Japan has formally announced their 23-player roster for the 2026 Olympics in Milano Cortina. 

Former PWHL forward Akane Shiga headlines the roster up front. Shiga is in her second season with Lulea in Sweden scoring at a point-per-game pace this season, and February will mark the second Olympic Games for the 24-year-old. 

She's joined up front by Haruka Toko, who also plays professionally in Sweden, as well as five members of Daishin - Rio Noro, Riri Noro, Ai Tada, Umeka Odaira, and Rui Ukita. Rounding out their forward group are Suzuka Maeda, Mei Miura, Remi Koyama, Yumeka Wajima, and Makoto Ito.

Mei Miura was Japan's leading scorer at the 2025 Worlds. 

Aoi Shiga and Ayaka Hitosato will anchor Japan's blueline. The duo are playing in the SDHL this season with MoDo and Linkoping respectively. Nana Akimoto, Kohane Sato, Shiori Yamashita, Kanami Seki, Shiori Koike, and Akane Hosoyamada will round out the blueline, 

Miyuu Masuhara, who was Japan's starter at the 2025 World Championships is back in net. She'll be joined by Riko Kawaguchi and Rei Halloran in Japan's crease. 

RELATED: France Names Women's Ice Hockey Olympic Roster

The Eau Claire North boys hockey team is coming off a six-win campaign last year and is hoping to find its footing.

Huskies coach Ryan Parker has seen his roster shift from year-in to year-out, with this year showing a true test of its depth.

“We went through a phase where we graduated 24 guys in two years,” Parker said. “We had to start playing a lot of young guys early. Maybe they weren’t ready to play, but we had to start them early and the last couple of years have been very trying (with) a lot of growth.”

A 4-3 start to the season has seen highs like the Huskies winning their first two games and lows like losing to conference foes Hudson and New Richmond.

North’s biggest high, in its most lopsided game of the season so far, was its 13-1 win over Wisconsin Rapids on Dec. 16 at Hobbs Municipal Ice Arena.

“I feel like (we did) a lot of the little things right,” forward captain Garrett Stange said. “We were working hard down low. Bearic (Wolle) was finding the back of the net a lot that game so that helped a lot.”

A senior forward, Wolle notched a hat trick against the Red Raiders. His five goals this season is tied with defenseman Cam Moseler for the team lead.

“We had a pretty bad first period (with) only one goal,” Wolle said. “Our second period, we had nine goals (by) pretty much just pounding home around the net.”

The younger Huskies also helped pick up the slack, as freshman defenseman Bennet Pecor tallied two goals and two assists, sophomore forward Ty Haats had two goals and junior defenseman Easton Parker had a team-high five points (one goal, four assists).

North junior goaltender Carter Duss also had 21 saves and boasts a 2.73 goals against average in five games this season.

“Everyone was just stepping up and playing their role in what they needed to do,” forward Westley Thillman said.

“We got a lot of young guys stepping up, taking on some pretty big roles and doing what they have to do,” Stange said.

The Huskies still have 11 seniors, including Stange, Thillman and Wolle, who have all felt the need to improve their recent standing in the Big Rivers Conference. North has won a combined four BRC games over the last two years, finishing last in the 2023-24 season and only above Menomonie last year.

“We got a lot of guys with experience from past years,” Wolle said. “We’re really using that to get above where we’ve been in past years. I feel like this year we got a pretty good chance to do that.”

Parker said his team still needs to work on its in-zone offensive presence and its ability to play calmer and more together as a unit.

“We work fairly hard in our d-zone and I think we need to get a little more of a rhythm, a little more flow as we enter the offensive zone,” Parker said. “Then, our in-zone offensive play, we have to get that clicking a little smoother and fluid. Once we get that down, we should create a lot more opportunities.”

More opportunities will come for North heading into the new year as it competes in the Rocket Red Nose Classic holiday tournament from Dec. 28-30 in Appleton.

“(It’ll come with more) playing, listening, executing and trying to keep understanding where we’re at and what we need to keep growing,” Parker said.

With teams like NHM, New Richmond, Bay Area, Middleton, University School of Milwaukee, Tomahawk and Stevens Point Area Senior High, the tournament is a true measuring stick for the Huskies.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Stange said. “I think we got a pretty good chance of doing pretty good this year.”

