MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – The Metro Jets, MJDP and Metro Jets Elite teams all took care of business at Mount Clemens Ice Arena in the second round of the USPHL playoffs and have advanced to USPHL Nationals next week in Utica, N.Y.
The Jets shut out the Buffalo Stampede in two straight games last Thursday and Friday, while the MJDP swept the Motor City Gamblers in a Sunday-Monday set and the Jets Elite won two straight in overtime over the Decatur Blaze, also winning both Sunday and Monday.
McKenna Baker was the OT hero for the Jets Elite Sunday afternoon, scoring on the opening shift 11 seconds into extra time to lift the Jets to a 5-4 victory.
Hunter Folgmann did the honors Monday afternoon, tallying his winner 9:37 into overtime for a 3-2 win.
“The boys wanted it in two, and they played hard to the very end of each game,” said Jets associate coach Tina Ciraulo. “We knew going into the second game that Decatur was going to come with everything they got with their season on the line. We kept pushing and didn’t let up. And got the bounces in OT. Now it’s back to work to get ready for what the ultimate goal has been all season.”
In Sunday’s game, John Spiridonakos netted two goals with an assist, Peter Spiridonakos collected a goal and two assists, Baker added an assist for a two-point game, and Matt Hopersberger also scored. Zach Robert finished with 29 saves in goal.
Connor Weiskerger scored two goals for Decatur, Connor Wilson and Trevor Peterson had one each, and goaltender Morgan Heck stopped 34 shots.
Wrapping it up Monday, John Spiridonakos popped the other two goals. Eliot Duerr made 50 saves between the pipes and also stopped Jakub Tomecek on a penalty shot late in the second period.
Wilson and Tomecek scored for the Blaze and Heck collected 49 saves.
For the MJDP, Andrew Parmentier turned aside all 26 shots he faced in a 5-0 win Sunday afternoon. Lucas Millmine went for two goals and an assist, Austin Combs a goal and two assists, Jacques Lavrack a goal and a helper, and Enrick Fournier also scored in the win.
Motor City goaltender Michael Massaro made 35 saves.
In Monday’s clinching game, Combs tallied two goals and three assists and Lavrack added two goals and a helper in a 8-3 win. Millmine posted a goal and three assists, Jack Noonan a goal and an assist, and Oliver McClough and Royal St-Cyr also scored. Austin Muirhead made 27 saves in goal.
Kohen Dixson scored twice with an assist and Jake Knieling and Shaun Zatelli each had a goal with an assist. John Kotsolidis also scored and Massaro finished with 22 saves.
“I thought we played a really good series and and executed our game,” Jets associate coach Jake Howie said. “Thought the entire series we played north with a lot of pace and limited the Motor City transition. Our special teams were huge, capitalizing on our power play chances, and our penalty kill was really good, too. Couldn’t be more excited for this group for punching their ticket to Utica and a chance to compete for the ultimate goal of a national championship. Now it’s back to work to get ready and clean a couple things up for when the puck drops in Utica.”
The Jets defeated Buffalo 12-0 Thursday afternoon and 11-0 Friday afternoon to close out their series.
Jack Waldo had two goals and three assists in the opener to go along with two goals and an assist from Alex Bedenko and two goals from Robert Vanderdonck. Ugo Lollier potted a goal with two assists, Emrik Froding, Carson Finney and Tyler Husted all had a goal and an assist, and Mason Cole and Luke Gaffney also scored. Alex Blankenship collected three assists, while Carson Redd and Brock Hart added two assists each to back Taylor White’s 15-save shutout in net.
Buffalo goalies Liam Letters and Charley Healey combined on a 47-save effort.
Cole and Waldo each registered two goals and an assist in Monday’s win, while Lucas Cassel chipped in four assists. Finney and Ethan Hellman each had a goal and two assists, Hart, Bedenko, Tyler Bautko and Viktor Sandell each had a goal and an assist, and Husted also found the back of the net. Gaffney tacked on two assists and Carson MacKenzie made 14 saves for the win in goal.
Letters and Lucas Prince made 37 saves in net for the Stampede.
The schedule for USPHL Nationals will be released Wednesday.
All USPHL games are available on FloHockey.tv.
