Playoff Notebook: Day 2

WEST CHESTER, Pa. — The second day of the AYHL playoffs saw some fierce competition, and a slew of championship games. Who emerged from the pack with championship gold?

15 Only Division

The North Jersey Avalanche carved a path of devastation through the 15 Only division, first blanking the Philadelphia Junior Flyers in a 7-0 shutout before defeating the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights 12-2. With that, the Avalanche capped off a season where they were undefeated throughout the regular season and playoffs — the first team in the history of the 15 Only division to do so. Not only that, but they also scored 19 goals while allowing just two. Appropriately, the Avalanche sit atop the mountain as dominant, and very deserving, 15 Only division champions.

16U Division (Elite)

Coming into the championship game as the underdog, the New York Saints showed a lot of grit against the first seed Washington Little Capitals. After both teams traded goals in the first period, the Caps scored in the second to take a 2-1 lead heading into the game’s final period. Or at least we thought it would be the game’s final period. The Saints’ Rocco Venezia scored in the third to tie the game and just like that, we were headed to overtime. There, the Saints withstood an onslaught from the relentless Caps offense. The Caps bombarded them with shot after shot, while rarely conceding any pressure. It seemed like a mere matter of time before the Caps were crowned champions, until Venezia slipped his second goal past the Caps defense to deliver the win and the division championships to the New York Saints. 

18U Division (Premier) 

The Titans turned a lot of heads in the first round of the playoffs when they shut out the Elite Hockey Academy to punch their ticket to the championship game. They brought that same signature defense to that game against the Philadelphia Junior Flyers, and needed every bit of it, as the contest was still scoreless after three periods. In overtime, Lachlan Haeger finally broke through and scored, winning the game and the division championship for the New Jersey