I know there are lots of people on this list who are interested in
prospects, so here's the article from today's Washington Post about the
National Youth Hockey Championships, which were held in the Washington
area this weekend.  (Neither the Washington Times or the Baltimore Sun
covered the championships, unless I missed the article)
 
MASS. TEAM WINS TITLE
By Saul Wisnia, Special to The Washington Post
 
        After nearly 10 years as youth hockey linemates, Jayson Philbin
and Nick Gillis admit they sometimes get on each other's nerves off the
ice.  Their playing relationship, however, needs no work - as they showed
yesterday in leading their Central Massachusetts team to a 4-1 victory
over Buffalo in the National Youth Hockey Championships at Piney Orchard
Ice Arena in Odenton.
        Combining for three goals and three assists, the forward duo
dazzled the overflow crowd of 800 with their passing and stickwork as
Central Massachusetts took the Midget (17-and-under) title of the
four-day long tournament that brought together over 500 of the nation's
top young players from 24 teams in three divisions.
        Roommates at the Cushing Academy prep school, Philbin and Gillis
agreed the win was especially sweet after their school lost in overtime
at the New England Prep School Championship game last month.
        "This is what it's all about," said Philbin, one of 11 Cushing
players on the Central Massachusetts team coached by his father Jay.  "A
win here is going to help us in the future, both at Cushing and in our
future goal of playing at a Division I college and in the pros."
        In the Bantam (14 and under) final also played at Piney Orchard,
Team Illinois defeated the Alaska All-Stars, 3-2, behind a pair of goals
from forward Ron Sarelli and an excellent performance from goalie Nick
Rieser - who made 24 saves in the first two periods alone and over 30 in
the game.  In the Pee Wee (ages 12 and under) final held at the Columbia
Ice Rink, the Syracuse Stars took the championship with a 4-1 victory
over the Compuware Ambassadors club from Michigan.
        "This is the greatest feeling you can have," said Sarelli, whose
goals both came in the second period as Illinois quieted a loud Alaska
Fan contingent that had traveled 4,500 miles to the tournament.  "After
playing here, I have a lot more confidence about my ability to maybe make
the pros someday."
        As the tournament's hosts, the Washington Little Capitals
impressed those who questioned their ability to compete with the
country's top teams by winning games in all three divisions on Thursday -
their first victories ever in national championship competition.  The
Midget Little squad eventually went 2-2 and made it to the semifinals
before losing to Central Massachusetts 4-2 Saturday night.
        "There was a lot of concern about letting us host the tournament,
because our teams are perceived to weak," said tournament co-director
George Strait.  "I think we showed them otherwise."
 
Midget final
C. Mass................0   2   2 - 4
Buffalo................1   0   0 - 1
        B. Coccionitti from Dailey; C-Philbin from Murphy and Gillis,
C-Gillis from Allen, Philbin and Murphy; C-Murphy from Philbin; C-Gillis
(empty net)
 
Bantam Final
Illinois...............1   2   0 - 3
Alaska.................0   2   0 - 2
        I-VanArkel from Marsch; I-Sarelli from VanArkel; A-Smith from
Jones; A-Carlson from Gomez and Jones; I-Sarelli from Malia