SAN JOSE, Calif. – Shattuck netminder Liam Beerman made 49 saves to help Shattuck-St Mary’s to its seventh Tier I 18U national title with a decisive, 10-2, win over the Buffalo Regals Monday at Tech CU Arena in the 2023 Chipotle-USA Hockey Tier I 18U National Championship.
Will Zellers struck first for Shattuck at the 7:58 mark of the first period. He connected with Colin Ralph, carried the puck into the zone and sent a wrister past Regals netminder Matthew Alberti from the left circle. Daniel Shlaine tallied an assist on the play as well.
Sammy Crane added a second to Shattuck’s tally with just over five minutes to play in the opening frame, picking up Zellers’ rebound and going backdoor with a power-play goal. Shaun Rios also picked up an assist.
The Regals took an interference penalty early in the second period, sending Shattuck back to the power play. Drew Mackie capitalized at the 3:08 mark, ripping a shot from the point off a pass from Shlaine.
Shattuck made things 4-0 five minutes later as Connor Thue picked up the puck behind his own net and sent it to Shlaine, who carried it down center ice and flipped the puck into the net top shelf. Ian Spencer added a fifth tally for Shattuck with 3:34 left in the second, banging a one-timer home off a rebound. Crane earned an assist on the play.
Buffalo got on the board in the final 10 seconds left of the middle frame with a wrister from Jordin Palmer at the point right off the faceoff won by Ty Creech.
Zellers made things 6-1 at the 1:10 mark of the third period with a tip in off a feed from Rios. Ralph picked up an assist on the play as well. Crane netted his second of the day just 39 seconds later, going five-hole from the right side and Spencer earned the assist.
The Regals found the back of the net under a minute later as Michael Strapp beat Shattuck goaltender Liam Beerman from the right dot, with Zachary Walsh getting the assist.
Three additional Shattuck goals, coming from Zach Nehring, Aidan Park and Cole Frawner, brought the final score to 10-2.