The DYHA Pee Wee ’98 won the championship in the Pee Wee AA division of the 33rd Annual Colorado Springs Amateur Hockey Association’s Presidents Day Tournament. The Firebirds went 4-0-1 for the week end, and battled through several close games. Their offensive charge was led by Tyler Anderson, who led the AA division with 14 points (9g 5a) and on the defensive side Goalie Jack Sampson led in goals against with a 2.00 average. “We played great defense all week end, and scored some timely goals on offense,” Coach Wayne Mc Bean Said. “It took all 16 players working hard every shift for us to be successful.”

The week end started with a win over the Bakersfield Dragons 4-2. The line of Leighton Fisk, Zack Martin and Trevor Wightman got the team going with a strong play on both ends of the rink. “Zack was a difference maker out there and helped give the whole team energy,” Assistant Coach Greg Anderson said. Anderson and Joey Petruzzella, who finished second in the AA in scoring (7g 5a) both had 3 points in the win.

In the second game, they found themselves in a see saw battle versus Utah Grizzlies that ended in a 7-7 tie. It was the line of Tyler Anderson, Joey Petruzzella, and Jono Taylor that caught fire scoring 6 of the 7 goals for the Firebirds while Utah kept charging and answering each tally. Colton Kramer and Connor Holloway provided help offensively both getting assists and played there usual style as offensive defensemen for the Firebirds.

The third game became more of a defensive battle as they fought off the host Colorado
Springs Jr. Tigers to earn the 2-1 victory. Defensemen Quaid Mc Bean, Logan Hicks and Tyler Svendson kept the fast and crafty Jr. Tigers away from the net while Fisk netted the  game winner in the middle of the third. “Our defense really made some great plays in our zone when we needed them,” Asst. Coach Alex Hicks said.

To earn a spot in the final, the Firebirds faced off with the Atlanta Fire. In their most physical battle of the tourney, their skill seemed to be too much for the Fire and as DY closed out the round robin play with a 4-1 victory. Tristan Vanderbur stood on his head in net making some big saves making a close game not look as such. The forward line of Parket Arendts, Jake Jones, and Tanner Snyder physical play set the tone up front which frustrated Atlanta all night.

In the Championship the Firebirds met Utah for the second time and once again it was close battle where the Firebirds pulled out the 4-3 victory. Petruzzella had a natural hat trick and added an assist while Anderson scored 1st goal of the game and added 3 assists. Sampson in net with the help of Mc Bean and Hicks on defense shut the door and secured the victory for DYHA.

The title in Colorado Springs was the second tournament championship in 2010 for the 98’ Firebirds as they also took home a tournament title over MLK @ the Isoplex in San Diego.