Category: Boys Hockey

USA TODAY High School Sports Awards unveils Boys Hockey Player of the Year nominees

High school stars on the ice from the 2023-24 season

The top boys hockey players from across the country have been unveiled, with these 25 athletes making up the 2023-24 ALL-USA HSSA roster.

Each will now have the chance at being named the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards Boys Hockey Player of the Year in August. 

Ahead of the highly anticipated awards show, here is the ALL-USA HSSA Boys Hockey Team.

A huge congratulations to each of these talented athletes …

(Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch)

Hunter Bauer, G, Minnetonka High School (Minnesota) — SR

Brent Beswick, F, Northern Highlands High School (New Jersey) — JR

Owen Buesgens, D, Chanhassen High School (Minnesota) — SR

Hagen Burrows, F, Minnetonka High School (Minnesota) — SR

Dylan Byrne, D, Memorial High School (Wisconsin) — SR

Griffin Crain, D, Bishop Hendricken High School (Rhode Island) — SR

Cam Duffany, F, Brighton High School (Michigan) — SR

Brady Esenwine, F, Saint Ignatius High School (Ohio) — SR

Wyatt Farrell, F, La Crescent-Hokah High School (Minnesota) — SR

Tanner Fearman, F, Queensbury High School (New York) — SR

Jackson Froysland, F, Byron Center High School (Michigan) — SR

Vincent Greene, F, Amery High School (Wisconsin) — SR

Kam Hendrickson, G, Chanhassen High School (Minnesota) — SR

Austin Lamer, D, Tomahawk High School (Wisconsin) — JR

Joey Mugaas, D, Orono High School (Minnesota) — SR

Jackson Nevers, F, Edina High School (Minnesota) — SR

Carson Pilgrim, F, Warroad High School (Minnesota) — SR

Cade Pratt, F, Byron Center High School (Michigan) — SR

Harper Searles, F, Centennial High School (Minnesota) — JR

John Stout, D, Minnetonka High School (Minnesota) — SR

Jake Struck, F, Olentangy Liberty High School (Ohio) — JR

Noah Urness, F, Roseau High School (Minnesota) — SR

Sam Wade, F, University School (Ohio) — SR

Louie Wehmann, F, Providence Academy (Minnesota) — SR

Rowan White, G, Edgewood High School (Wisconsin) — SR

From the HSSA

Nominees for both the regional and national programs are posted as they are selected. Regional nominees represent the best in their respective areas, while national nominees are  recognized as the top high school athletes nationwide.

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Massachusetts high school hockey championship ends with a buzzer-beater (and controversy)

There is controversy in Massachusetts in the end of the D1 state title game.

The Division 1 final in Massachusetts ended with a buzzer-beater on Sunday. But the debate about if the goal should have been allowed is still on-going.

Johnny Tighe’s goal for St. John’s Prep (Danvers, Massachusetts) lifted his team to a win over Winchester (Winchester, Massachusetts) and a state title. But should the goal have even counted?

It appears that Tighe’s shot came after the green light behind the goal lit up, indicating that the clock on the scoreboard turned 00.0. But the officials ruled that the shot came before time had expired.

There is no video replay in Massachusetts high school hockey.

The light is on a split moment before Tighe fired his shot past Aiden Emerick in Winchester’s goal.

You be the judge? Did St. John’s get the game-winner before the light behind the goal goes on?

 

In New Jersey, a state playoff basketball game at the buzzer also recently drew controversy. Except in the basketball game, the rightful team was denied their winning basket at the buzzer.

An imperfect and flawed world, isn’t it?

In defeat, Winchester handled the controversy with dignity. According to the Boston Herald, Winchester head coach Gino Khachadourian took the high road in talking about the end of the game.

“It’s a tough way to lose,” Khachadourian said per the Boston Herald.

