By Florida Eels Staff
The Florida Cup proved to be an action-packed weekend of hockey! A battle between four teams, the Florida Eels, Tampa Bay Juniors, Palm Beach Typhoon and the Florida Jr. Blades, on who would win the ultimate in-season tournament prize the Florida Cup. Three years and the stakes grew higher. Would the Florida Eels, two-time Florida Cup Champions, win the Cup for the third year in a row, or would they be dethroned?
Premier Division
Florida Cup Championship Game Premier Division
The Florida Eels and the Tampa Bay Juniors played in the Florida Cup Championship game on Sunday, October 20, at 6 p.m. Both teams made their appearance for the third time in three years to battle for the chance to win the Florida Cup. Stakes were high, as the Florida Eels battled to remain the Florida Cup Champions, and as the Tampa Bay Juniors strived to dethrone the Eels title, taking home the cup for both the Elite and Premier Divisions this season.
Both the Florida Eels and the Tampa Bay Juniors were determined to grab the first point of the game, as the players continued to make phenomenal plays and goalies made remarkable saves. At the end of the first period, the scored remained deadlocked 0-0.
Both teams returned to the ice, with fire and grit, trying to gain the first point, the lead in the gam. At 17:47 in the second period, the Eels finally claimed the first point of the game, goal scored by Maximilian Ideström. The period closed 1-0, Eels.
In the third period, at 4:02 Tampa Bay Juniors tied the game 1-1, goal scored by Dawson Osborn. Tensions were high, as both teams were determined to advance. Players continued to lay on countless shots, hoping to get the puck through to the net. At 14:54, Xavier Charron scored the second goal in favor of the Eels, propelling the lead 2-1. Tampa Bay Juniors continued to fight to tie up the game through the very last second of play.
The Florida Eels claimed their third Florida Cup victory, with a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Juniors. Congratulations, Eels!
Consolation Game Premier Division:
The Palm Beach Typhoon and Florida Jr. Blades played in the Florida Cup Premier Division’s Consolation Game, Sunday, Oct. 20, at 3:00 p.m. Both teams wanted to claim a win for the weekend and came out ready to play. The Florida Jr. Blades opened the game with two goals in the first period, goals scored by Sander Georg Korrell and Simon Petrik. At the end of the first, Blades lead 2-0. In the second period, Blades scored their third goal of the game at 15:52, goal scored by Sander Georg Korrell.
Going into the third period Blades had a 3-0 lead over the Palm Beach Typhoon. At 3:33, Palm Beach captured their first goal of the game, scored by Jeffery Fowler, closing the Blades lead by one. Sander Georg Korrell, scored his third goal of the game for the Blades at 4:23. With a 4-1 lead over the Palm Beach Typhoon, Landon Bauer, claimed the Typhoon’s second goal at 11:28 in the period. Daniels Justovics, claimed the Blades final goal at 18:11, helping the Blades claim a 5-2 victory over the Palm Beach Typhoon.
Elite Division
Florida Cup Championship
The Elite Division Florida Cup Championship was held at 12 p.m. on Sunday, October 20, between the Tampa Bay Juniors and the Palm Beach Typhoon. Tampa Bay Juniors, returning for their third Florida Cup Championship game, and the Palm Beach Typhoon making their first Florida Cup appearance, both ready to put it on the line.
In the first period of play, the Tampa Bay Juniors claimed three goals scored by Owen Vachon, Kelan Jamison, and Talon Whaley. At Palm, 19:28 in the first, Palm Beach scored their first goal of the game, scored by Tyler Bonilla. Period closed with Tampa Bay Juniors head 3-1.
Palm Beach came back in the second period with their engines light scoring their second goal, scored by Henry York, at 2:31, bringing closing the Tampa lead by one. However, Tampa Bay Juniors responded with another three goals, scored by Owen Vachon, Adam Roberts, and Rene Krytinar. At 12:54 in the second Palm Beach captured their third goal, scored by Tyler Bonilla. Second period closed Tamp Bay Juniors 6, Palm Beach Typhoon 3.
Tampa Bay Juniors continued to lay on the pressure in the third period, scoring another four goals, Keegan Thurber, Ben Grossman, Rene Krytinar, and Dylan Hineman. Palm Beach scored an additional, two goals in the third, scored by Henry York and Donald Pratt.
The Tampa Bay Juniors, upon making their third appearance in the Florida Cup Championship had claimed a 10-5 victory and the title of Florida Cup Champions. Congratulations Tampa Bay Juniors!
Consolation Game Elite Division:
Florida Eels and the Florida Junior Blades played in the Florida Cup Consolation game on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 9 a.m. After a competitive game earlier in the week among the two clubs, both teams were focused and prepared to win in their rematch Sunday morning. Florida Jr. Blades opened the game with the first goal at 3:44 in the first, scored by Caleb Rae. After back and forth action, the Eels tied the game, at 19:35 in the first, goal scored by Tyson Gagnon.
In the second period, the Eels ignited and grabbed two goals at 12:10 and 14:29, goals scored by Jackson Carnes and Tyson Gagnon. Florida Jr. Blades continued with the pressure as they tried to close the lead, throughout the second period. Second period closed, Eels leading 2-1 over the Florida Jr. Blades.
At 13:05, the Florida Jr. Blades grabbed their second goal of the game, scored by Zachary Barta. Both the Florida Eels and the Florida Jr. Blades continued to battle back and forth trying to gain an extra point to their advantage. Both teams continued to try to make their advances, in the end the Florida Eels gained the win 3-2 over the Florida Jr. Blades.
