Championship game info:

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Tournament results, statistics, schedules: Click here

Perhaps the most intriguing match up of all the youth national tournaments in Buffalo, N.Y., was the very first game played in the 18 & Under Tier II division.

While not by the most conventional way, the Toledo Cherokees won the USA Hockey Mid-American District 18 & Under Tier II title.

The Flyers Youth eventually reached the USA Hockey U-18 Tier II National Championships, set for April 2-6 in Buffalo, with the help of a championship series forfeit win. Reaching the championship series, however, required the team to get out of a series of predicaments on its own.

John Tiano, coach of the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 18 & Under Tier II team, is well aware of the disadvantage of being a split-season team. His remedy is to keep everything simple.

Knowing that many of his former teammates were entering their final season of eligibility on the Virginia Wild 18 & Under Tier II team, Caleb Fletcher made the tough decision to leave the Little Caps and rejoin his buddies for one more run at a national title.

On March 16 at the Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, N.C., the Wild beat the Tampa Maple Leafs 5-3 to win the Southeastern District 18 & Under Tier II Tournament championship.

On the strength of three second-period goals, the Fairbanks Arctic Lions handed the California Stars a 4-1 defeat on Sunday afternoon, and in doing so brought home the Tier II 18 & Under Pacific District Championship.

The Flyers Youth hockey team is headed to the USA Hockey 18-U Tier II National Championships as Atlantic District representative. Team manager Joe York is proud of the way his team conducted itself in what turned out to be an unusual qualifying process.