Jr. Pens 14U A Tournament Recap – MLK Weekend 2026
The Jr. Pens 14U A squad put together an impressive run over MLK weekend, finishing with a 3–2–0 record and earning 2nd place overall in the 14U A2 division.
Saturday – Strong Start, First Setback
The weekend opened on Saturday against the Raleigh Raptors at Mt. Vernon Red. After falling behind 1–0 in the first, the Jr. Pens answered in the second with goals from Mason Kelly (assisted by Max Bartal) and Michael Whiteduck (from Dylan Lyle and Dayne Wadas) to knot the game at 2–2. They carried that momentum into the third with three unanswered goals from Dayne Wadas (from Jace Geoffroy), Jett Prukala, and another from Whiteduck (from Geoffroy and Prukala) to close out a 5–3 win. The team stayed disciplined and finished the game penalty free, with Prukala earning Player of the Game honors and the group showing great energy against a strong AA opponent.
Later that day at St. James North, the Jr. Pens faced the NC Golden Bears for Game 2. In a tight, defensive battle, the Pens outshot the Bears 22–18 but were handed their first shutout loss of the season, 3–0, after 30 games of always finding the back of the net. Goalie Nathan Zubick was named Player of the Game for his effort between the pipes. The takeaway was clear: too many shifts were taken off, and spotting a good team a lead made it too difficult to climb back.
Sunday – Special Teams Battle vs. Exton
On Sunday, the Jr. Pens bounced back with a 4–2 win over the Exton Kings at St. James North. They jumped out early in the first with two goals from Jace Geoffroy, one assisted by Dayne Wadas and one short-handed. The game turned into a parade to the penalty box, with the Jr. Pens taking nine penalties and giving up two power play goals, but they still won the special-teams battle by scoring a short-handed marker and a power play goal of their own. In the third, Whiteduck put the game away with two power play goals, both assisted by Dylan Lyle. Lyle’s impact on the man-advantage earned him Player of the Game, and the team’s takeaway was that they “out special-teamed” Exton in a very penalized game and came out on top.
Monday Semi-Final – Statement Win vs. Top Seed
Monday’s semi-final brought a rematch with the top-seeded NC Golden Bears at St. James North. The Jr. Pens responded in a big way from their earlier loss, delivering what was described as their best game of the tournament in a 4–2 victory. They trailed 2–1 after the first, with Geoffroy scoring short-handed to keep them in it. In the second, Whiteduck tied the game 2–2 with a power play goal. The third period belonged to the Jr. Pens: Whiteduck added another short-handed tally, and Geoffroy sealed it with an empty-netter. Geoffroy was named Player of the Game, and the team was praised for playing consistent hockey, sticking to the game plan, and taking it to the tournament’s number-one seed.
Championship – Dramatic Comeback Falls Just Short
The championship game at St. James South pitted the Jr. Pens against the Chester County Cougars. The Pens came out flat and quickly found themselves down 3–0 in the first period. A late power play goal by Whiteduck (from Geoffroy) made it 3–1 after one. In the second, Whiteduck struck again off a feed from Mason Kelly to pull the Pens within one. Early in the third, the Jr. Pens completed the comeback, tying the game 3–3 on a goal by Geoffroy from Wadas. However, the Cougars answered back and pulled away for a 6–3 win. The penalty kill held strong without surrendering a goal, and the team added a power play marker as well. Whiteduck earned Player of the Game, and the overall takeaway was that while they showed heart battling back from a 3–0 deficit, they ultimately fell short against a very strong and competitive Chester County team.