“I feel bad for them. They gave everything and they’re all distraught in (the locker room). … They’re a great group of kids and they’re a class act, and they know we’ll walk out of here with our heads high, and wish St. John’s Prep the best. They won the championship.”

 

‘The Last of Us’ actor, deaf youth hockey player meets Alexander Ovechkin in heartwarming video

Keivonn Woodard, a 10-year-old actor on “The Last of Us,” met his idol Alexander Ovechkin and took the ice with the Washington Capitals.

Even actors can still get starstruck. 10-year-old Keivonn Woodard, recognizable from the hit TV show The Last of Us, practically froze when he walked into the Washington Capital’s locker room on Friday and saw his idol, legendary player Alexander Ovechkin.

Woodard, who is deaf, intends to be the first deaf Black hockey player in the NHL. He proved that you don’t need to hear a person scream or yell to know they can barely contain their excitement.

After staring for a second, he turned to the American Sign Language interpreter and signed, “Oh, you’re Ovi,” according to an NHL.com article.

Ovechkin presented Woodard with a signed hockey stick, and Woodard taught the star how to sign his name in ASL, according to USA TODAY.

Woodard also met former Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly, one of 11 Black players who has played for the Capitals. Smith-Pelly participated in the puck drop for the Capitals’ pregame event, “Celebrating Black History.”

The Capital’s Twitter page posted video and photos of Woodard at the arena and with Ovi. The young hockey player even got some time on the ice, showing off his skating skills and flicking a shot into the upper right corner of the net past the impressed goalie.

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New Jersey HS hockey season on hold after indoor sports suspension

The beginning of high school hockey season in New Jersey has been put on ice until at least January.

The beginning of high school hockey season in New Jersey has been put on ice until at least January after the suspension of all indoor adult, high school and youth sports.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Monday that the suspension will go into effect on Saturday at 6 a.m. and will last until Jan. 2 due to recent COVID-19 spikes in the state. The suspension does not apply to college and professional sports teams in the area.

“We’re seeing outbreaks related to indoor sports, and this will help slow the spread,” Murphy said in a press briefing.

RELATED: NYSPHSAA delays high-risk winter high school sports until 2021

High school ice hockey season was scheduled to begin practices on Dec. 14 with games beginning on Jan. 14. It remains to be seen if the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) will now extend hockey season beyond its originally scheduled end date of Feb. 17.

“We’re hopeful that, with schedule modifications, the ice hockey season will be viable when the state’s pause is lifted,” the NJSIAA said in a statement shared with USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey, per CentralJersey.com. “The governor has made it clear that he wants high school winter sports to be played, based on the significant mental and physical health benefits they provide and in recognition of the seniors who desire one more season of the sports they love.

“NJSIAA looks forward to working with the Governor and his staff in this regard.”

New York planning accelerated decision on fate of winter high school sports

A decision on the fate of winter high school sports in New York could be coming sooner than originally expected.

A decision on the fate of winter high school sports in New York could be coming sooner than originally expected.

According to syracuse.com, the New York Public High School Athletic Association has set Nov. 30 as the date when winter sports such as basketball, hockey and wrestling can begin practice. This decision comes after a timetable for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision whether to allow high-risk high school sports this winter emerged.

Cuomo has said that he will make his decision on winter high school sports “before Dec. 31.” However, that does little for the outlook of winter high school sports in New York, as competition is usually underway well before the end of December. The uncertainty surrounding Cuomo’s timetable for a decision is why the NYSPHSAA elected to push high-risk fall sports cheerleading, football and volleyball to March.

State budget director Robert Mujica said Cuomo will “likely” address winter sports at some point in November on a conference call Wednesday.

“That obviously is beneficial to us because we were under the impression we wouldn’t get any new information until Dec. 31,” NYSPHSAA spokesperson Chris Watson said. “I think the timeline that was announced today is a good timeline for us to get some things figured out. What will happen next is we will wait and see what we can get from state officials. To know that athletics is on their radar is a good sign for us.”