“I’m excited to play some of the top teams in the state,” Thillman said. “They’re going to push us and we’re hopefully going to push them.”

“New guys to hit, new guys to score on,” Wolle said.

The Professional Hockey Players' Association self-imposed strike deadline for its ECHL members passed at noon, Friday, Dec. 26, with varying results.

Teams like the Atlanta Gladiators, Adirondack Thunder, Cincinnati Cyclones, and Toledo Walleye all announced their Friday games are postponed. The Jacksonville Icemen announced their game against the Orlando Solar Bears is expected to be played.

What about the Florida Everblades?

The Blades are scheduled to open a three games in three nights run starting Saturday, Dec. 27, against the Reading Royals. As of 1:30 p.m., Dec. 26, a Blades spokesman said there is no change to the schedule as of yet.

Previously: Are Florida Everblades players going on strike? ECHL union votes say yes

The hockey league has been operating without an active collective bargaining agreement since the previous deal expired in June. The league posted a statement on its website the morning of Dec. 26 stating it made its “last, best, and final offer” on Christmas Day.

"While we did not receive a formal response, we have heard from certain players that they will not be reporting for their scheduled games. We strongly encouraged union leadership to submit our offer to a vote of its membership, but we do not believe that happened," the statement read.

How will the strike affect the Florida Everblades?

The Blades could lose a significant number of home games if there is a prolonged work stoppage. That would impact Florida fans wanting to watch the Blades over the holidays with five games on tap in an eight-day stretch.

The Blades are scheduled to face the Reading Royals three times at Hertz Arena for a Peanuts Weekend promotion on Dec. 27 and 28 and a New Year's Celebration on Dec. 29, and the Orlando Solar Bears on Jan. 2 and Jan. 3.

The Blades are in their 28th year and have been one of the ECHL's most successful programs with a league-high four Kelly Cup titles, including three straight from 2022-2024. Through play Dec. 22, Florida is in first place in the South Division and second place in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the Wheeling Nailers, with 40 points and a 19-6-1-1 record.

As fas as the players, besides not being paid during the strike, they will also lose team-provided housing and medical benefits.

The ECHL proposal

Provisions of the most recent proposal from Dec. 25, posted to the website of the 30-team ECHL, offered some increases to the previous offer. The latest proposal included an immediate 19.8% increase to the salary cap for this season to be paid retroactively from the start of the season upon ratification, which is higher than the 16.4% increase proposed before.

The proposal also called for additional salary cap increases in future years, which would increase total player salaries nearly 27% from the current cap. The ECHL will continue to cover 100 percent of player costs for fully furnished housing, utility and internet costs, and medical and dental benefits.

They have also made several proposals aimed at improving health and safety, including mandatory days off, addressing travel between back-to-back games, and modifying holiday and mid-season breaks.

The players' association position

Although not publicly addressing the latest proposal, the players' association previously said the economic portion of the proposal fails to keep up with the pace of inflation compared to the prior collective bargaining agreement, which took effect in July 2021.

In addition, the union cited other issues, including clubs supplying players with used equipment and excessive travel schedules.

"The league shows no concern or regard for players' travel schedule and has said that the nine-hour bus trip home should be considered our day off. Until a few days ago, the league was not prepared to give us a day off per week, and they refused to negotiate a meaningful holiday break that allows players to be home with our families, which would be consistent with professional hockey in North America," the PHPA said in a Dec. 22 open letter to fans.

The association also said that it has filed a new unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, stating that the league directly communicated with "inaccurate and inappropriate" statements to players regarding bargaining issues during the past week, rather than negotiating through the PHPA's committee.

The PHPA reports that it represents more than 1,800 players in both the ECHL and the second-tier American Hockey League.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: ECHL players go on strike. Where does that leave the Florida Everblades

Dec. 26—GRAND FORKS — Matt Smaby was asked what he likes about this year's UND hockey team.

"How much time do you have?" he responded.

Then, UND's first-year associate head coach got into it.

"A lot," he said. "If you take the results out of it, take the hockey out of it, we have really good kids. That is the starting point for success for any good team. You need character, you need leadership, you need full buy-in from the guys. And you need a group of guys that really gets along well together. That's what we have in this room. We feel we have a tremendous group of kids in that room that really want to do it the right way."

