Winning a big tournament is a really exciting moment for a youth hockey player. Sometimes it is their greatest sporting memory. For some, a tournament is special because their team won or they had a blast at the hotel. For Osseo Maple Grove, winning is become habitual, on Sunday they won their fourth consecutive YHH Squiratcular.

None of the previous three championship wins were easy - Sunday's was no different. Jay Ellingson got loose early in the first period for the Leafbirds and exhibited his filthy hands and beat Woodbury goalie Jack Hodgins to give OMG a 1-0 lead. Less than a minute later, Woodbury got two of their best players loose on a two on zero break and Grant Kohnen fed Attila Lippai who tapped in a Kohnen pass to tie it 1-1.

After the early fireworks, the game settled into a great back and forth battle. In the second period, tournament MVP Landen Gunderson scored the first of his two goals Sunday, this one on a wicked snipe past Hodgins to give the Leafbirds the lead. Woodbury didn't give up, Ethan Hansen scored for the Predators on a pool cue shot from behind the net. During a mad scramble in front, Hansen poked the puck through the crease and off of OMG goalie Jack Roach into the net to tie the score heading into the second intermission.

In the third, it was the Gunderson show again. Behind the net, the second year center banked the puck off of the back of the cage, made a head fake toward Hodgins left post and quickly wrapped it around his right post for the game winner. It was the only goal of the period, OMG 

Three Stars

3. Jay Ellingson, OMG - was remarkable Sunday with the puck. Took over the game at times with puck control and movement.

2. Attila Lippai, Woodbury - was a workhorse for Predators, has a great all-around game.

1. Landen Gunderson, OMG - great passer, scored two clutch goals...named tournament MVP.

The Line: Finn Brink, Jack Kernan and Landen Gunderson - they remind some of another famous OMG line, all three are very talented and move the puck really well.

The Coach: Matt Margeneau, OMG - manned the bench for his second consecutive YHH Squirtacular title. Won 2015 Squirtacular as coach for OMG Gold in Squirt B.

Woodbury 4, Andover 3

Woodbury outlasted Andover Sunday building a three goal lead on three first period goals - capitalizing on a 12 minute loss of Andover's Gavyn Thoreson, who was called for boarding. Once Thoreson served his time, he served notice to the Predators the game wasn't over. He and line-mate Cooper Conway each scored in the second to cut the Predators lead to 3-2 heading into the third period.

In the third, Andover took control but could not score...pressuring Kamdon Carlson with multiple shots and opportunities...the Huskies could not get any puck luck to tie it.  With under four minutes to go Grant Kohnen scored for Woodbury to extend their lead to two, but 44 seconds later Thoreson would get his second of the day to cut the lead to 4-3...a lead they could not overcome.

OMG 5, Stillwater 2

In the morning, OMG beat #4 ranked Stillwater 4-2 in the semis. The Leafbirds fell behind early, but fought back to score four unanswered goals to advance to the finals. Wyatt Olson had two goals and Jack Kernan had a goal and an assist for OMG. Ty Tuccitto scored two first period goals for Stillwater and the Ponies lead 2-1 heading into the second period.

In the second, OMG started to slowly take control of the play, pinning the Ponies in their own zone - forcing them into long shifts and no chance for a shift change during the long change second period. Eventually the levy broke when Jack Kernan scored on the power play and a few minutes later Landen Gunderson would get his first of two game winning goals of the day to give OMG a 3-2 lead. 

Osseo would get another goal from second period goal from Finn Brink when he beat Tomas Anderson glove side. Wyatt Olson finished things off adding an empty net goal to send the Leafbirds to the finals.