2018-19 ECEL Playoffs 15U Recap

GUILFORD, CT. –  The East Coast Elite League (ECEL) capped its 2018-19 season with a thrilling playoff weekend February 8-10, 2019, at Pilgrim Skating Arena in Hingham, MA. The players and fans were treated to outstanding preliminary-round and consolation game action throughout the weekend with the champions being crowned for the advancing clubs in the 18U, 16U, and 15U divisions.

Congratulations to the 2018-19 champion 15U New Jersey Titans!

15U Division

SEMIFINALS

West Coast Renegades 4, Boston Advantage 1 – Forward Tucker Thorstad notched a hat trick, with the last two goals coming in the final 1:10, to help third-seeded West Coast earn a berth in the final. Renegades forward Martin Varga scored the actual game-winning goal with just 1:50 remaining in regulation.

After Thorstad gave West Coast the initial lead with less than two minutes left in the first half, Advantage forward Aidan Brazel tied the score early in the second half. Goalie Jack Nowicki turned aside 24 shots for the Renegades in the win.

New Jersey Titans 2, Elite Hockey Program 1 – The fourth-seeded Titans built a two-goal lead by the 17:06 mark of the first half on goals from Jakob Mutschler and Alexander Sech, which were both set up by Anthony Dowd. Elite Hockey Program’s lone goal came on the power play from Maxwell Maisano with 2:03 left in the first half.

New Jersey goaltender Dmitrii Kapranov made the majority of his 18 saves in the second half to preserve the victory, while EHP netminder D’Mar McCoy kept the top seed in the game with a 34-save effort.

FINAL

New Jersey Titans 4, Boston Advantage 1 – Discovering the travel plans for the West Coast Renegades conflicted with the start of the championship game, the Boston Advantage were given a second chance to capture the first-ever ECEL 15U crown by stepping in for the semifinal winners. And the Advantage didn’t waste the opportunity, jumping out to the early lead on a goal from forward Will Kelleher.

Forward Shay Keating’s first goal of the game evened the score before halftime for New Jersey, and his second proved to be the game-winner just 2:34 into the second half. Robert Setteducati added an insurance goal for the Titans before Keating completed the hat trick to put the game out of reach for the Advantage.

Goaltender Dmitrii Kapranov stopped 17 shots in helping lead New Jersey to the title.