IN THIS ISSUE
Volume 5 Issue 22 |  March 15, 2018
2018 ILLINOIS STATE HOCKEY CHAMPIONS
Tier II Youth Champions

10 & Under AA
Jets
10 & Under A
Bruins
10 & Under B
Sabres
12 & Under AA
Blues
12 & Under A
Leafs
12 & Under B
Hawks
14 & Under AA
Northern Express *
14 & Under A
Falcons
14 & Under B
Falcons
16 & Under AA
Falcons *

18 & Under AA
Bruins *

*Teams advancing to USA Hockey National Championships
Tier I Youth Champions

Squirt Major
Mission
Pee Wee Minor
CYA
Pee Wee Major
Mission
Bantam Minor
Team Illinois
Bantam Major
Mission **
Midget 15
Mission **
Midget 16U
Mission **

Midget 18U
Mission **

**Teams advancing to USA Hockey Central District Championships
Girls A & AA Champions

Girls 10U A
Warhawks
Girls 12U A
St. Jude
Girls 12U AA
Mission
Girls 14U B
Falcons
Girls 14U A
Warhawks *
Girls 14U AA
CYA **
Girls 16U A
Falcons **
Girls 16UAA
Mission **

Girls 19U A
Sabres **
Girls 19U AA
Mission **

*Teams advancing to USA Hockey National Championships
**Teams advancing to USA Hockey Central District Championships
AHAI NEWS & INFORMATION
2018 AHAI Players & Coaches of the Year Awards
Join AHAI in congratulating the following individuals on their achievement during the 2017-18 hockey season. Awards will be presented to recipients on Saturday, March 24th at the United Center during the Illinois State High School Hockey Championships.

JJ O'Connor Male H.S. 
Player of the Year
David Rubin ~ Glenbrook North

Cammi Granato Female
H.S. Player of the Year
Madison Itagaki ~ Glenbrook South

Disabled Coach of the Year
Steve Drews ~ CBSH
Youth Coach of the Year
Ryan Taylor ~ Falcons
Girls Coach of the Year
Nick Lavalle ~ Glenview Stars

Dave Shapiro Boys H.S. Coach of the Year
Tim Benz ~ St. Viator

Girls H.S. Coach of the Year
Steve Hamelin ~ Glenbrook South
Thank you to our 2017-18 Newsletter Sponsors!


CENTRAL DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS
9 Illinois Teams to Compete in Central District Championships

Youth Tier I
MB Ice Arena ~ Chicago, IL

Bantam 14U
Chicago Mission

Midget 15
Chicago Mission

Midget 16U
Chicago Mission

Midget 18U
Chicago Mission


Championships will be held March 16-18, 2018.

Click HERE to view the schedule & latest scores.

Girls A & AA
Ozaukee Ice Center ~ Mequon, WI

14U AA
CYA

16U A
Falcons

16U AA
Chicago Mission

19U A
Sabres

19U AA
Chicago Mission
2018 ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL STATE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS

GIRLS VARSITY
New Trier vs. Glenbrook South
11:30 a.m.
RED VARSITY
Loyola Gold vs. Stevenson
3:00 p.m.
COMBINED VARSITY
Waubonsie vs. BG/H/W
5:00 p.m.

HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY NEWS
2018 Illinois State High School Hockey Championship Games

Red Varsity
Loyola Gold vs. Stevenson

Combined Varsity
Waubonsie vs. BG/H/W

Girls Varsity
New Trier vs. Glenbrook South
Junior Varsity
Loyola Academy vs. Stevenson

