THE MASS MAPLE LEAFS WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP >
The Mass Maple Leafs set many goals this year when they started training camp back in August.
Amongst the goals that were set by the Leafs were to win a regular season championship, a
league championship and conclude it all with a National Championship. The Leafs added more
goals and challenges every practice and every game as the season went on. They strived to
accomplish every challenge that was put in front of them.
The attitude from the very beginning of the season was to be never satisfied and always have a
chip on the shoulder. They donned that motto of not getting any respect no matter where they
went and it certainly stuck.
The season started with a week in a half long grueling training camp that concluded with a 7 day
Midwest trip playing 7 games versus Empire and CSHL teams. The Leafs defeated Syracuse
Stars from the Empire League who was one of the representatives in the Junior B Nationals 8-3
in their first game of the season. The Leafs on the trip were only able to muster one other win
and that being the Toledo Cherokee and a tie versus Motor City Chiefs. A very tired group then
had two days off and participated in two Labor Day tournaments versus some very tough MET
and Empire teams that saw them play 7 games in 4 days which included 3 in one day. Their
record after the first weekends of the season was 2-14-1. From that point forward the Leafs
rolled to a 59-9-3 tear that included a 39-1 league record to an impressive 61-23-4 overall
record. This record was versus college club, Junior A, B, C, independent teams as well as
Canadian Juvenile and Junior B teams.
The Leafs schedule that took them as far west as Peoria, Illinois to as far south as Raleigh,
North Carolina and as far north as Toronto, Ontario. This 88 game schedule showed the true
test of the player’s commitment of dedication, will power and focus on their main goal which
was to win a National Championship.
There was a main nucleus from last years National runner-ups and last year Premier League
runner-up teams that finished last season with a bad taste in their mouth. That main nucleus
included the coaching staff of Tony DeSilva, Kris Metea and Brian Travers along with the
following players: Andrew Pontes, Ronnie Paiva, Matthew Whitehouse, Zack Dupere, John
Lessard, William Dukeman, Eric Anderson, Peter Hasenfuss, Justin Howarth, Nick Smola,
Brandon Stukus, and Anthony Pellegrino.
The players that were added to this nucleus was the goalie tandem of Paul Karus and Gerard
Dunne, the forwards of Mike Rizzitano, Jamie Johe and Ilester Little.
The Leafs were helped by some mid season recruits that put the already strong Leafs lineup up
and over the top that provided an incredible depth to this already potent lineup. The additions
included defensemen Keith Pinto and Jason Alera along with forwards Jeff Petersen, Nash
Winters and Ryan Foley.
The Leafs top 10 in scoring included six players with at least 100 points. The leader was captain
Paiva with 189 points, Howarth with 144 points, Rizzitano with 138 points, Little with 126 points,
Whitehouse with 118 points and Hasenfuss with 101 points. The 100 point scorers were
followed by Petersen with 80 points, defenseman Dukeman with 69 points, Foley with 64 points
and Winters with 59 points.
The Leafs had two other players with over 50 points on the season. These players both had 54
points and also had something else in common being able to play multiple positions. Nick Smola
played forward and defense throughout the year many times both of them in a single game.
Zack Dupere who naturally is a goalie helped the team out as a forward with numbers being
down to start the season. He played so well at times it was tough to get the pads back on.
The Leafs were led in Nationals in scoring by Dukeman who had 10 points and Winters who had
9 points.
The depth was shown in the Championship game of Nationals in their 9-1 win over the
Charleston Wolverines. There was 9 different goal scorers and 15 players picking up at least
one point and fitting enough 60 minutes of domination.
With all the goals reached from training camp back in August there is only one thing that was left
to say and that was MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!
5/8/08 - Read about the Leafs in a national publication, USA Junior Hockey Magazine! Click here.
4/22/08 - Video of the USA Hockey National Tournament is available right now on-line and on DVD
from FASTHockey.com. They have coverage from the preliminary rounds through the finals
available for coaches, players, parents, and fans. Below is a link to go to access the game
videos. They are available on demand on FASTHockey.com or can be purchased on high quality
DVD's.
DVD Sales: http://www.fasthockey.com/video/wfDVD_sales.aspx
On Demand: http://www.fasthockey.com/video/ (users need to be logged in to see video on
demand)
4/10/08 - Here's another link to photos done from the Championship Game. http:
//usajuniorhockey.com/video/juniorChampionships/
4/2/08 - interested in seeing more photos from this year's playoffs? Thanks to Fran Rizzitano for
the following link.
4/1/08 - Click here for photos from Nationals!
3/30/08 - The Mass Maple Leafs Win National Championship, click here for complete story.
3/18/08 -THE MASS MAPLE LEAFS WIN THEIR 5TH CHAMPIONSHIP! Click here for entire story.
3/18/08 - For CHA Playoff Photos Click here!