The Fighting Hawks have returned from Christmas break to begin preparations for the second half.

The first half went about as well as they could have imagined under first-year head coach Dane Jackson, considering the massive roster turnover — 15 new players, which ties 1973 and 1951 for the most in a single season since Year 2 of the program.

UND is 14-4 and ranked No. 4 nationally. It is also No. 4 in the NPI, which is used to select and seed the NCAA tournament.

"I think we put ourselves in a really good spot," Smaby said. "The key for us is not the start, it's the finish. So, to build moving forward is the most important focus point for the group. We've still got better, we know that."

UND finished the first half of the season going 10-1 in its last 11 games. It swept St. Cloud State and Omaha in the last two weekends, but Smaby didn't think the Fighting Hawks were at their best in those games.

"If you look at the last four games heading into the break, probably not our best in regards to team play, but we still found a way," Smaby said. "I think the second half, it's really cranking it up, tightening things up, really continuing to grow our game a little bit day in and day out, and really looking to keep building. Really good first half. Happy with where we're at. But we're turning the focus point moving forward and trying to get better."

The Fighting Hawks host Mercyhurst on Jan. 2-3 in their final nonconference series of the season.

UND will be shorthanded for that series.

Forward Cole Reschny, forward Will Zellers, defenseman E.J. Emery and defenseman Keaton Verhoeff are at the World Junior Championship in the Twin Cities. They will all miss the series.

Junior defensemen Jake Livanavage and Abram Wiebe are at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland. They are expected to arrive in Grand Forks on Jan. 2, but that arrival could be expedited if the U.S. Collegiate Selects are eliminated early.

If Livanavage and Wiebe are unable to play, UND will have five defensemen for the Mercyhurst series — captain Bennett Zmolek, Andrew Strathmann, Sam Laurila, Jayden Jubenvill and Ian Engel.

"We talk about our goals at the beginning of the season," Smaby said. "What are our big aspirations? We know that taking care of nonconference is extremely important for us. We've got two more coming out of break that are going to be extremely important as well. We have to be super dialed, super focused."

There were several factors behind UND's big start.

In net, freshman Jan Špunar has been sensational, going 9-0 with a .934 save percentage.

On the back end, UND's defensive corps has been as good as advertised.

Up front, Ben Strinden is having a breakout senior season. Strinden leads UND in goals (11) and points (19) at the break.

But UND's depth has worn out opponents, too.

"I really like a lot of the things our team is doing," Smaby said. "I know the rest of the coaching staff does as well. Regardless of the outcomes, the team is playing really hard. That's a great baseline to have. If you make mistakes giving 100% effort, it's much easier to correct those. That's what our team has shown in spades. They're not perfect, but the guys are working really hard.

"If we can carry that over, having that baseline work as we evolve, as we work on things, as we fix things, it becomes much easier for the group."

It might seem like an odd question for a player who was a 12th round pick to enter the PWHL, but if you look at Rebecca Leslie's career, it's easy to see that had the PWHL existed sooner, her trajectory may have placed her alongside the names many in Canada have come to know through their national team play.

Leslie, getting her first chance in her three season PWHL career to play top line minutes this season with the Ottawa Charge, has responded showing the scoring and playmaking skills she was known for earlier in her career. Through eight games this season, Leslie is sitting in the top ten in PWHL scoring with seven points. 

Heading into the NCAA, Leslie was a high scoring forward with the Ottawa Lady Senators in what is now called the OWHL U-22 Elite league. That year, 2014, Leslie also won gold with Canada's U-18 national team scoring five points in five games on a team that included Hannah Miller, Micah Zandee-Hart, Sarah Potomak, and Victoria Bach, who all got their chance with Team Canada.

At Boston University, Leslie totalled 171 career points, good for fourth overall in program history, one spot behind Marie-Philip Poulin who sits third all-time among Terriers. When it comes to assists, Leslie is Boston University's all-time leader with 102, two ahead of Poulin, and eight ahead of Bach. Leslie captained the program in her senior season.

