WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. – After being off for the Christmas holiday, all three Metro Jets teams were back on the ice this past weekend, each playing four games at the USPHL Tampa Showcase at AdventHealth Center Ice.
The Jets finished with three victories, while the MJDP and Jets Elite teams each won a pair of games.
METRO JETS
Jan. 3 – Jets 6, Florida Eels 2
Jan. 4 – Jets 3, Coral Springs Jr. Cats 2
Jan. 4 – Tampa Bay Juniors 1, Jets 0
Jan. 5 – Jets 8, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes 2
“I’d say this was a very good showcase considering a long break from the holidays,” said Jets associate head coach Jamie Lovell. “We took six of eight points, and I think actually the game that we lost was probably our best game of the weekend. We just didn’t score.
“Our schedule doesn’t get any easier as we have a quick turnaround against two very good teams in Fort Wayne and Columbus coming up this week. We will literally get one practice and get right back into games, so we will try to get these guys some rest from the travel and get prepared.”
MJDP
Jan. 3 – MJDP 1, Hershey Cubs 0
Jan. 4 – MJDP 3, Jersey Hitmen 1
Jan. 4 – Typhoon Hockey Club 6, MJDP 2
Jan. 5 – Charleston Colonials 6, MJDP 0
“The Tampa showcase was a productive weekend of hockey for the guys,” Jets associate coach Jake Howie said. “It’s never easy to come off a long break like we had for the holidays and be sharp, but I thought we played pretty well for the most part. Obviously need to produce a little more offense and that will come with us just being a little more dangerous in the offensive zone and not settling from the perimeter.
“All in all, a good start to the second half.”
METRO JETS ELITE
Jan. 3 – Jets Elite 3, Florida Jr. Blades 2 (OT)
Jan. 3 – Jets Elite 3, Typhoon Hockey Club 2 (OT)
Jan. 4 – Tampa Bay Juniors 4, Jets Elite 1
Jan. 5 – Florida Eels 2, Jets Elite 1
“I thought we did a solid job coming out of the break and getting to work, especially on Day 1,” said Jets associate coach Danny Vanderwiel. “It’s getting to that point in the season where it is critical to start cleaning up our mistakes. We have to decide which version of ourselves we are going to be consistently.
“Excited to get home and get right back to work this weekend.”
This weekend, the Jets Elite hosts the Fort Wayne Spacemen Thursday and Friday at Mount Clemens Ice Arena for noon puck drops, the MJDP hosts Fort Wayne Friday at 2:30 p.m., while the Jets host Fort Wayne Thursday at 2:30 p.m. and then head on the road to play the Columbus Mavericks Saturday at 8:30 p.m. from the OhioHealth Chiller North.
All USPHL games are available at BlackBearSports.tv.
Photo/Matt Prieur
