May 6, 2002

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. A total of 124 teams and more than 1,600 players competed in their respective 2002 USA Hockey National Championships, from April 3 through May 4, at sites in 12 different cities throughout the United States. Participating teams for the right to skate for national titles in Youth Tier I, Youth Tier II, Girls/Womens, Junior, and Adult Divisions.

Youth Tier I and Tier II Divisions included competition in Midget (17-and-Under), Bantam (14-and-Under), and Pee Wee (12-and-Under) age classifications. Girls age levels included 19-and-Under, 15-and-Under, and 12-and-Under, while womens teams competed in the Senior A and Senior B categories.

The Youth Tier I National Championships were all held April 3-7 in Colorado Springs, Colo. All three champions recorded their first USA Hockey National Championship in their respective divisions.

Level - Champion - Runner-Up - Score
12 & U: New Jersey Devils def. Long Island Royals, 3-1
14 & U: Los Angeles Junior Kings def. Madison (Wis.) Capitols, 3-0
17 & U: Team Wisconsin def. Pittsburgh Hornets, 2-1

The Youth Tier II National Championships were hosted by Philadelphia, Pa. (12-and-Under); Coral Springs, Fla. (14-and-Under); and San Jose, Calif. (17-and-Under). The South Boston Midget As claimed their second consecutive title in the 17-and-Under category, while the South Florida Golden Wolves and Belle Tire (Mich.) took the 12-and-Under and 14-and-Under crowns, respectively.

Level - Champion - Runner-Up - Score
12 & U: South Florida Golden Wolves def. Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Flames, 8-0
14 & U: Belle Tire (Mich.) def. San Jose Junior Sharks, 2-0
17 & U: South Boston Midget As def. Afton (Mo.) Americans, 5-2

Girls and Womens National Championship action took place in Anchorage, Alaska. Assabet Valley (Mass.) won its third National Championship in five years in the 12-and-Under category, and also claimed its third consecutive 15-and-Under championship. In the 19-and-Under category, the Syracuse (N.Y.) Stars won its second straight title. The Minnesota Blue Js skated away with top honors in the Senior A classification for the fourth consecutive year and Team Connecticut won its first Senior B crown.

Level - Champion - Runner-Up - Score
12 & U: Assabet Valley (Mass.) def. California Selects 4-1
15 & U: Assabet Valley (Mass.) def. Wisconsin Challengers 4-1
19 & U: Syracuse (N.Y.) Stars def. Ohio Flames 5-3
Senior A: Minnesota Blue Js def. Assabet Valley (Mass.) 4-3
Senior B: Team Connecticut def. Buffalo (N.Y.) Saints 4-0

The USA Hockey Junior National Championships were hosted by Bozeman, Mon. (Junior A); Blaine, Minn. (Junior B); and Indiana, Pa. (Junior C National Invitational Tournament). The Compuware (Mich.) Ambassadors of the North American Hockey League claimed the Junior A Gold Cup for the third time in nine years, while the Metro (Mich.) Jets captured their first Junior B Silver Cup. The New York Apple Core Selects earned the Junior C Bronze Cup.

Level - Champion - Runner-Up - Score
Junior A: Compuware Ambassadors (Mich.) def. Pittsburgh Forge 4-0
Junior B: Metro Jets (Mich.) def. Phoenix Polar Bears, 3-2
Junior C: New York Apple Core Selects def. Ramapo (N.J.) Rangers, 2-1

In the Adult Division, competition took place in Fond du Lac, Wis. (Elite and U.S.); Ellenton, Fla. (40-and-Over); Phoenix, Ariz. (30-and-Over); and Estero, Fla. (18-and-Over). The Phoenix Senior Coyotes claimed their second consecutive 30-and-Over title, while the New York St. Nicks earned their 12th overall USA Hockey National Championship crown.

Level - Champion - Runner-Up - Score
18 & Over: Sherwood Foods (Mich.) def. Buffalo Icemen (N.Y.), 6-0
30 & Over: Phoenix Senior Coyotes def. Team Easton, 4-3
40 & Over: North Carolina Eagles def. Metro Mortgage (Mich.), 9-3
U.S.: Calumet (Mich.) Wolverines def. Detroit State Utility, 4-2
Elite: New York St. Nicks def. Texarkana Bandits, 3-2