The following year, 2018-2019, Leslie turned pro in the CWHL scoring 26 points in 27 games for the Calgary Inferno, who won the Clarkson Cup that season. That Inferno roster included future Hockey Hall of Famer Brianna Decker who Leslie tied for third in team scoring, as well as her current linemate and Canadian national team star Brianne Jenner. The roster also included long time Canadian and American national team members Blayre Turnbull, Rebecca Johnston, Kacey Bellamy, and Brigette Lacquette, among others. In fact, of Calgary's top eight scorers that season, Leslie was the only player who didn't represent Canada or the United States at multiple World Championships or Olympic Games.

When her season with the Calgary Inferno ended, that's when her upward trajectory hit a speed bump.

In 2019 the CWHL folded, and from that was born the PWHPA. Leslie, who joined the PWHPA was one of the many outside the North American national team members who saw the number of team practices and games plummet in that era, just as she was beginning to climb.

In 2020-21 and 2021-22, Leslie only played 10 total games, scoring 12 points. 

But when the PWHPA ramped up their competitive level in 2022-23 with Leslie playing for Team Sonnet, she didn't produce. In 20 games that season she had only three assists. It was the final impression before the birth of the PWHL.

It's why no one batted an eye when PWHL Toronto took Leslie in the 12th round, 71st overall in the inaugural draft. She wasn't expected to step in and be a scorer.

In that inaugural season, despite seeing some of the lowest ice time of any member of PWHL Toronto, Leslie tied Blayre Turnbull for seventh in scoring on the Sceptres with nine points in 24 games. Every player above Leslie that season on the Sceptres played for Team Canada at this year's Rivalry Series. 

Moving to the Ottawa Charge in the second season of the PWHL, Leslie's two-way impact became more evident, although she was again buried in a depth role with the Charge, this time with less offensive success. 

This season however, getting her first scoring line opportunities since the NCAA and CWHL, Leslie is thriving. She's using her combination of speed and puck skills to get herself into scoring positions, or to set up her linemates.

Leslie's emergence has also played a role as the Ottawa Charge have become more competitive following a sluggish start. Although it's still early, Rebecca Leslie could be the PWHL's breakout player of the year. It also leaves you to wonder, had Leslie spent the last four years on a top line in the PWHL, would she be in the running for a spot with Team Canada like many of her past and present teammates?

Four NCAA women's hockey teams - Minnesota-Duluth, Harvard, Quinnipiac, and Boston University are heading to Belfast, Northern Ireland for another instalment of the Friendship Series. It's the first time the event will feature four teams taking place on January 2 and 3.

"We are looking forward as a program to the educational experience and team building opportunities for student-athletes this incredible tournament will provide," said Minnesota-Duluth head coach Laura Schuler when the 2026 Series was announced.

"We are proud to be a part of the first four-team women's tournament, and really excited to reconnect in person with all our European Bulldog alumni."

"This is an amazing opportunity this is for our program," echoed Laura Bellamy, Harvard's women's hockey coach. "We are so fortunate to have this chance to play in this tournament and give our team this once in a lifetime experience. It will be an honor to represent Harvard on the world stage in this historic event next season."

According to Sarah Fraser, Deputy Director of Athletics at Quinnipiac University, it's been exciting to watch the event grow in that span.

"As we approach a decade of the Friendship Four, it's been fantastic to see how the tournament has gone from strength to strength. Undoubtedly, the significance and impact of the games reaches far beyond the ice, offering student-athletes a rounded cultural experience in Belfast. Looking ahead to the next two tournaments, I feel particularly proud that 2026 will see the first four-team women's tournament take place at The SSE Arena, Belfast, providing a great opportunity to showcase the up-and-coming talent within the female game."

Harvard is the only of the four teams that does not include European talent as the other three feature players from Sweden, Czechia, Germany, France, and Finland. 

Minnesota-Duluth and Quinnipiac are both currently top 10 ranked programs in the nation.

The Binghamton Black Bears are no strangers to what it feels like to hoist the Commissioner’s Cup. The team is the current two-time defending champs, winning the Federal Prospects Hockey League finals (FPHL) against the Twin City Thunderbirds in both 2024 and 2025.

But what about this year?

With only two losses out of the 23 games played so far, the Black Bears look like they’re on track to have yet another historic season.

