Tier 1 Elite Hockey League

St. Louis AAA Blues 16U Champions

St. Louis AAA Blues Crowned 16U Champs!!

St. Louis AAA Blues Capture 16U Championship with Statement Win Over NJ Avalanche

BLAINE, MN – St. Louis AAA Blues are the 2025 16U Tier 1 Elite League Champions, securing the Commissioner’s Cup with a 5-3 victory over the NJ Avalanche in the Championship Final on February 17 at NSC Rink 5. A relentless offensive attack and clutch third-period play sealed the Blues’ title as they capped off their playoff run in dominant fashion.

First Period – Blues Set the Tone Early

St. Louis opened the scoring at 12:27 (4:33 elapsed time) when Camden Alemon (#96) found the back of the net off an assist from Theo Vantine (#74), giving the Blues a 1-0 lead.

NJ responded quickly, tying the game at 4:11 (12:49 elapsed time) as Brody Latkin (#27) capitalized on a feed from Dylan Wilmott (#91) to make it 1-1.

But St. Louis regained the lead late in the period at 1:40 (15:20 elapsed time) when Vantine (#74) struck unassisted, sending the Blues into the first intermission up 2-1.

Second Period – NJ Pushes Back

The Avalanche clawed their way back early in the second, tying the game 2-2 at 15:03 (1:57 elapsed time) as William Leonard (#55) finished a play set up by Max Stracar (#18) and Michael Ferentino (#43).

NJ then took their first lead of the game at 10:01 (6:59 elapsed time) when Hunter Bridges (#46) converted off assists from Alex Zinman (#6) and Jack Mazzella (#24), making it 3-2 Avalanche.

St. Louis kept applying pressure, outshooting NJ 16-12 in the period, but Avalanche goaltender Adam Sherman (#30) stood tall, keeping the Blues off the board heading into the third.

Third Period – Blues Take Over

With their championship hopes on the line, St. Louis erupted in the third period, regaining control of the game. The comeback started at 15:19 (1:41 elapsed time) when Alemon (#96) scored his second of the game, again assisted by Vantine (#74), tying the game at 3-3.

Just seconds later at 14:55 (2:05 elapsed time), Carson Clukies (#10) delivered the go-ahead goal, with Vantine (#74) and Alemon (#96) assisting, giving St. Louis a 4-3 advantage.

NJ Avalanche used their timeout at 2:02, hoping to reset for a final push, but St. Louis shut the door. Alemon completed his hat trick at 1:39 (15:21 elapsed time) with an unassisted tally, sealing the 5-3 victory and securing the 16U Championship.

Key Takeaways

St. Louis AAA Blues dominated the third period with Alemon’s hat trick, Vantine’s three-point performance, and Clukies’ clutch go-ahead goal. Goaltender Brian Cooke (#44) stood strong in the final minutes, shutting down NJ’s late push.

NJ Avalanche fought valiantly, taking a 3-2 lead in the second, but couldn’t hold off the Blues’ relentless attack in the final frame.

With this Commissioner’s Cup victory, St. Louis AAA Blues are the 2025 16U Tier 1 Elite League Champions, capping off their season with a well-earned title-winning performance.

Welcome to the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League – the premier amateur youth hockey league in the United States!