AMHERST, N.Y. -- Warning to all teams in the Toyota-USA Hockey Youth Tier I 18U National Championships: Do not ever think the North Jersey Avalanche are down and out, no matter the score.

With just two games played, North Jersey made not one, not two, but three comebacks to win both games and already clinch the top spot in Pool A, since they take all possible tie-breakers.

For the Avalanche, it’s all about managing their emotions.

“That’s something we actually talked about all the time,” North Jersey coach Mark Lotito said. “We’ve been in games where we had to struggle and battle, and that’s part of it. And I think they’re battle tested, and I think that’s why they can keep emotions in check.”

In their first game, North Jersey fell behind 2-0 in the first period to the Chicago Mission thanks to one of the Avalanche’s best players getting a minor and 10-minute misconduct.

“A little struggle early on,” Lotitio admitted. “We probably didn’t have our legs. Then I just told them, ‘Keep it going, keep it going.’“

Keep it going, they did.

“We were getting our opportunities in the third period,” Lotito said. “We got a power play, scored one there. Then, the floodgates opened up.”

Indeed they did. Wade Novak scored a natural hat trick, the first two coming within 1:49. After his last goal, Dylan Healey scored a minute later to finalize the 4-2 score.

That turned out to be just a prelude to their never-say-die attitude. Minnesota powerhouse Shattuck-St. Mary’s learned that in game two.

Shattuck scored quickly for the early lead, but then, as per script, North Jersey came roaring back with three straight goals by Evan Wisocky, Christopher Grando and James Nicholas, all in the first period.

This time it was Shattuck’s turn to stage a comeback and score three consecutive goals, all in the second period. The final goal, which gave the Minnesota team a 4-3 lead, came with 37.4 seconds left in the period.

That could have been a back breaker. Not for these Jersey kids.

At 4:20 of the final period, Healey tied the game. Two-and-a-half minutes later, North Jersey was back in front 5-4 on a very flukish goal.

While on the power play, North Jersey’s Paul Cimilluca shot it from the middle of the ice near the blue line. The puck then bounced and careened off of bodies and the ice multiple times, completely confusing the goaltender. By the time it reached the net, the goalie was out of position and the puck fluttered past his arm.

Perhaps it was fitting such an odd goal would be the game winner for a team that doesn’t seem to know how to lose.

“We played well,” Lotito said. “I thought we had great goaltending. We took advantage of the opportunities in front of us. Hey, that’s a great program we just beat. I thought we respected them but showed them no fear.”

The North Jersey Avalanche program has seen a lot of success in the past, having sent various teams to the national championships and won two of them. However, they might never have fielded a team like this 18U team.

Lotito explained his team’s goal when they got on the bus.

“We’re coming up here not to visit,” he said. “We were coming up here to win it.”

Anyone who doubts that, especially if they have the lead against North Jersey, does so at their own peril.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.