More: Binghamton Black Bears vs. Carolina Thunderbirds | Commissioner's Cup Finals Game 3 Highlights

The stats tell a story

The team is currently on a fiery 12-game win streak. In their most recent win against the Danbury Hat Tricks, they scored a season-high 11 goals in the victory, showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.    

The Black Bears almost had a similar outcome in the second game of the four-game series, where, ironically, forward Nicholas Swain scored a hat trick in the first half of the game against the Hat Tricks, contributing to the eventual 8-3 outcome.

So far, the team has averaged a little over 5 goals per game, with a total of 121 goals and a positive goal differential of 66, the highest in not only the Empire Division but the entire league. The Black Bears are also sporting an 88.4 winning percentage and a 91% penalty kill rate, which also tops the league.

Looking Ahead

The Ontario native Kyle Stephan, who finished last season with 15 goals and 22 assists, is the 8th forward from last season's championship squad to re-sign with the Black Bears in the past year. The combination of re-signings and 12 new signings, including rookie defenseman Sergei Scherbakov, who is currently the youngest player to be added to the Black Bears roster, will be pivotal for the 2025-26 season.

Given that the Black Bears were only founded a couple years ago in 2021 and have had nothing but winning seasons since then, it is safe to assume that this year will be just as victorious.

With the Continental Division looking a little different this year ― the Athens Rock Lobsters (17-3) and Monroe Moccasins (16-6) hold the top two spots in the division, as opposed to the Black Bears’ usual championship opponent, the Twin City Thunderbirds (formerly the Carolina Thunderbirds) ― it’s unclear who the team may face off against in the Commissioner’s Cup final.

Until then, the Black Bears will look to continue their unbeaten streak as they take on the Watertown Wolves on Friday, December 26^th at Watertown Arena to start a five-game series.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Binghamton Black Bears hockey team off to tremendous start in 2025-26

Santa Claus made an appearance at the United Center on Tuesday night. He sounded the horn before the puck drop of the Chicago Blackhawks game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Hawks wanted a win for Christmas. They got more coal instead, with a sixth-straight loss in regulation, this time a 3-1 contest to the Flyers.

Scoring was hard to come by once again for the home team without Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. The Hawks have scored just eight goals in the absence of Bedard this season, a 1.6 goals-per-game average across five games.

At 13-17-6, they’re at the bottom of the NHL standings going into the Christmas break. It’s a far cry from the playoff talk that surrounded the team heading into Thanksgiving.

“We’re doing our best, I don’t think we’re focusing on what’s been in the past,” a dejected André Burakovsky said. “We look forward to the next game and try to find success.”

Photos: Philadelphia Flyers 3, Chicago Blackhawks 1

Without Bedard and Nazar, the Hawks don’t have a forward who is decisive in shooting the puck. The home team had four shots on goal in the first period.

The Hawks prevented the Flyers from utilizing the center of the ice for a good portion of the first period. Philadelphia right winger Travis Konecny was able to find a crack in the Hawks’ defense at 10:17 in the first to go up 1-0.

The power play, despite not seeing a goal with a man advantage, produced some looks for the Hawks in the second. They took 10 of their 21 shots on goal in the second period.

“In the end, we had more chances than they did (but) we didn’t score,” Hawks coach Jeff Blashill said. “On the power play there at the end, we generated chances (and) that was probably our best power play.

“(We got to) keep grinding and find a way to score.”

Ryan Donato scored a goal for the first time since Nov. 28 at 18:30 in the second period. It was a sigh of relief, even with the chances he’s generated.

“I think it’d be different if I wasn’t getting the chances, that would be a little scary,” Donato said. “Definitely a little bit of weight off the shoulders.”

It can be tough to deal with a skid like the Hawks are on, especially with a young team. But the skaters seem to be keeping their heads up.

“The young guys are actually always positive, in great moods and happy-go-lucky guys,” Donato said. “It’s a matter of finding a way to win.

“There’s no negative attitude, there’s no feeling sorry for ourselves. I think everybody’s hungry to push in the right direction.”

Spencer Knight (17 saves) skated off the ice near the end of the third period, down 2-1. It was poorly timed, as the Flyers went on a breakaway with right winger Carl Grundstrom scoring the empty-netter to put Philadelphia up by two.

