WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Brad Bonner knew he could count on his New Jersey Colonials Blue team defensively.
Bonner just needed the Blues to produce enough goals in their USA Hockey Atlantic District Tier II 14U Tournament championship series against the host Philadelphia Junior Flyers.
“Every time we’ve scored three goals, we’ve won a game,” Bonner said. “We’re not a high-scoring team by any means. We just need to get a couple.”
Other than the second game of the season, back in September, the Colonials have won the 27 games in which they scored three goals. They are 10-17-1 in the games when they are held to two goals or fewer.
That made the goal Morgan Wills scored early in the third period vital to the Morristown-based team. It sent the Colonials on their way to a 4-1 victory and into the 2019 Chipotle-USA Hockey National Championships.
Victoria Hayes had scored first for Philadelphia.
Kailin Kane evened the score before the period was over.
Lilli Warnock assisted on Kane’s goal, then scored the game-winner early in the second.
Wills made it a 3-1 game until Marley Hughes fired a puck into an empty net with 21 seconds left.
The Colonials gave up just three goals in the three-game series. They won the opener 2-0 and lost the second game, 2-1, when a late goal by Wills was not enough.
The Colonials and the other Tier II district winners from around the country are headed to Amherst, New York, for the April 4-8 Nationals.
Dominant effort from Colonials in Tier I 19U
The New Jersey Colonials swept the Philadelphia Junior Flyers, 3-0 and 8-0, in the Atlantic District Tier I 19U finals.
Sydney Cornell and Emily Abruzzese each had a goal and an assist in the opener.
Chloe Ashton had a hat trick and an assist in the second game.
Abruzzese added two goals while Taylor Zahinyi had a goal and two assists. Ashley Raynor and Kate Monihan each had two assists.
The district ‘s Tier I champions all qualified for Nationals in Irvine, California, April 4-8.
Hughes a special player for Philadelphia Tier II 16U
Samantha Hughes scored what proved to be the deciding goals on special teams in both games of a sweep by the Philadelphia Junior Flyers over the Princeton Tiger Lilies in Tier II 16U.
Hughes had three goals during a 4-2, 2-1 sweep by the Junior Flyers, who hosted the event at the Ice Line Quad Rinks.
After Hughes broke a late, 2-2 tie with a power-play goal for her second goal of the game, Cecily Charles scored 20 seconds later.
Charles also had an assist in the win.
Hughes scored shorthanded to give the Junior Flyers a 2-0 lead before the midway point of the first period in Game 2.
Titans come out on top in in-state Tier I 14U battle with Colonials
The New Jersey Junior Titans swept the New Jersey Colonials, 3-1 and 1-0, in the Tier I 14U finals.
Annie Sun scored the first and last goals of the series opener.
Charlie Rauch scored the only goal of the second game in the third period, off assists by Molly Riggi and Adriana Ciepaldi.
Layla Shaffer had the shutout.
2019 USA Hockey Atlantic District Girls’ Tournament Champions
Tier I
14U: New Jersey Junior Titans
16U: Philadelphia Junior Flyers
19U: New Jersey Colonials
Tier II
14U: New Jersey Colonials Blue
16U: Philadelphia Junior Flyers
19U: Montclair Blues
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
Chipotle is the title sponsor of the 2019 Chipotle-USA Hockey National Championships.
2019 Tournament News
Massachusetts District Notebook: Ethan Gardula’s Three Hat Tricks Among Standout 14U Performances
- By Ken Castro 03/11/2020, 8:00am MDT
Mid-American District Girls’ Notebook: Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Sweep Tier I
- By Jim Smith 03/10/2020, 5:00pm MDT
Nashville Jr. Predators Earn Redemption with Win in 18U Southeastern District Title Game
- By Alex Abrams 03/10/2020, 3:00pm MDT
Michigan District Girls Notebook: Belle Tire Sweeps All Tier I Championships
- By Carl Chimenti 03/10/2020, 12:30pm MDT
Youth Tier II 14U Notebook: Evenly Matched Teams Leads to Tight 1A Final
- By Sarah Avampato 04/12/2019, 2:30pm MDT