NJ Avalanche Advance to Finals in 16U
NJ Avalanche Advance to Finals with Victory Over Sioux Falls Power
BLAINE, MN – The NJ Avalanche punched their ticket to the 16U Championship Final after a gritty 3-2 victory over Sioux Falls Power in a Semi-Final showdown on February 16 at NSC Rink 1. The Avalanche built an early lead and held off a late push from Sioux Falls to secure their spot in the championship game.
First Period – NJ Avalanche Take Control
The Avalanche wasted little time getting on the board, striking at 9:16 (7:44 elapsed time) when Thomas Gawley (#84) capitalized off an assist from Dylan Wilmott (#91) to give NJ a 1-0 lead.
They doubled their advantage later in the period at 3:06 (13:54 elapsed time), as Max Stracar (#18) finished a play set up by Michael Ferentino (#43), extending the lead to 2-0 heading into intermission.
Second Period – NJ Adds to Their Lead
The Avalanche extended their advantage early in the second, making it 3-0 at 10:11 (6:49 elapsed time), when William Losauro (#4) found the back of the net off assists from Anthony Tullock Jr. (#3) and Alex Zinman (#6).
Sioux Falls struggled to generate momentum through the first two periods, but they remained within striking distance thanks to solid goaltending from Aidan Hesse (#30) and Kaenan Smith (#44).
Third Period – Sioux Falls Mounts a Comeback
Sioux Falls came out desperate in the final period and finally broke through at 14:29 (2:31 elapsed time), as Kane Johnson (#14) scored off a setup from Maddox Malmquist (#8) and Finn Spehar (#46), cutting the deficit to 3-1.
Just minutes later, at 10:22 (6:38 elapsed time), Keaton Jundt (#19) brought the Power within one, finishing a play set up by Malmquist (#8) to make it 3-2.
Sioux Falls continued to press for the equalizer, pulling their goalie late in the game, but the Avalanche defense held strong. NJ called a timeout with 22 seconds remaining, regrouping before locking down the 3-2 victory and securing their place in the championship.
Key Takeaways
NJ Avalanche executed a near-perfect first two periods, capitalizing on early opportunities and building a crucial lead. Goaltender Adam Sherman (#30) stood tall, turning aside 24 shots to keep Sioux Falls at bay. Despite the late push from Sioux Falls, NJ’s structured defense and clutch goaltending secured the win.
With this Semi-Final victory, NJ Avalanche now set their sights on the 16U Championship Final, where they will compete for the title. Sioux Falls Power put up a strong fight and certainly gave the scouts and fans a nail biter to the final seconds. Congrats to both teams!