“I made the decision to pull him,” Blashill said. “I thought we were getting possession (and) we didn’t get possession, so that’s on me.”

Nick Lardis seems to be the Hawks’ best chance at putting shots in the back of the net without Bedard and Nazar. His ice time increased to 10:32 against the Flyers compared to 8:17 on Saturday in Ottawa.

He didn’t have any shots on goal, but he was active on the power play. The young player also got into a scuffle with right winger Matvei Michkov early in the third, sending them both to the penalty box.

“When you get into those type of combative situations, that brings the emotional level of the whole building up,” Blashill said. “At least it puts (the team) in a position to have that emotion rise, which I think is a good thing.”

If Lardis’ ice time is going to increase, Blashill is looking for a few things from the young winger.

“I would say finding space at this level, he’s not really fast and he’s not really big,” Blashill said. “He’s a good skater (but) he’s not going to separate himself with his speed, so I think he’s got to find the right spacing.”

For now, the Hawks need to enjoy the holiday break. With the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders on the horizon, things aren’t getting easier.

“I think with where we’re at, (the break is) probably a good thing,” Blashill said. “I love Christmas, I love seeing my family and I’m sure a number of guys are the same way.

“Flying to Dallas that first day coming out is a hard thing, but we’re going to have to find a way to grind.”

Dec. 23—The Austin boys hockey team lost to Pine City 3-2 in overtime on the road Tuesday.

Austin (2-7 overall) tied the game at 2-2 when Trent Rubin scored with 1:27 left in the third period, but it fell short in the extra session.

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Eli Krueger scored the first goal of the night for the Packers.

Pine City (5-4-1 overall) took a 2-0 lead in the first period, but the Packers were able to get back in the game.

Dec. 23—GRAND FORKS — College hockey is sending an all-star team to the Spengler Cup for the first time.

The U.S. College Selects will compete in Davos, Switzerland, from Dec. 26-31, in a six-team tournament that has been held since 1923.

But they don't want it to be the last.

"We understand the responsibility to college hockey players in the future to have this opportunity and platform," U.S. College Selects coach Guy Gadowsky said. "We want to represent college hockey extremely well so we continue to get to do this."

The U.S. College Selects began building the team by offering spots to last year's All-Americans — a reward for staying in college another year.

UND's Jake Livanavage was one of those players. The other returning All-Americans who accepted invites were defenseman Mac Gadowsky (Army, Penn State), UConn forward Joey Muldowney, Penn State forward Aiden Fink and Minnesota State goaltender Alex Tracy.

All-American goalies Trey Augustine of Michigan State and Albin Boija of Maine were unable to join the Selects.

General managers Steve Metcalf and Sean Hogan continued building the team with players who had strong starts to the 2025-26 NCAA season like Fighting Hawks defenseman Abram Wiebe, Minnesota Duluth forward Zam Plante and Denver defenseman Eric Pohlkamp of Brainerd, Minn.

College hockey officials acknowledged to the Herald that they're hoping to build a rapport with the Spengler Cup to bring future NCAA all-star teams.

It might not be an annual thing, but it could be biennially.

"We're the pioneers in this tournament," Gadowsky said. "We're going to learn a ton about how to improve it for future years."

The benefits of the Brian C. Stone Memorial Christmas Hockey Tournament show themselves at the most important time of the year.

Hosted at JFK Coliseum in Manchester and sponsored by Brady Sullivan Properties, the annual high school boys hockey tournament gives less experienced players — and their coaches — confidence when they are needed late in the season.

“Getting that ice time here, it helps build that confidence in them for when their number is called later in the season, because it will be with injuries happening and just overall growth,” said fifth-year Bedford coach Jon Garrity, who helps organize the tournament. “It also builds trust for the coaches knowing, ‘OK, this is the player I have and I’ve seen him do what I want him to do.’ And that’s massive, too — the trust that you start to gain with these kids in this tournament.”

NHIAA Division I teams Bedford, the Manchester Kings co-op program, Trinity, Concord, Bow, Hanover, Exeter and Division II Goffstown will participate in this year’s tournament, which begins on Friday and runs through Sunday.

