SPORTS

Vermont Shamrocks win U-19 national championship

Lauren Read
Free Press Staff Writer
The Vermont Shamrocks U-19 team lifts the national championship trophy after Monday's 2-1 overtime win in the USA Hockey Tier II final at Cairns Arena.

SOUTH BURLINGTON -  All game long the forechecking of Riley Yandow, Aliza Ellis and Katie Matott had the Connecticut Northern Lights bending under relentless pressure.

And with just under 10 minutes remaining in overtime, Connecticut finally broke under the dogged efforts of the Vermont Shamrock forwards.

“I wouldn’t want to go in the corner against Aliza Ellis,” Shamrocks coach Patrick Burke said. “There is no question that they really wanted it.”

Ellis and Matott won the puck in the corner, forced their way to the front of the net and created enough havoc that Yandow was able to jump on the loose puck and fire it under the bar for the 2-1 overtime win over Connecticut to win the USA Hockey Tier II girls U-19 national championship on Monday morning at Cairns Arena.

“We all started screaming,” Ellis said. “It was just a great feeling, I have never felt anything like it.”

It was the second national title for the Shamrocks program, which captured the U-16 championship three years ago. The U-19 select team featured players from across Vermont and northern New York.

This year, though, had a little something extra for the Shamrocks, who were the hosts for the 36-team tournament and wanted to make a splash on home ice.

“To win at home is really special,” Burke said. “These are all kids who play for their schools and all winter they represent their high school.”

They faced a tough task taking on the Northern Lights, who were unbeaten heading into the final and had allowed just two goals in five games.

“We were all hyped up and really excited,” Ellis said. “Really just keeping up a good mentality and playing physical. The energy really was the key factor today.”

The Shamrocks came out flying in the first period, matching the Connecticut speed with a physical game that resulted in the game’s first goal.

Yandow snared a loose puck at the side of the net and slid it past Northern Lights goalie Hannah Stone for the 1-0 lead. Matott and Ellis earned assists on the play, using their forechecking prowess to force the puck to the front of the crease.

“We are all just hard workers and we have a good forecheck,” Ellis said. “We are all really aggressive, I think together that works really well.”

Connecticut countered in the second, forcing goalie Vika Simons (19 saves) into the spotlight for the Shamrocks. The Essex player, who was coming off a shutout in the Division I high school state championship game, rose to the occasion with several highlight-reel caliber saves to keep Vermont in the lead.

Vermont Shamrocks defender Dakota Bilodeau rifles a shot at the net during the third period of the USA Hockey Tier II U-19 national championship game on Monday at Cairns Arena.

“Vika made a couple of saves where I had it on the scoreboard,” Burke said. “But that’s Vika. She is a great athlete and very competitive.

“We had two great goalies, (Mikaella) Doran played the whole game against Massachusetts (in the semifinals), one of the top-ranked teams in the country ... we wouldn’t have been here if she hadn’t had a great game last night.”

The Northern Lights were finally able to find a way past Simons with just over five minutes to go in the second –– Zoe Obourn tied it up 1-1 for Connecticut with one second left on a power play.

Vermont responded in the third period, heaping pressure on Stone. But the Northern Lights keeper made 11 stops in the third period and finished with 43 saves in the game.

Heading into overtime, it was much of the same for the Shamrocks. The Vermont team continued to pepper the Connecticut goal but had a slew of missed opportunities as they tried to grab the sudden victory and the national championship.

“We both got bounces back and forth and I just didn’t want (Connecticut) to get a fast break and get an easy one,” Yandow said. “We worked hard and we deserved it.”

Finally, Yandow was able to break through after another effective shift and the team kicked off a hometown celebration.

“It was kind of relieving,” the BFA student said. “We had played a solid three periods and I just wanted to win. I am glad it went in.”

This story was originally published April 4, 2016. Contact Lauren Read at 660-1855 or lread1@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/laurenreadVT

The Vermont Shamrocks U-19 team celebrates its USA Hockey Tier II national championship victory over the Connecticut Northern Lights at Cairns Arena on Monday.