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Pacific District Notebook: Junior Kings Dominate 14U

By Ray Hacke, 03/13/18, 1:30PM MDT

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Alaska Oilers make finals in 15-Only and 16U

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Los Angeles Junior Kings were dominance personified in the boys’ Tier I 14U division at this past weekend’s USA Hockey Pacific District Tournament at Solar4America Ice.

The Junior Kings outscored their opponents 32-4 over the course of five games at the tournament. Their closest game was a 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Junior Ducks in the semifinals on March 10.

Los Angeles put an exclamation point on its dominance in Sunday’s championship game with an 8-0 victory over the Anchorage North Stars. Blake Simons and Paul Minnehan netted two goals apiece in the contest, and goalies Alexander Bonrouhi and Filip Dobes combined for the shutout — though the Kings’ defensemen deserve an equal share of the credit, as they limited the North Stars to only 13 shots.

The Kings’ dominance was equally apparent — if not more so — when examining the division’s list of statistical leaders: Eight of the top 10 point scorers — including the top six — played for Los Angeles. Aidan Hreschuk led that group with 11 points, though the only thing more surprising than the fact that he was the Kings’ only double-digit scorer was that he did it mostly with assists — he only scored two goals in the tournament.

Arvega Hosepyan led the Kings with four goals, while Minnehan, Simons, Noah Alvarez, Kenneth Baek, Ean Samoza, and Ty Murchison finished with three apiece. Bonrouhi led all goalies in his division with a 0.94 goals-against average.

The North Stars were perhaps the most unlikely team to reach a division final, as they didn’t have a scorer in the top 10. They got in by virtue of a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Junior Sharks in Saturday’s semifinals.

Timothy Mattingly scored the winning goal in that contest, tallying with 11:59 remaining as Anchorage avenged a 3-2 shootout loss to San Jose earlier in the tournament. Bryston Monrean and Dakota Spear also scored in the semifinal.

William Renfrew led the North Stars in goals with three. Karsten Senden was Anchorage’s top point scorer with five, four of which came on assists.

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District Champions

Youth Tier I

14U: Los Angeles Junior Kings
15-Only: Alaska Oilers
16U: Anaheim Junior Ducks
18U: Anaheim Junior Ducks

Youth Tier II

coming soon

Girls Tier I

14U: Anaheim Lady Ducks
16U: Anaheim Lady Ducks

Girls Tier II

14U: Anaheim Lady Ducks
16U: Anaheim Lady Ducks
19U: San Jose Junior Sharks


Alaska Oilers Come Back to Top Junior Sharks for 15-Only Title

The Alaska Oilers became the only team from outside California to win any division, boys or girls, by knocking off the previously unbeaten San Jose Junior Sharks 4-2 in Sunday’s championship game.

After falling behind 2-0 midway through the second period, the Oilers erupted for four goals in the final 10 minutes of the third. Colin Hedland scored the go-ahead goal with 3:53 to play, and Nicholas Ostbloom added an insurance goal with 20.5 seconds remaining to help Alaska clinch the division title.

Alexander Kulmanovsky ignited the four-goal outburst, scoring with 9:38 left, and Bret Link tallied roughly 30 seconds later to tie the score. Goaltender Talon Wild recorded 29 saves to earn the victory.

Although their bid for a district title fell short, the Junior Sharks were, statistically, the strongest team across the board in the division, boasting the top three scorers and seven of the top nine.

Leyton Stenman recorded a division-high six points and shared the division lead in goals (three) with teammates Angus Evans and Edgar Rey Gabriel, as well as the Oilers’ Ostbloom. Stenman also shared the division lead in assists (three) with teammates Karsen Dorwart, Max Scott and Charles Sullivan.

Junior Ducks Upend Dominant Oilers in 16U

The Alaska Oilers whiffed on their bid for a district title, falling to the Anaheim Junior Ducks 6-3 in Sunday’s final. However, that loss does not diminish the dominance the Oilers displayed throughout the tournament.

Alaska boasted the division’s top four point scorers and six of the top eight. Three finished with double-digit point totals: Skylar Gutierrez and Asa Kinnear shared the lead with 11 apiece, followed by Hunter Strand with 10 and Jaron Ketterman with nine.

Gutierrez shared the division lead in goals (five) with Ketterman and the Ducks’ Jackson Niedermayer.

Mason Churpek and Jake Landers Record Hat Tricks in 18U

Mason Churpek recorded a hat trick in the Los Angeles Junior Kings’ 4-2 win over the Alaska Oilers on Thursday. Jake Landers of the Wenatchee (Washington) Wolves did the same against the Oilers on Saturday, leading the Wolves to an 8-3 win.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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