The championship game is scheduled for Sunday at 8 p.m.

Concord is both the defending Division I and Stone tournament champion.

Trinity coach Mike Connell sees the tournament as a great opportunity to get young guys like freshman forward Hunter Therrien more experience. Therrien has been skating on a line with junior twin brothers Tristan and Cal Lucier, who both joined the team this season.

Connell will dress each of his 27 players.

“To me, it’s good to get the kids in and see something that maybe I didn’t see during tryouts or practice,” he said.

Manchester coach Jeremy Baker will also use the tournament as a development opportunity.

To compete against the top Division I teams like Concord, Trinity and Hanover, Manchester needs its young players to contribute, Baker said. Right now, Manchester’s top 10 skaters see most of the ice time, he said.

“When it comes to those games (against top teams), you really have to run three lines and you have to have at least five (defensemen) in the mix," said Baker, adding that, otherwise, players run out of gas by the third period.

The tournament is a season highlight for both players and coaches.

Trinity players enjoy wearing the team’s annual Christmas-themed jerseys during the tournament. This year’s sweaters look like Santa’s famous red suit.

The field of teams has become a Christmas tradition.

Named after the late Brian Stone, who coached and played at Manchester Central, the tournament for many years consisted of Central, Manchester Memorial, Bedford, Trinity, Concord, Hanover, Bow and Goffstown.

When Central, Memorial and Manchester West together formed the Kings co-op program in 2021, Exeter filled the tournament’s open spot. The Blue Hawks have participated ever since.

Coaches enjoy the camaraderie and the atmosphere at JFK, a beloved rink within the state’s hockey community, Garrity said.

“... People love playing there because of its history and just its feeling and the tightness of it — of how small it feels but it’s kind of intimate, in that way,” he said. “We have a good group of coaches. Most, if not all, of us really have a good relationship with each other and that makes it really easy to keep it going and communicate and make sure we’re doing it the right way.”

ahall@unionleader.com

Dec. 23—BEMIDJI — The Bemidji High School boys hockey team was just over five minutes away from getting out of the Bemidji Community Arena with a win over Roseau.

Then Jude Wittrock scored the tying goal on the power play.

Wittrock's tally knotted the game at 3-3. Abram Waage delivered the overtime winner 5:57 into the extra session.

Cal Mattfield, Camden Bentfield and Landon Knott discord for BHS (5-3). Quinn Niemi, Griffin Dewar, Dawson Schoonover, Eli Kringen and Mattfield all recorded at least one assist.

Roseau (3-6) picked up its first two goals from Anton Klint and Tanner Paulson.

Christian Hill made 25 saves in the loss for the Jacks. Roseau's Brendon Simmons stopped 29 shots for the Rams.

Roseau 4, Bemidji 3 (F/OT)

ROS 1 1 1 1 — 4

BHS 1 2 0 0 — 3

First period — BHS GOAL: Mattfield (Niemi, Dewar) 0:43; ROS GOAL: Klint (Paulson) 10:08.

Second period — BHS GOAL: Bentfield (Schoonover, Kringen) 1:24; BHS GOAL: Bentfield (Schoonover, Kringen) 1:24; BHS GOAL: L. Knott (Mattfield, Dewar) PPG, 11:20; ROS GOAL: Paulson (Klint, Hammer) 12:20.

Third period — ROS GOAL: Wittrock (Klint, Waage) 13:48.

Overtime — ROS GOAL: Waage (Hammer, Paulson) 5:57.

Saves — Hill (BHS) 25; Simmons (ROS) 29.

All good things tend to come to an end. For the Boston Fleet, that occurred on December 19th  when the team’s five-game win streak came to an abrupt end against the Minnesota Frost. ​

The Fleet lost 5-2, with Frost scoring two empty-net goals in the third period. ​There were many takeaways from the game; the biggest one was the way the team rebounded on Sunday, December 21, just two days later against the Seattle Torrent.

The Fleet earned a 3-1 victory over the Torrent and put themselves back into the win column.

The Boston Fleet have won six of their first seven games and are off to a remarkable start. ​The grit they showed coming off their first loss, combined with the adjustments they made, provides hope for what’s to come.

