After a hectic few weeks featuring an abundance of high-level youth hockey events around North America, the pace slows a little bit during the weekend before Christmas and Hanukkah. It’s almost like the calm before the storm, though, since we jump right into some big-time tournaments immediately following the holiday.

The slight lull in activity allows us to shine the spotlight on some of the younger age groups this weekend as we highlight the Mid-Winter Classic in Pittsburgh Dec. 20-22.

Hosted by the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program, which annually boasts multiple highly ranked USA Boys and Girls teams at various age groups and usually sends several teams to USA Hockey Nationals, this year’s Mid-Winter Classic features a total of 57 USA Boys Tier 1 teams competing at the 9U, 10U, 11U, 12U and 13U age levels.

As always, we will focus our coverage on the age groups above 10U. There are 36 teams competing in the 11U, 12U, and 13U divisions, with several teams in each division ranked among the nation’s top 10, according to the Week 13 MHR Rankings. Tournament play began on Friday, Dec. 20, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 22, with 57 games Friday, 47 Saturday and 15 playoff contests Sunday.

Games are being played at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pa.; Baierl Ice Complex in Warrendale, Pa.; RMU Island Sports Center in Pittsburgh; and Alpha Ice Complex in Pittsburgh. Each venue has a LiveBarn feed, so most – if not all – tournament games should be available for live or on-demand viewing.

Each team will play at least four games. Preliminary-round games can end in ties, while playoff games that are tied after regulation will have three minutes of 3-on-3 play followed by a sudden-death shootout if a winner hasn’t been determined. Shootouts only will include players who did not participate in the overtime.

The 11U, 12U and 13U divisions each have 12 teams grouped in pools of four. The teams in each pool will play each other once to determine who advances to the semifinals.

 

CLICK HERE for links to the Mid-Winter Classic schedule, scores & standings

 

11U Division

The 11U Division of the Pittsburgh Mid-Winter Classic includes a total of 10 teams currently ranked among the USA’s top 50, according to MHR. Three of those teams are ranked among the top 10, and five are in the top 20.

 

11U Crosby Pool Teams

#2 Team Illinois

#33 Denver Country Club

#44 Ohio Blue Jackets

#66 Carolina Jr. Canes

 

11U Malkin Pool Teams

#6 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite (Mueller)

#16 Chicago Mission

#45 Long Island Royals

#46 Valley Forge Minutemen

 

11U Letang Pool Teams

#10 HoneyBaked

#12 Syracuse Nationals

#34 Music City Marauders

#74 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite (Wynn)

 

Top 11U Saturday Matchups

11:00 a.m. at UPMC Covestro Rink – #6 Pens Elite vs. #16 Chicago Mission

1:45 p.m. at RMU Olympic Rink – #12 Syracuse Nationals vs. #10 HoneyBaked

 

 

12U Division

The 12U Division of the Pittsburgh Mid-Winter Classic includes a total of 10 teams currently ranked among the USA’s top 45, according to MHR. Four of those teams are ranked among the top 10, and five are in the top 20.

 

12U Crosby Pool Teams

#3 New Jersey Rockets

#28 New Jersey Titans

#34 Buffalo Jr. Sabres

#69 Pittsburgh Vengeance

 

12U Malkin Pool Teams

#5 Little Caesars

#16 Ohio Blue Jackets

#40 Philadelphia Hockey Club

#45 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite (Wynn)

 

12U Letang Pool Teams

#9 Nashville Jr. Predators

#10 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite (Mueller)

#32 Long Island Gulls

#67 Carolina Jr. Canes

 

Top 12U Saturday Matchups

9:30 a.m. at UPMC Covestro Rink – #10 Pens Elite vs. #32 Long Island Gulls

10:00 a.m. at Baierl Galaxy Rink – #28 New Jersey Titans vs. #34 Buffalo Jr. Sabres

 

 

13U Division

The 13U Division of the Pittsburgh Mid-Winter Classic includes a total of 11 teams currently ranked among the USA’s top 40, according to MHR. Three of those teams are ranked among the top 10, and seven are in the top 20.

 

13U Crosby Pool Teams

#5 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite

#17 Buffalo Jr. Sabres

#27 Belle Tire

#28 New Jersey Colonials

 

13U Malkin Pool Teams

#8 Mid-Fairfield Rangers

#13 New Jersey Titans

#31 California Gold Rush

#66 New Jersey Rockets

 

13U Letang Pool Teams

#6 Chicago Reapers

#11 Los Angeles Jr. Kings

#19 Boston Jr. Eagles

#38 Pittsburgh Vengeance

 

Top 13U Saturday Matchups

11:30 a.m. at RMU Clearview Rink – #8 Mid-Fairfield Rangers vs. #31 California Gold Rush

12:30 p.m. at UMPC Covestro Rink – #17 Buffalo Jr. Sabres vs. #27 Belle Tire

2:30 p.m. at UMPC Covestro FedEx Rink – #19 Boston Jr. Eagles vs. #6 Chicago Reapers