Sunday’s gauntlet of championship games started in Gilbert, where the U18 AAs faced a tricky test against the AZ Bobcats U16-Mahan. In a rematch of a Friday group stage game, where the Midgets lost 4-0 and were outshot 35-17, the Jr Devils kept the pace of play much closer on Sunday. The U18s limited the Bobcats to just 23 shots, but could not contain the talented AAA squad in a 6-0 loss. “I thought we played well [today],” said head coach Jeff Shevalier. “We ran into a few players who could just flat out fly…They took the open space and made plays.”

The Jr. Sun Devil Squirts clinched a berth into the Squirt B championship game on Sunday morning with a 4-2 win over AHU-Black, but were denied a title by the AHU-White Knights. Wilson Gray, who scored 9 goals in the tournament, gave his team an early glimmer of hope in the final with two 1st period goals. Despite the Knights pegging a goal back early in the 2nd, Gray completed his hat trick minutes later to restore the Jr. Sun Devil two goal lead. The 2nd half of the game was a different story, unfortunately for the Squirts. The Knights exploded for nine unanswered goals to end the game with a 10-3 win, running away with the Squirt B title.

On the other sheet of ice at Gilbert, the U14 AAs rolled into their Bantam AA Championship game against the CAHA Jr. Coyotes U13-Potvin. The Bantams walked through their first four tournament games, outscoring their opponents 24-5, highlighted by a dominant 7-1 semifinal win against the Alaska Jr. Avalanche on Sunday morning where Brent Scott scored a hat trick. The title game, however, devolved into a physical and chippy affair, leading the Jr. Devils to spend 14 minutes in the box in the first two periods alone. Austin Gloyd’s 1st period goal was all the Bantams could mustard offensively, as they managed just 12 shots on net in the game, eventually losing 4-1.

Elsewhere in the DYHA family, the U16 Combos went 1-2-1 in the Midget U16 AA division of the Thanksgiving Shootout, good enough for a 7th place finish. The Jr. Devils were led by Austin Chesworth and Michael Richitelli, who each scored twice.

The U12 04s tied for 2nd in the group stage in the Peewee Elite division of the Thanksgiving Shootout, but missed out on the Championship Game because of a tiebreaker. Despite losing in their consolation game, the Peewees got a big weekend out of Kelton Chadwick, who scored six times in four games.

The other Peewee team, the U12 04s, suffered a similar fate in the Peewee A division, failing to reach the semifinals. Ryan Jim registered three goals in the tournament, as the Jr Devils finished with a 1-3-0 mark on the weekend.

The U12 Combos were also involved in a Silver Stick Regional tournament during Thanksgiving weekend, flying to San Jose to partake. After winning their opener, the Jr. Devils slipped to three straight losses and failed to reach the knockout round. However, Jack Myerthall scored three goals, while Weston Eby and Tye Smuckler tallied two goals apiece.