There were many takeaways from the two games. Below are the top five. ​

1. The impact of the Fleet’s rookies in these games.

The Fleet scored two goals against the Minnesota frost. The two goals were scored 24 seconds apart, both by rookies.

​Olivia Mobley scored first at 9:01, followed shortly by Riley Brengman at 9:25. ​Following the game, Mobley spoke about her feelings around scoring her first PWHL goal. ​

“It was cool. Obviously, it's fun playing in Minnesota in front of my friends and family. We would have liked a different result, but we have a fun group, and I'm just glad I got to help out."​

Mobley also earned an assist on Friday night. Her first two points (1G, 1A) were scored in front of her family, who were at the game. ​

The third-round pick finally got on the board and earned her second point, first assist, off of Brengman's goal. ​

The rookies not only stepped up in the first game against the Frost but also in the second against the Torrent. Riley Brengman scored her second goal of the season, a ‘jailbreak goal'. 

2. Goaltending security with Frankel/Levy

In the first loss of the season, the Fleet started Aerin Frankel for her sixth consecutive game. Prior to the game, Frankel had gone 103 minutes and 45 seconds without allowing a goal past her. Against the Frost, however, Frankel allowed her third, fourth, and fifth goals of the season past her on Friday. ​

Despite the loss, Frankel remains at the top of the league amongst all goaltenders. ​The Fleet decided to start Abbey Levy for her first game with the Fleet this season. Levy recorded her first PWHL win in three seasons, saving 26 shots she faced. ​

Following the game, Levy spoke about her first start as a member of the Boston Fleet.

​“It’s probably the hardest position to be in on a team, that bubble player, where you don’t know when you’ll get in. Coming from last season, I trained hard, I practiced hard, and I know I’d get a chance. Coming to Boston was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve felt the love from the players and staff. They gave me an opportunity, and I’m going to keep taking advantage of every one.”​

The Boston Fleet knew they had strength in their starter, but Levy’s performance on Sunday night against the Torrent proved that they can rely on their backup this season as well, putting them in a comfortable spot heading into the rest of the season. 

3. Kris Sparre is no longer an undefeated coach.

Kris Sparre won his first five games as a head coach. Despite no longer being undefeated, it is rare for coaches to begin their tenure that way. Sparre created a winning, hard-working identity for this team.​

Following his first loss, he shared his perspective on the game. ​

"It was an entertaining game, certainly if you're a fan. It was back and forth a bit. I thought we had some sustained pressure at times. I would've liked to have seen it a little bit more, but credit to Minnesota for playing a solid game. They were hard all over the ice." ​

Despite the loss, Sparre’s team rebounded and won two of their three road games during this stretch, showing notable resilience. ​

Assistant coach Stefanie McKeough shared the message the team had following their bounce-back win. ​

“We spoke as a group about it taking all of us, and I really think that showed today with a big shoutout to our goaltending…it was a really strong performance from top to bottom.”

4. Milestones and Achievements

The Boston Fleet made history against the Seattle Torrent.

The Fleet became the first team this season to win a game in which defenders scored all of the goals. Daniela Pejšová, Riley Brengman, and Megan Keller all found the back of the net in the 3-1 win. ​

The Fleet also made history as the first team to defeat both expansion teams, defeating the Vancouver Goldeneyes and the Seattle Torrent.

​Not only did the team as a whole accomplish several milestones, but several individuals also had success during the two-game stretch. ​

Megan Keller increased her consecutive games with a point streak to four games. ​

5. The rookies remain undefeated.

Boston Fleet rookies have all earned at least one point through six games this season. ​

• Haley Winn has four points, all assists.
• Abby Newhook has three points, all goals
• Olivia Mobley has two points, one goal, and one assist. 
  
  
  Riley Brengman earned her first point and goal of the season on Friday and her second on Sunday. She currently has two points, both goals. ​
• Ella Huber has one goal for the season. ​

Note: Although rookie goaltender Amanda Thiele has not seen ice time, she saw the lineup for the first time on Sunday, backing up Levy in Seattle. ​

The Boston Fleet remain in first place in the league. They now have a 6-0-0-1 record as they head into the holiday break.

The team will play their final road game of this stretch on Saturday, December 27th, against the Ottawa Charge.

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