This past weekend (Sept. 18 - 20), the Esmark Stars AAA Hockey program had four teams in action.

The U18, U16 & U15 Midget teams opened their respective 2020-2021 NAPHL league schedules in Blaine, MN, while the 12U Pee Wee Major team played four games in Columbus, OH.

The U15 Stars opened NAPHL league play with a 1-0 shutout of Michigan Hockey Advancement Friday morning.  Joshua Coffee scored the game's lone goal with a little over three minutes remaining in regulation. Braden Burkey picked up an assist. Ian Amaranto started the game in goal and stopped all 11 shots he faced. Andrew Krakora came on in relief in the third period after starter Amaranto was injured, stopping all four shots he faced to complete the shutout and earn the win in goal.

Later on Friday, the Stars dropped a tough 4-3 overtime / shootout decision to the Janesville Jets AAA squad. Zakary Wilcox scored a pair of goals and Nathan Burlando added a goal, while Billy Kiray III picked up a pair of assists. Andrew Krakora suffered the shootout loss in goal, stopping 33 of the 36 shots he faced in regulation and 3-on-3 overtime, as well as the first shot he faced in the sudden-death shootout. Janesville would win the shootout, and game, in the second round of shots.

On Saturday, the Stars rebounded with an offensive explosion, skating to a 9-2 win over the Colorado Springs Tigers.  Billy Kiray led the offense collecting a three-goal hat-trick.  Luke Yost (2G, 1A) added a pair of goals, while Joshua Coffee, Alexander Thomas and Caden Lindo-Canfield each added a goal and an assist, and Nathan Burlando a goal in the win.  Braden Burkey picked up three assists, while Zakary Wilcox collected two assists, and Robert Kelly, Chantz Watkins, and Reid West each picked up an assist. Andrew Krakora earned the win in goal, stopping 18 of the 20 shots he faced.

Esmark's U15 squad closed the opening NAPHL showcase on Sunday dropping a tough 3-1 decision to the the Minnesota Walleye.  Alexander Thomas scored a power-play in the first period to knot the score at 1-1 with an assist to Joshua Coffee. But the Walleye would score a pair of third period goals to get the win. Andrew Krakora earned the win in goal, stopping 25 of the 28 shots he faced.

With the 2-1-0-1 showing at NAPHL I, the U15 AAA Stars overall record improves to 4-3-0-1.

The U16 Stars opened the long weekend with a  7-1 win over the Arizona Bobcats Friday morning. Sebastian Vogt scored a three-goal hat-trick to pace the Stars scoring attack. Milan Levcenko added a pair of goals and Brody Simko (1G, 1A) and Joseph Pankowski each added a goal.  Chase Williams picked up a pair of assists, while Zachary Hixon, Shane Kozlina, Liam McClain, Logan Scanlon, and Tristan Lloyd each added an assist.  Blaise Becker earned the win in goal, stopping 17 of the 18 Bobcat shots he faced.

Later on Friday, the Stars would drop a 2-0 decision to the Minnesota Magicians Elite.  Nikita Volski suffered the loss in goal, stopping  15 of the 17 shots he faced.

On Saturday, the U16 Stars picked up a 5-1 win over Meijer AAA.  Brody Simko scored a three-goal hat-trick to pace the Stars scoring. While Logan Scanlon (1G, 1A) and Joseph Pankowski each scored a goal. Shane Kozlina (2A), Milan Levcenko, Zachary Hixon and Tristan Lloyd earned assists.  Blaise Becker earned the win in goal, stopping 17 of the 18 shots he faced.

Esmark's U16 closed the NAPHL showcase on Sunday with a 2-1 overtime/shootout win over the Minnesota Blue Ox.  Zachary Hixon knotted the score at 1-1 with four minutes remaining in regulation with assists to Austin Peterson and Chase Williams. And following a scoreless 3-on-3 overtime, Milan Levcenko would send the Stars home with a win, scoring in the second round of the sudden death shootout.  Nikita Volski earned the win in goal, stopping 40 of the 41 shots he faced in regulation and overtime.  He also stopped both Blue Ox shooters he faced in the shootout.

With the 3-1-0-0 showing at NAPHL I, the U16 AAA Stars overall record improves to 4-2-0-0.

The U18 Stars (1-1-0-0) open NAPHL league play with a 3-1 win over the Arizona Bobcats on Friday.  Defenseman Yahor Ramanau, Liam Varmecky and Zachary Stoner each scored a goal.  Egor Busygin, Hunter Fairman, Cole Mitchell, Shane Miller, Regan Kallis and Michael Felsing each earned an assist. Nathan Dickey stopped 13 of the 14 shots he faced to earn the win in goal, as the Stars outshot the Bobcats, 42-14.

Saturday morning the Stars would drop a tough 2-1 decision to Michigan Hockey Advancement.  Michael Felsing scored the Stars lone goal, a shorthanded goal, with assists from Brayden Morgan and Cole Mitchell. Ethan Isaly suffered the loss in goal, turning aside 18 of the 20 shots he faced in goal, as the Stars outshot MHA 42-20.

Saturday evening, the Stars returned to the win column with a 3-1 win over the Colorado Springs Tigers.  Liam Varmecky, Hunter Fariman and Michael Felsing scored for the Stars. Justin Mettrick, John Camp, Zachary Stoner and Dominic Dezort earned assists.  Nathan Dickey earned the win in goal stopping 30 of the 31 shots he faced.  For the game, Esmark outshot Colorado Springs, 33-31.

Esmark's U18 squad closed the NAPHL showcase with a 8-1 win over Canadian Prep School TRC Academy.  John Camp and Dominic Dezort each scored a three-goal hat-trick and added a pair of assists to collect five point games, with Camp scoring a pair of power-play goals and Dezort a shorthanded goal.  Michael Felsing (1G, 4A) and Miles Morris also scored goals for the Stars. Liam Varmeck (2A), Yahor Ramanau, Robbie Aranos, and Regan Kallis added assists.  Nathan Dickey earned the win in goal, turning aside 23 of the 24 shots he faced.

With the 3-1-0-0 showing at NAPHL I, the U18 AAA Stars overall record improves to 4-2-0-0.

Meanwhile, the U12 AAA Stars traveled to Columbus, OH for four games.

The U12 Stars dropped a pair of games, 9-5 and  3-0, to the 2008 Indy Fuel on Saturday.

In game one, Alex Patsilevas scored a three-goal hat-trick to pace the Stars offense.  Ryan Crouse (1G, 1A) and Sean Goodman also scored goals for the Stars, who had three goals waved off.  Chase Secriskey picked up a pair of assists.  Corbin Holt suffered the loss in goal.

In game two against the Fuel, Gio Scally would suffer the loss in goal, stopping 27 of 30 shots he faced in a 3-0 shut-out loss.

On Sunday, the Stars and Ohio AAA BlueJackets split a pair of games with the Blue Jackets winning 5-2 and the Stars taking game two 5-4.

In the 5-2 loss to the Blue Jackets, Alex Patsilevas and Ryan Crouse scored goals and  Gavin Grant and Chase Secriskey picked up assists.  Corbin Holt suffered the loss in goal. 

In the 5-4 win over the Blue Jackets, Ryan Crouse paced the offense with a three-goal hat-trick. Joe Moore III and Connor Stivers also scored goals.  Alex Patsilevas (3A), Chase Secriskey (2A), Gavin Grant, and Sean Goodman earned assists.  Gio Scally earned the win in goal, stopping 24 of 28 shots he faced in goal.

With the 1-3-0-0 four-game weekend, the U12 AAA Stars overall record dropped to 2-4-0-0.