Team Indiana 18U Captures Veterans Cup Championship.
18U topped Team Toledo 5-4 for the Veterans Cup title, while 16U battled through five close games
Team Indiana’s 18U team returned from Michigan with a championship after holding off Team Toledo 5-4 in Sunday’s Veterans Cup final at Crystal Fieldhouse.
Indiana carried a 4-1 lead into the third period before Toledo mounted a late comeback. Team Indiana weathered the push, preserving the one-goal victory and avenging a 4-2 loss to Toledo one day earlier.
Jaxon Daigle powered the championship performance with a hat trick. Jaxton Geisel and Aiden Riem added goals for Indiana, with all five coming from Penn players.
“We had a line of three Penn players who dominated, taking advantage of the goalie’s weak five-hole,” said Brebeuf Jesuit senior forward Sam Nefouse, who missed the championship game with a sprained ankle.
The title completed a 3-1 weekend for Team Indiana, which opened tournament play late Friday with a 4-2 victory over the Columbus Chill at 810 Sports Complex.
“We came up Friday night and everyone was ready to play some hockey,” Nefouse said. “Everyone was hyped up, and a couple people, including myself, missed homecoming weekend for this tournament.”
Nefouse recorded an assist on Indiana’s fourth goal against Columbus.
Team Indiana suffered its only defeat Saturday morning, falling 4-2 to Team Toledo in what ultimately became a preview of the championship game. The group responded later that day with its most commanding offensive performance of the tournament, defeating KOHA 18U 10-3.
Nefouse scored in the victory before the ankle injury kept him out of Sunday’s final.
“Overall, it was an electric weekend,” Nefouse said. “We had a lot of goals, everyone was buzzing and it was just hockey for three days straight. The team this year is a lot of fun, and we’re looking at a great couple of tournaments this season.”
The championship was an encouraging early result for a roster bringing together players from across Indiana’s high school hockey community.
16U Battles Through Five Close Games
Team Indiana’s 16U team did not find the win column in Michigan, but four of its five games were decided by two goals or fewer.
The team opened Friday with a 2-1 loss to the Plymouth Flyers at Crystal Fieldhouse before falling 4-3 to the Columbus Chill later that day at 810 Sports Complex.
Indiana returned to Crystal Fieldhouse on Saturday and dropped a 3-1 decision to Team Toledo. A trip to Lakeland Arena later that day ended in another one-goal loss, 2-1 against the Cleveland Crusaders.
The 16U group closed its weekend Sunday with a 1-1 tie against Michigan Hockey Advancement (MHA) Grey at Lakeland Arena. Team Indiana allowed only 12 goals across its five tournament games, with three of its four losses decided by a single goal.
The Veterans Cup, established in 2014, brought U16 and U18 full-season and pre/post teams to three Michigan venues from Sept. 18-20. The event was hosted by Elite Amateur Sports.