NAPHL concludes event in Pittsburgh with Sunday thrillers

The 10th and final regular season event of the 2022-23 NAPHL season concluded on Sunday with the 11, 12, and 13U Championship Games, in addition to the final games of the event for the 16 and 18U teams.

Sunday recaps

T1ER 18U: The Tri State Spartans started the day with a 4-1 win over the Madison Capitols. Isaiah Byrum had two goals and Colin McCloud made 37 saves in the win. CarShield completed a perfect 4-0 run through Pittsburgh with a convincing 7-0 shutout of the Indy Jr. Fuel. Ryan Andor, Ben Cameron, and Nick Puricelli each scored twice in the win. The Buffalo Jr. Sabres shutout Biggby Coffee, 3-0. Sabres goalie Gavin Kreutzer made 34 saves in the shutout. In the final, and what may have been the best game of the event, the Esmark Stars got a 39-save shutout from goalie Nikita Volski as they beat city rival Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, 1-0 in a shootout. Maxwell Rutkowski had the shootout-winner for the Stars.

T1ER 16U: Esmark finished atop of the 16U regular season standings thanks to a perfect run in Pittsburgh, which included a 7-4 win on the final day over Madison. Mykyta Yalovyi had four points and Ivan Safronov had two goals and an assist in the win. Biggby Coffee won their second straight game of the event as they beat the Tri State Spartans, 5-1. Riley Fast had two goals in the win. CarShield had no problem with Indy in a 6-0 win. Miles Watson and Aaron VanWie each scored twice and Levi Niedert made 16 saves in the shutout. In the final game of the event, the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite doubled up the Buffalo Jr. Sabres. 6-3. Jack Edwards and John Mooney each had four points in the win.

T1ER 13U: Biggby Coffee AAA topped the Tri State Spartans in a 4-2 contest. Jaxson Herrera netted two goals while netmind Ryder Owen turned away 29 shots. The Jersey Whalers edged CarShield AAA in a 6-5 final. Liam Greenhill dished out three assists and Connor Kelly added a goal and two assists. Goaltender Christian Karas took the win in net. Omaha Mastery AAA was named the 13U Pittsburgh Champions after a 3-1 win over the Esmark Stars. Adam Erstad and Brennan Sliva both had a 2-point game while goaltender Isaac Pilcher stopped 12 shots.

T1ER 12U: The Jersey Whalers defeated the Tri State Spartans 6-1. James Knill had a 6 point game with 2 goals and 4 assists. Dylan Amato stopped 13 shots in the game. The Sylvania North Stars took a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Rebellion. Goaltender Connor Newman was great in net after stopping 20 of the 22 shots he faced. The Pittsburgh Predators shutout the Cleveland Barons in a 2-0 game. Connor Keelan scored both Pittsburgh goals and netminder Diesel Dunn earned the 14 shot shutout win. The Esmark Stars topped CarShield AAA in the 12U Championship game, 6-2. Asan Abdygulov scored a hat-trick and goalie Zeke Fagan stopped 14 shots.

T1ER 11U: The Pittsburgh Penguins Elite squad shutout the Tri State Spartans 4-0. Colton Armstrong added two goals and goaltender Collin Bartley stopped all 17 shots. The Esmark Stars shutout CarShield AAA in the 11U Championship game, 4-0. Micah Schenk scored twice and goaltender Isaac Helsel posted a 18 shot shutout.