KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The 3A title game of the 2025 Chipotle-USA Hockey Youth Tier II 14U National Championships had a bit of everything. 

The West Seneca Wings (NY) and Plymouth Flyers (MI) combined to score 11 goals and commit 15 penalties. In the end, the Flyers had a bit more fire power to win 6-5 and secure a national title. 

“It means so much. We’re the first team ever from our program to make a national championship game,” Flyers head coach TC Wingrove said. “...It’s just so special, they’ve worked so hard.”

With the crowd roaring with hometown fans that Wingrove said aided to the team’s success, Plymouth capitalized off of the excitement by scoring four goals in the first period. Ryan Brand — nicknamed “Captain Clutch” by his teammates — highlighted the fast start with two goals in less than a three-minute span later in the first period.

“He scored two overtime game winners for us to advance,” Wingrove said. “For us, this tournament has been going on since January. We had to win our district, win our state, Ryan Brand was our clutch player.”

Seneca got in on the chaos when Carter Cuzzupoli scored with 1:12 left in the first period. Just 27 seconds later, Gavin Huber scored for the Wings to cut their deficit to one. 

The high-paced teams raced across all 200 feet of ice and applied a ton of pressure on each other from the start. But there was no stopping the adrenaline of the Flyers, who quickly responded to Seneca’s onslaught. 

Brendan Mink scored with 10 seconds remaining in the first period, then Grant Pace lit the lamp a little over two minutes into the second period.

Emotions flared and aggression became evident from both teams, who were quick to push and shove between whistles. Of the game’s 15 penalties, nine took place in the second period. 

The scoring continued through the penalties, specifically from Brand who netted a shorthanded goal with 13:15 to go in the second period to finish his hat trick. 

“I know I was the one that scored them, but it was all a team effort,” Brand said. “The team got me the puck. I’m just thankful for the team.”

Though that turned out to be the Flyers’ final goal, the Wings were far from done scoring. Tacking on an even strength goal from Gavin Braczak and two power play goals from Crosby Welsted and Camden Tylenda, the Wings put themselves back within one and continued to pelt netminder Jack Caveney in the third period. 

Caveney stopped 39 shots in the game and made sure to turn every puck away in the final 10 minutes of regulation, leading the team to a 6-5 victory and a national title to celebrate. 

“I’m really excited, the team has played great today and the whole season,” Brand said. “The whole season we’ve been working hard for this so it’s a great feeling.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.