Ethan Sung of the 2009 California Patriots scores in Saturday's big win over the 2010 Minnesota Blades.
The finals are set at the 2005 Invite level, with the top-seeded '06 Minnesota Blades ready to face Finlandia Hockey Club on Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Blades snuck past a scrappy El Diablos squad 5-3 in the semifinal round, while FHC thumped Blue Army 5-1 to advance to the championship. In the teams' first meeting, the Blades blanked FHC 2-0.
Taking the No. 1 seed in the 2006 Invite Division are the California Shamrocks, a green-clad group that has rolled to a 2-0-1 record through pool play. The Shamrocks will face fourth-seeded and winless Fire Hockey Club in Sunday morning's semifinals, a team the Shamrocks defeated 10-4 on Saturday. The second-seeded Colorado Kodiaks face No. 3 seed Minnesota Lakers White in the other semifinal, a rematch of Saturday's matchup which the Kodiaks won 10-3.
MPH Hockey Black has claimed the top seed as the 2007 Invite Division advances to bracket platy, posting a 3-0 record through pool play. MPH Hockey Black will meet the Colorado Kodiaks in the semifinals, and dominated in a 6-0 win on Saturday. No. 2 seed Tommy Chicago Elite faces third-seeded Miracle Gold on Sunday morning in the other semifinal. Tommy Chicago Elite bounced back after an 8-1 loss to MPH Hockey Black with wins over the Minnesota Icemen Blue and Rapid Athlete Development to secure the second seed. Miracle Gold has gone 1-1-1 through three games.
Noah Galvin scores for '08 MPH Hockey Black in Saturday's win over Breakaway Red.
With a 3-0 record in pool play, MPH Hockey Black earned the No. 1 seed in the 2008 Invite Division and scored a 7-6 win over No. 4 seed Blue Army Selects in the semifinals. The reward for winning in the semifinal round is a date with No. 2 seed Breakaway Red, a team which MPH Hockey Black defeated 4-2 in a spirited affair in Brooklyn Park. Breakaway Red downed the Minnesota Lakers 6-2 in its semifinal. Breakaway Red has scored six or more goals in three times so far in the Meltdown.
The top seed in the 2009 Invite Division belongs to the California Patriots, who have put their first three opponents into running time this weekend. Defenseman Diego Gutierrez helped lead the Patriots to a dominant victory over the 2010 Minnesota Blades on Saturday, scoring two goals and handing out four assists in the win. Ethan Sung added a hat-trick for California. Euro American Red draws the Patriots in the semifinal round, with the winner facing either the MAP Blue Army Selects or the Finlandia Hockey Club. Blue Army defeated Miracle Gold handily on Saturday, paced by two goals and two assists by Gavin Godbout and two goals from John Whisler.
Rapid Athlete Development has won all three games its played this weekend at the 2010 Invite level, and will take on the 2011 Minnesota Blades in the semifinals as the No. 1 seed. RAD scored in double-digits during the teams' first game. No. 2 seed Euro American Red squares off with MAP Blue Army in the second semifinal. EAR pulled out a 5-4 win over Blue Army on Saturday, an outcome Blue Army will look to reverse on Sunday.
Tommy Bushlack scores in '09 Blue Army's win over Miracle Gold on Saturday.