Selects Black Finishes Top Prospects Unbeaten
by Michael Seitz
Jackson Fuller (top) gets set to go pregame for Team South while the Selects Black team celebrates their second win
East 0 vs South 1 (SO) – The South topped the East in a defensive battle, earning a 1-0 shootout victory. The victorious South was led by Jackson Fuller made all 15 saves necessary in his full 60 minutes of ice time. The East had William Karphed and Austin McNicholas in net. The goaltenders split the game. Karphed played the first 29:36, stopping all eight shots he faced. McNicholas played the final 30:24. He made 23 saves on 23 attempts. The South killed three minor penalties in the game while East killed two. East started the shootout ahead as Caden Olenczak found the back of the net. The South answered with their second shooter Brent Litchard scoring to even the contest at one apiece. East’s William-Francisco Parent was stonewalled by McNicholas in the fourth round while South’s Stepan Kuznetsov scored to give his team the shootout victory.
Selects Black 3 vs Central 1 – Selects Black’s multi-goal third period lifted them over Central 3-1. Goaltenders Niklas Erickson, Michael Manzi and Damon Cunningham kept the game scoreless through the first 35 minutes before the Selects Black finally broke the ice. Wisconsin’s Nate Farrell was responsible for the ice-breaking goal at 15:30 of the middle frame. The Selects led 1-0 after 40 minutes. Black doubled their lead thanks to Philadelphia’s Brock Jones 3:50 into the final frame. Central responded to make things interesting late. Luc Malkhassian scored representing Austin to cut the team’s deficit to one with just under four minutes to play. The Selects slammed the door on any potential comeback as Jones grabbed his second of the game into the empty net. Selects Black had their goaltenders split the game with Erickson going a perfect eight for eight in the first 30:49 and Manzi stopping 15 of 16 in the final 29:11. Cunningham stopped 19 of 21 shots for Central.
Selects Gold 4 vs Midwest 6 – Midwest outlasts Selects Gold to take the final Showcase game 6-4. The Selects got the scoring started with a pair of goals inside the first 10 minutes of the game. Bismark’s Wyatt Sypniewski broke the ice at 6:37 before Danbury’s Niko Tournas scored his second goal in as many days. The Midwest did cut into the deficit before the end of the period. Springfield Jr. Blue Logan Ganz grabbed the tally as the game went to the first intermission with Gold leading 2-1. That lead did not last long as a pair of Fairbanks skaters struck in quick succession. Caden Pendo scored at 5:12 in the middle frame before Cole Burke found the back of the net just 15 seconds later. The Selects struck back and tied the game at 15:37 of the second period as Tournas potted his second of the game. Midwest then retook the lead with just five seconds to play in the second thanks to Burke scoring his second. The Midwest put what appeared to be the finishing touches on their win with Wisconsin’s Braydon Beahm filling the empty net. The Selects grabbed a fourth goal inside the final 90 seconds as Tournas completed his hat trick. Carl Alexson stopped 19 of the 24 shots he faces for Gold while Lucas Szyszka and Frank Murphy both went 8/10 in the cage for Midwest.
