
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO. — The best team doesn’t always win the ultimate championship, but the North Jersey Avalanche did just that in this year’s USA Hockey 16-U National Championship.
The undisputed top team in 16-U Midget hockey finished with a bang by beating the Colorado Thunderbirds, 5-1, in Monday’s championship game at Centene Community Ice Center just outside of St. Louis.
Left wing Quentin Musty showed why he’s one of the most highly regard ’05s in the country. He led the way offensively with three goals and six assists. Harvard commit Mick Thompson, the right wing on Musty’s line, scored three goals and four assists. Nick Moldenhauer, one of the top ’04s in all of Canada, potted five goals and added an assist. Defenseman Peter Lukas Klemm (Ridgefield, Conn.) had three assists. The team’s head coach was Vinny Smith, who is moving on to become the Midget director for the Long Island Gulls.