Junior Varsity Combined
Glenbard Black vs. Wheaton West

White Varsity
New Trier Gray vs. Marmion
Team Illinois Looking for 5th Straight Title at April Showcase
By Greg Bates, Special to AHAI ~ The quality of high school boys' hockey in Illinois is on the rise.  That's evident by Team Illinois' dominance the last four years in the USA Hockey America's High School Showcase.  Team Illinois, which is comprised of the top 20 high school skaters in the state, has won the tournament four straight years. The team is hoping to add another trophy this year when the 33rd annual event takes place on April 19-23 in St. Peters, Missouri.  READ MORE>>
Metro Girls Hockey League Champions Crowned
By Pam Flores ~ Another Metro League season is complete! In the Scholastic Cup semi-finals, Glenbrook High School beat New Trier Varsity 5-3, after a four goal surge in the third period, and Fenwick topped Loyola with a score of 4-0. The finals were held on Sunday, March 11 and it was a closely contested game between Fenwick and Glenbrook. The game ended in overtime with Glenbrook beating the Friars 2-1. READ MORE>>
Saint Viator Wins First-Ever Kennedy Cup Championship
By Ross Forman ~ Tim Benz was ready last March when hired as the new head coach at Saint Viator to make a strong push for the Kennedy Cup, the prestigious title awarded to the Catholic League playoff champion, a title that dates back to 1964 and is the oldest trophy in Illinois High school hockey.  Benz admitted, though, that he did not expect to win the Kennedy Cup in year one.  His expectations were shattered on Sunday night, Feb. 25, when the Lions defeated St. Ignatius 5-0 at MB Ice Arena in Chicago to win the best-of-three series. READ MORE>>
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS NEWS
Chicago Blackhawks Youth Hockey Summer Camps
Registration is now OPEN for the 2018 Chicago Blackhawks Summer Camp! Camps will be held at MB Ice Arena and Mt. Prospect Ice Arena. Our last day of camp will consist entirely of fun events (cross-ice tournament games, challenges and much more!). Our girls camp will feature VERY special guests from Team USA, and all of our camps will feature experienced and highly skilled coaches, including Blackhawks alumni, to help your son or daughter learn from the very best in the business. Please click HERE for more information.  Contact Michael Rigitano at  312-455-7662  or mrigitano@chicagoblackhawks.com with any questions. REGISTER NOW>>
Chicago Blackhawks Elite Academy
Blackhawks Elite Hockey Academy is designed to provide opportunities for players who have a strong desire to reach a higher level of competition and skill development. All camps will be held at MB Ice Arena.   REGISTRATION & INFORMATION>>
NIHL & NWHL CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS
2018 NIHL Blackhawk Tournament Champions - VIEW CHAMPIONS>>
2018 Northwest Hockey League
Champions - VIEW CHAMPIONS>>
DISABLED HOCKEY NEWS
Good Luck to Illinois' Paralympians, Brody Roybal, Kevin McKee and Josh Misiewicz
The Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 is currently taking place in PyeongChang, South Korea, through March 18. The sled hockey event will be conducted at the Gangneung Coastal Center.  The United States enters the tournament as the two-defending champions after claiming the gold medal at the Paralympic Winter Games Sochi 2014 and Paralympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010. VIEW SCHEDULE>>
2018 Disabled Hockey Festival Series: Part III - Warrior Hockey
By Malisa Komalarajun ~ In Part I and Part II of our 2018 Disabled Hockey Festival Series we featured the disciplines of  Blind Hockey and the Chicago Blackhawks Blind Hockey Team and   Special Hockey and the Chicago Blackhawks Special Hockey Team. In Part III of our Disabled Hockey Series, we're putting the focus on Warrior Hockey.   READ MORE>>
10th Annual Wirtz Cup Sled Hockey Tournament 
By Michael Durkin ~ The Scott R. Triphahn Community Center & Ice Arena, which is one of a handful of rinks in the United States with Sled Hockey compatibility, hosted the 10th Annual Wirtz Cup Sled Hockey Tournament.  The Wirtz Cup is the Championship Tournament for the Midwest Sled Hockey League headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The league is comprised of the RIC Blackhawks, the St. Louis Blues, the Colorado Avalanche and San Antonio Rampage. READ MORE>>
ADULT HOCKEY NEWS
Men's & Women's 2018 AHAI Adult State Championship Tournament
By Robert Fiorio ~ The Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois Adult Committee is proud to present the 2018 Adult Illinois State Championship Tournament hosted by the AHAI Adult Committee and The Edge Ice Arena. The Adult State Tournament will take place April 25 - April 29, 2018 with all Championship Games taking place on Sunday, April 29, 2018 at The Edge.  MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION>>
AROUND THE BOARDS
Remembering Dave Shapiro - 'Mr. Illinois High School Hockey'
By Ross Forman ~ David "Dave" Shapiro, one of the most influential and dedicated individuals to Illinois high school hockey and a 2006 inductee into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame, passed away on Monday night, Feb. 26. He was 85.  Shapiro no doubt would have been at the United Center on Saturday, March 24, for the three high school hockey state championship games that will be played - in the same press box seat that he's sat in for decades as the official scorekeeper, right alongside fellow high school hockey veterans Carl Miller and Ned Forsberg. READ MORE>>
Goalie Takes Charge When Opposing Team's Player Falls Unconscious During Game
By Ross Forman ~ Tom Napholz, playing in a 10:40 p.m. adult league game on Thursday, March 1, at the Twin Rinks Ice Pavilion in Buffalo Grove, collided with an opponent in the second period. Both fell to the ice, but got up. Napholz asked the opponent if he was OK and took a few more strides.  Napholz then collapsed, falling face-down on the ice right in front of his team's bench. He was, no doubt, already unconscious as he didn't put his arms out to brace his fall, players said. READ MORE>>
Hockey Weekend Across America Celebrated Coast to Coast: 474 Participants Tried Hockey For Free in Illinois
By USA Hockey ~ The 11th annual Hockey Weekend Across America proved to be a success on every level, highlighted by 13,460 children experiencing Try Hockey For Free Day at 379 rinks nationwide on Saturday (March 3). Fifteen (15) clubs and/or rinks held Try Hockey For Free events in Illinois, playing host to nearly 500 participants new to hockey. READ MORE>>
Girls Hockey Day with the Chicago Steel!
The Chicago Steel invites all Girls Hockey Players and their families to Fox Valley Ice Arena on Sunday, March 25th for a Celebration of Girls Hockey Day! The 2017 Clark Cup Champions, Chicago Steel, will play host to Team USA. Come watch the future stars of college and pro hockey battle it out.  Puck drops at 3:05pm. Questions? Contact Zach Dorfman at 855.51.STEEL.  Click HERE to purchase tickets; enter password:  GIRLS2018. Hope to see you there!