata) and Chris Olson (Litchfield).

READ: Minnesota Seniors Roll to 2016 Girls NIT Title

NIT 3rd Place Game: Wisconsin Seniors - 2 (SO), Michigan Seniors 1

In a game full of excitement, play was back and forth for the entirety with only one goal scored a piece in regulation.  Wisconsin controlled the first period with eleven shots to Michigan’s 5, but it was Michigan that saw the best chances to score.  Michigan had a couple of scrambles in front of the net, they hit a post and a missed chance on a breakaway, but  the first period would end still tied 0-0. 

Michigan would score the game’s first goal in the second when Ian Melrose got a pass from Alec Allen and his shot from the point would just sneak in under Mohs’ pad.  Wisconsin outshot Michigan again in the second 15-11. 

Wisconsin came out with a vengeance in the third period picking up a goal just two minutes in.  A broken up play in the neutral zone allowed Alex Nagel to snag the puck out of the air behind the Michigan defense and beat Cullen Barber low glove side.  The battle ensued for the remainder of regulation and a short overtime period with both teams seeing several chances at a game winner but neither being able to finish. 

That would send the game to a shootout. Logan Jenuwine’s backhand forehand move was unable to fool Tommy Mohs.  Nagel came in for Wisconsin and was able to slip it through Barber’s legs for a goal.  Nick Blankenburg got the equalizer for Michigan as he slightly mishandled the puck and then stuffed it through Mohs’ five-hole.  Trenton Bliss of Wisconsin looked to put them back on top, but Barber’s kick save denied that opportunity.  Michigan’s third shooter, Melrose took a backhand shot looking destined to go top shelf, but the cross bar just got in his way to keep it 1-1.  Caylen Dyni calmly skated in and fired a puck through the five-hole of Barber to win the game for Wisconsin.

 NIT 5th Place Game: North Dakota - 6, Michigan HP-18 - 3

Michigan’s HP-18 team and North Dakota would battle in a game that saw eight goals, three of them power play goals, and a total of forty-six penalty minutes assessed.  North Dakota got the quick start just three minutes in when Mathew Boren and Mason Salquist set up Braden Costello.  A scrum in front of the Michigan goaltender would lead to Riley Giauque burying a rebound goal as North Dakota entered the first intermission up 2-0. 

The middle period was back and forth until Grant Johnson of North Dakota netted the lone goal in the period with just fifty-seven seconds left.  Giauque and Lund would each pick up their second point of the game with assists on the Johnson goal sending North Dakota into the third period with a 3-0 lead. 

Michigan came out firing in the third as Sawyer Jensen scored the first power play goal of the game on a feed from Samuel Spaedt.  North Dakota would shut the door after that as TJ Irey and Easton Bennett picked up power play goals to make it 5-1.  North Dakota finished off the game with a final score of 6-2.

NIT 7th Place Game: Wisconsin HP-18 - 6, Massachusetts - 1

The first matchup of the NIT tournament on day 3 would be between Wisconsin HP-18 and Massachusetts.  Wisconsin jumped to a quick start with a goal five minutes in by Nicholas Techel, assisted by Trey Labarge.  Just four minutes later, Techel would notch his second of the game on a rebound with the assists going to Connor Zilisch and Labarge, for his second.  James Furey for Wisconsin would get the final goal of the period to make it 3-0 after one period.

The teams traded goals in the second period, but Wisconsin put the game out of reach with goals by Chase Blackmun and Grant Reichenbacher in the third period.  The scoring would end there as the Wisconsin HP-18 team would skate to a 6-1 victory.


Minnesota Seniors Win 2016 Girls NIT

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