Congratulations to the Vegas Junior Golden Knights 14 and under hockey team for winning the 2023 Chipotle-USA Hockey Tier 2 National Championship held in Denver, Colorado March 30 through April 3.
According to an article written by Matt Meyer on USAHockey.com, our local team accomplished this feat in spectacular, nail-biting style, winning the championship game in a shoot-out by the score of 2-1 over the Valley Thunder team from Alaska.
Junior Golden Knights goaltender Vincent Vitale made 27 saves in the final, and forced four misses in the shoot-out to give his team a chance to capture the title. Rodrick Reynolds III scored the only regulation goal for Vegas in the championship game.
The tournament did not start off well for our local boys. They lost their first game last Thursday to the Manchester Flames from New Hampshire by a score of 4-1. After that wake-up call, they went on a five game winning streak to capture the championship title. In the process, they beat more heavily favored teams from hockey-mad parts of our nation to make it to the final game against the team from Alaska.
On Friday, Vegas blanked the Nashville Flyers from Tennessee by a score of 5-0. On Saturday, they fired 50 shots on goal in a 6-1 rout over the team from Washington, the Spokane Junior Chiefs. On Sunday, the Junior Golden Knights beat the Palm Beach Breakers from Florida 4-2 in a pretty evenly played quarterfinal match.
In the semi-finals they took on the red hot Team North Dakota, who had just pulled off three consecutive shut-out victories by the lopsided scores of 7-0, 8-0, and 5-0 over teams from Indiana, Maine, and Maryland, respectively. Vegas pulled off the surprise of the 14 & under Tier 2 tournament by blanking Team North Dakota 3-0, even though the Junior Golden Knights were outshot 31-15.
It took great goaltending, clutch scoring, and a team that pulled together in a very tough tournament to capture the title. Their parents must be very proud. Your city is proud of you too. Congratulations!
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Larry Martino is the long-time Afternoon Drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.
9 Things Under $20 Every Sports Fan Will Love
AM/FM Radio Portable
Possibly one of the most important Must Haves for Sports fans is an AM/FM radio. Even better if it’s handheld. If you can’t catch the game on TV you can always find it on radio.
Sun/Fishing Hat
If you’re a Sports fan, chances are pretty likely that you attend some games outdoors, whether it be on the local, collegiate or professional level. Protect yourself in the stands with this UV 50+, windproof, sweat-wicking, quick-dry hat. Use it as a wide brim to block the sun or snap the side up when the clouds come out. Plus it’s packable, so you can throw it your bag and take it on the go.
Cooling Towels
A definitive Must Have for Sports fans is a cooling towel. It can get hot out there in the stands or wherever you’re enjoying the game. You soak these in cool water, wring out and wear in a variety of ways to cool your body down. For some extra coolness, why not throw it in the cooler for a few.
Ticket Stub Diary
Snag this Ticket Stub Diary by Eric Epstein to store your ticket stubs. Keeps them safe and easy to grab when you need to brag to your friends. The acid-free pages also include space for jotting down notes.
Tailgaiting Umbrella
As a Sports fan, if you spend time any time tailgating, then this Ace Hardware 4ft umbrella is a Must Have. Made of durable polyester, it will clamp onto your chair to keep you dry or protected from the sun. Plus, this bright green color will make it easy to find in the parking lot.
Stadium Approved Crossbody Purse
A Must Have for Sports fans attending any game is a stadium-approved see-through bag. This Vorspack Clear Crossbody measures 8 inches by 10 inches and will hold all of the necessities without being cumbersome. It comes in a variety of colors and would look great with any outfit.
Team Lanyards
Fanatics offers a wide range of lanyards covering every league you can think of. These are a sure-fire to keep your keys and tickets at the ready and from being lost. For well under $20, you can outfit the whole family and show your team pride.
Please note that items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time we published this list. Have an idea for a fun theme for a gift idea list you’d like us to create? Drop us a line at shopping@bbgi.com.
