Indigenous Sports Academy (3) vs Pilot Mound Hockey Academy (4) U18 Prep Division II Western Championships
Riley Robert’s pair of second period goals powered Pilot Mound Hockey Academy to a 4-3 win over Indigenous Sports Academy. Ethan Agawa (2G) opened the scoring for ISA in the opening minutes with his second goal of the Western Championships. Pilot Mound fought back, snagging the lead before the buzzer sounded with goals from Brenden Reeve and Austin Polonoski (1G, 1A). Riley Robert (2G) stretched Pilot Mound’s lead to three with a power play marker and an even-strength goal in the first 2:21 of the second period. ISA wouldn’t go away quietly in the third. First, it was Agawa bulging the twine for a second time to cut the ISA’s deficit down to 4-2 with just under seven minutes to go. A few minutes later, with ISA on the man advantage, Emery Medicine Shield made it a one-goal game, taking a pass from Logan Alexis and tipping it home. ISA was pressing in the final two minutes, getting a few chances in front of the net but Pilot Mound’s Aiden Trapp (26/29) was there to turn them aside. With 51 seconds left, ISA took a hooking penalty and it seemed like all hope was lost but that wasn’t the case. They were able to get the puck into the Pilot Mound end and had a chance that rolled up on top of the net but the puck would stay out, preserving Pilot Mound’s win. Caleb DeBruyne (2A) and Collin Friedrich (2A) each picked up two helpers for Pilot Mound. Kael Ratt (34/38) made 34 saves for ISA.
Notre Dame Hounds (2) vs Pilot Mound Hockey Academy (6) U18 Prep Division II Western Championships
Thursday’s game between Notre Dame and Pilot Mound had about the most eventful first nine minutes of hockey in the Western Championships thus far, thanks in part to a series of early penalties and powerplay chances. An early Hounds five-on-three gave Notre Dame a 2-0 lead early, with a pair of head contact penalties presenting Tristan Deshaies and Brendan Hurley the opportunity to score. Michael Tracy pulled Pilot Mound back within one, and after Notre Dame’s turn to take a penalty, Riley Robert struck on the ensuing powerplay to tie the game for PMHA. Caleb DeBruyne took 21 seconds of the second period to give Pilot Mound their first lead of the hockey game, with Matthew Palmer’s 14 second-period saves helping PMHA into the third period with a one-goal lead. Palmer would make 15 stops in the third period, and he’d get more help, with three PMHA goals in the third sealing a 6-2 win.
Pilot Mound Hockey Academy (5) vs Wenatchee Wild (1) U18 Prep Division II Western Championships
Collin Friedrich and William Picklyk’s two-goal performances powered Pilot Mound Hockey Academy to a 5-1 win over the Wenatchee Wild. Wolfgang Cook scored the lone goal of the first period to give Pilot Mound the lead. Collin Friedrich (2G) extended Pilot Mound’s lead to three with a pair of goals in the first seven minutes of the second period. Collin Ubrig got one back for Wenatchee midway through the frame to make it a 3-1 game. William Picklyk (2G) put the game out of reach in the third, adding on two power play goals for Pilot Mound. Briggs Olson (2A) and Austin Polonoski (2A) each picked up two helpers in Pilot Mound’s win. Aiden Trapp (33/34) turned aside 33 of the 34 shots sent his way in the Pilot Mound net.
Pilot Mound Hockey Academy (0) vs Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy (4) U18 Prep Division II Western Championships
In the battle of the last two undefeated teams in U18 Prep Division II, Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy came away with a 4-0 win over Pilot Mound Hockey Academy on the back of a 27-save shutout from Colton Lee. The goaltenders stood tall in the first period to keep the game scoreless. Pilot Mound’s Matthew Palmer (40/44) kicked out ten shots and CDA’s Lee (27/27) turned aside nine shots in the opening frame. The penalty kill came up big for CDA in the first, killing off all three minor penalties that they took. CDA took control of the contest in the final two periods, outshooting Pilot Mound 34-18. CDA took advantage of their chances in the second with Ian Dalton and Ben Albers finding the back of the net in a 2:24 span to give CDA a two-goal advantage. Sokratis Markarian continued his big week in the third period, stretching out CDA’s lead with his fourth goal of the Western Championships. With the teams skating four aside, Caden Stoltz (1G, 1A) scored with 7:30 left to seal CDA’s win. These two teams will face off again tomorrow in the U18 Prep Division II final.
Pilot Mound Hockey Academy (1) vs Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy (3) U18 Prep Division II Western Championship GAME
Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy won their first ever Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) Western Championship with a 3-1 win over Pilot Mound Hockey Academy in the U18 Prep Division II Final.
CDA came into the Division II Championships as the #1 seed, going 4-0 in the Round Robin. Pilot Mound entered play as the #3 seed and went 3-1, with their only loss coming at the hands of CDA, 4-0 on the final day of the Round Robin.
Ian Dalton opened the scoring 5:50 into the game with a power play marker, giving CDA the initial lead. Ben Albers doubled the lead with six seconds left in the period, scoring his second of the Championships.
The lone second period goal came off the stick of Pilot Mound forward Jack Perrier as he beat Bennett Byers (29/30) early in the frame for his first goal of the Championships.
Pilot Mound would push for a tying goal in the third but Caden Stoltz (1G, 1A) restored the two goal cushion with 5:29 remaining, finding the back of the net on Aiden Trapp (32/35) while on the power play.
Another late Pilot Mound penalty halted any comeback attempt as CDA held on for a 3-1 lead.