Amongst the goals that were set by the Leafs were to win a regular season championship, a
league championship and conclude it all with a National Championship. The Leafs added more
goals and challenges every practice and every game as the season went on. They strived to
accomplish every challenge that was put in front of them.
The attitude from the very beginning of the season was to be never satisfied and always have a
chip on the shoulder. They donned that motto of not getting any respect no matter where they
went and it certainly stuck.
The season started with a week in a half long grueling training camp that concluded with a 7 day
Midwest trip playing 7 games versus Empire and CSHL teams. The Leafs defeated Syracuse
Stars from the Empire League who was one of the representatives in the Junior B Nationals 8-3
in their first game of the season. The Leafs on the trip were only able to muster one other win
and that being the Toledo Cherokee and a tie versus Motor City Chiefs. A very tired group then
had two days off and participated in two Labor Day tournaments versus some very tough MET
and Empire teams that saw them play 7 games in 4 days which included 3 in one day. Their
record after the first weekends of the season was 2-14-1. From that point forward the Leafs
rolled to a 59-9-3 tear that included a 39-1 league record to an impressive 61-23-4 overall
record. This record was versus college club, Junior A, B, C, independent teams as well as
Canadian Juvenile and Junior B teams.
The Leafs schedule that took them as far west as Peoria, Illinois to as far south as Raleigh,
North Carolina and as far north as Toronto, Ontario. This 88 game schedule showed the true
test of the player’s commitment of dedication, will power and focus on their main goal which
was to win a National Championship.
There was a main nucleus from last years National runner-ups and last year Premier League
runner-up teams that finished last season with a bad taste in their mouth. That main nucleus
included the coaching staff of Tony DeSilva, Kris Metea and Brian Travers along with the
following players: Andrew Pontes, Ronnie Paiva, Matthew Whitehouse, Zack Dupere, John
Lessard, William Dukeman, Eric Anderson, Peter Hasenfuss, Justin Howarth, Nick Smola,
Brandon Stukus, and Anthony Pellegrino.
The players that were added to this nucleus was the goalie tandem of Paul Karus and Gerard
Dunne, the forwards of Mike Rizzitano, Jamie Johe and Ilester Little.
The Leafs were helped by some mid season recruits that put the already strong Leafs lineup up
and over the top that provided an incredible depth to this already potent lineup. The additions
included defensemen Keith Pinto and Jason Alera along with forwards Jeff Petersen, Nash
Winters and Ryan Foley.
The Leafs top 10 in scoring included six players with at least 100 points. The leader was captain
Paiva with 189 points, Howarth with 144 points, Rizzitano with 138 points, Little with 126 points,
Whitehouse with 118 points and Hasenfuss with 101 points. The 100 point scorers were
followed by Petersen with 80 points, defenseman Dukeman with 69 points, Foley with 64 points
and Winters with 59 points.
The Leafs had two other players with over 50 points on the season. These players both had 54
points and also had something else in common being able to play multiple positions. Nick Smola
played forward and defense throughout the year many times both of them in a single game.
Zack Dupere who naturally is a goalie helped the team out as a forward with numbers being
down to start the season. He played so well at times it was tough to get the pads back on.
The Leafs were led in Nationals in scoring by Dukeman who had 10 points and Winters who had
9 points.
The depth was shown in the Championship game of Nationals in their 9-1 win over the
Charleston Wolverines. There was 9 different goal scorers and 15 players picking up at least
one point and fitting enough 60 minutes of domination.
With all the goals reached from training camp back in August there is only one thing that was left
to say and that was MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!
5/8/08 - Read about the Leafs in a national publication, USA Junior Hockey Magazine! Click here.
4/22/08 - Video of the USA Hockey National Tournament is available right now on-line and on DVD
from FASTHockey.com. They have coverage from the preliminary rounds through the finals
available for coaches, players, parents, and fans. Below is a link to go to access the game
videos. They are available on demand on FASTHockey.com or can be purchased on high quality
DVD's.
DVD Sales: http://www.fasthockey.com/video/wfDVD_sales.aspx
On Demand: http://www.fasthockey.com/video/ (users need to be logged in to see video on
demand)
4/10/08 - Here's another link to photos done from the Championship Game. http:
//usajuniorhockey.com/video/juniorChampionships/
4/2/08 - interested in seeing more photos from this year's playoffs? Thanks to Fran Rizzitano for
the following link.
4/1/08 - Click here for photos from Nationals!
3/30/08 - The Mass Maple Leafs Win National Championship, click here for complete story.
3/18/08 -THE MASS MAPLE LEAFS WIN THEIR 5TH CHAMPIONSHIP! Click here for entire story.
3/18/08 - For CHA Playoff Photos Click here!
Massachusetts
Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs
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Mission Accomplished!
Congratulations
2008 USA Tier III Junior C
Nationals Champions
Congratulations
2008 USA Tier III Junior C
Nationals Champions
| Congratulations 2008 CHA Junior C Major Champions |