MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. — The Metro Jets are USPHL Great Lakes Division champions after defeating the Toledo Cherokee 5-4 in a winner-take-all Game 3 Sunday afternoon at Mount Clemens Ice Arena.
Toledo won Game 1 Friday night, 2-1 in overtime before the Jets came back with a 2-1 win of their own Saturday night.
The Jets now move on to the USPHL National Championship Tournament March 20-24 at the Ice Vault in Wayne, N.J.
Sunday, Monaghan’s goal at 7:29 of the third period stood as the game winner as Alek John and Pierce Ashcroft added a goal and an assist each and goaltender Rostislav Efremov made 37 saves.
AJ Zaccagni and Brycen Smith added goals and Sutton Majeske tacked on two assists.
For Toledo, Anthony DiFlora scored three goals, Callum Millar one, and goalie Caleb Kril finished with 35 saves.
In the middle game Saturday night, Ashcroft and Zaccagni scored for the Jets and Efremov stopped 27 shots.
DiFlora popped the lone Cherokee goal and Austin Nowak turned aside 31 shots in goal.
Opening up Friday night, DiFlora won it for Toledo at 11:43 of overtime.
John scored for the Jets and Trevin Johnson for the Cherokee.
Nowak made 45 saves and Efremov stopped 43 for the Jets.
At USPHL Nationals, an event the Jets have qualified seven straight years, tying a USPHL record, from the Ice Vault in Wayne, N.J., the Jets play round robin games against the Tampa Bay Juniors (Thursday, 1:45 p.m.), PAL Jr. Islanders (Friday, 4:45 p.m.) and Springfield Pics (Saturday, 8:30 p.m.).
The semifinals will then be played Sunday and championship on Monday.
All USPHL games are available on FloHockey.tv.
