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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.