Atlantic Youth Hockey League

Team Maryland Bantam Major Wins Bauer Motown Classic

DETROIT, Mich. (October 26, 2017) – Team Maryland Bantam Major (2003) team defeated Meijer AAA Hockey 3-1 Sunday to win the 2017 Bauer Motown Classic Supremes Division. It was the second Motown Classic championship for an AYHL-affiliated program after the North Jersey Avalanche claimed the title in the Bantam Minor Temptations Division.

“It was an exciting weekend to say the least for the Team Maryland’s ‘03s,” head coach Paul Fritz reflected. “We had a roller coaster of a start, losing two players to injury before our third game. The team adjusted quickly and stuck to our game plan of being the hardest working team in the tournament.”

 “Our success came from winning the little board battles and focusing on backside pressure to create turnovers,” Fritz continued. “We also had incredible goaltending from Austin Zavoda and Jack Dunham – their big saves motivated the team late in each game.”

Team Maryland went 4-1-1 during the tournament, allowing a mere 11 goals over the six games. TM opened pool play with a 4-4 tie with the Milwaukee Jr. Admirals before falling to Little Caesers 3-1. The team bested Belle Tire (3-1) Saturday to complete pool play for its first win of the event.

In the playoffs, TM defeated Fox Motors 3-1, knocking the top seeded Fox team from the playoffs. Maryland nipped the HP Falcons 2-1 to reach the championship.

Team Maryland returns to league play on November 4, when they travel to West Chester, Pennsylvania for a matchup with the Philadelphia Junior Flyers.

The Atlantic Youth Hockey League is the USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier I AAA youth hockey league of the Atlantic District. From Connecticut to Maryland, the AYHL’s membership is comprised of over 100 teams, representing four districts, and is spread across six playing divisions. The AYHL’s mission is to develop young players with competition, fun, and good sportsmanship, and move them on to the next phase of their hockey career. With a distinguished alumni list of players that spent a portion of their playing career in the AYHL, today’s players choose to play in the AYHL knowing that it is a proven stepping stone for those serious in their hockey pursuits.

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