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Moose win 16U Tier II 2A National Championship

(PHOTO: Maine Moose/Facebook)

(PHOTO: Maine Moose/Facebook)

Tanner McClure recorded two goals for the Maine Moose 16U hockey team en route to claiming the Youth Tier II 2A national championship Monday with a 7-4 victory over the Armstrong Arrows (Pennsylvania) at the Ice Vault Arena in Wayne, New Jersey.

It’s the fifth national championship for the state of Maine and the first in the Youth category since 2011. The Portland Jr. Pirates Tier II U19 Girls and 18U Boys won their respective national titles last season.

The Moose jumped out to 4-1 lead after two periods on goals by McClure (2), Marc Thibodeau and Josh Malone. Tyler Hall of Lisbon, Jeromey Rancourt and Joseph Bisson of Lewiston added goals by the halfway point of the third period to extend Maine’s lead, 7-1.

Nicholas Bisson tallied three assists in the game for the Moose.

Moose goaltender Esa Maki, who attends Kents Hill, made 18 saves on 19 shots. Joe Grant would enter the game with 11:41 left in regulation, stopping 9 of 12 shots.

Easton Hooks finished with a goal and an assist for the Arrows.

The Moose, who play out of the Camden Ice Vault in Hallowell, finished 3-0 in pool play to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament. They would defeat the Charlotte Jr. Checkers, 4-2, Sunday morning, and the Alaska Oilers 2-1 in the evening’s semifinals to earn a berth in the national championship game.

McClure was tied for second in Youth Tier IIA for goals with six in the tournament. Cody Doyon led the tournament six assists.

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