By Murray Gleffe, Correspondent

ASHWAUBENON-With winter still firmly entrenched in NE Wisconsin, the USA Jr. Hockey Nationals came to Cornerstone Community Ice Center over the course of five days (April 5-9).

Hundreds of former NHL players including Sydney Crosby, Jeremy Roenick, and Jonathan Toews have played in this tournament back in their day as a stepping stone to bigger and better things.

The first Champion dates all the way back to 1938 when it was known as the Amateur Hockey Association of the US.

36 teams in three different brackets (Tier II 18 and U) took to the ice starting on Thursday with pool play.

Thousands were in attendance at all three rinks from every State imaginable!

Hockey games were played from early morning to late evening each day before the knockout round started on Sunday.

That set the stage for magic Monday and the final three games.

(2A Championship) In the feature game on rink number three, the Maine Moose defeated the Ashburn Xtreme from Virginia by a score of 5-2.

The Moose got on the board first just 88 seconds into the contest.

The Xtreme tied the game up in the middle period, but the physicality of the Moose was just too much as they tallied three final period goals to take the title.

In 1A Championship action, the Delaware Ducks stormed back from four goals down and defeated the Boise Jr. Steelheads by a final of 7-6.

The 3A Championship was won by Team Copper Country. They defeated the Wonderland Wizards (5-1).

Note: The Green Bay Bobcats took part in the 3A competition. They lost their first two games by a score of 3-1 before ending on a positive with a 5-2 victory over the McKinney North Stars. They did not advance out of pool play.