MWEHL Showcase Update - Hornets clinch second place in MWEHL with a 3-0-1 weekend!

The Pittsburgh Hornets have started off strong in the prestigious Mid West Elite AAA Hockey League Showcase with a 3-2 win over the Soo last night and a 5-3 win this morning over perennial powerhouse Little Caesar’s. Gaul, Polidor (off a great tip from a shot from Celin) and Ozanick led the way yesterday evening with individual goals as the Hornets coupled a strong offense with a smothering defense to seal the victory. This morning, the Hornets built on the momentum earned last night as South, DellaValle Hannan, Cerutti and Blazek each scored a goal as the Hornets steamrolled over Little Caesar’s.


The talk of tournament though amongst the hoards of scouts at the tournament so far has been the electrifying goaltending of Pittsburgh Hornet goaltender Rob Madore. Rob stood firm and tall in the game against the Soo yesterday evening, and was nothing short of magnificent in today’s game against Little Caesars’ stopping multiple point blank shots, multiple breakaways while displaying the leadership and maturity which has made him one of the top goaltenders in his birthyear in North America.

The Pittsburgh Hornets continued their winning ways against Honeybaked with a 4-1 victory. Connor Blood and Gerry Raymond each had two goals an Pat Gaul added 3 assists in the win.

The Hornets clinched a tie for second place in the MWEHL with a 2-2 tie against Marquette in the last game of the Showcase. After falling behind 2-0, the Hornets closed the margin to one on a blast from the point by Matt Celin. The tie was achieved with two minutes remaining on a Pat Gaul goal with assists to Gerry Raymond and Billy Ozanick.

Pittsburgh Hornets Compete In Prestigious MWEHL Showcase

This weekend, the Pittsburgh Hornets will compete in the prestigious Midwest Elite AAA Hockey League Annual Showcase tournament. This tournament will feature the top teams and players in the country and will be heavily scouted by major junior and Division 1 college hockey teams. The Pittsburgh Hornets have been longstanding members of the league, a league which began from a most interesting start.

In 1999, a core group of amateur hockey organizations broke away from the now defunct Michigan National Hockey League (MNHL) to form the Midwest Elite Hockey League. Under the guidance of then president and current Belle Tire Hockey Director John Kay, these members, in addition to those that were added in time, now make up the premier AAA Tier I developmental association in the United States. Currently, close to 100 clubs represent the MWEHL by competing in both boys and girls divisions.

Teams in the boys’ circuit range from Mite to Midget Major; the latter consisting of Belle Tire, Capital Centre Pride, Chicago Young Americans, Cleveland Barons, Compuware, Honeybaked, Kewadin Soo, Little Caesars, Marquette Electricians, Pittsburgh Hornets, Team Illinois and Victory Honda.

Throughout the years, several players began their ascent to the National Hockey League by honing their skills with MWEHL organizations. Some familiar names include: Ryan Malone (Penguins) and R.J Umberger (Philadelphia) , both alumni from the Pittsburgh Hornets, Dallas Stars center and Michigan native Mike Modano; Al Iafrate; Pat Peake; Jimmy Carson; and Derian Hatcher, a former Detroit Red Wing and Motor City Mechanic (United Hockey League) defenseman who signed a contract in the summer of 2005 to play with the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Pittsburgh Hornets AAA Hockey Association is one of the top amateur hockey associations in the country and, based upon our long standing track record to date, we believe clearly the top amateur hockey association in Western Pennsylvania for helping young hockey players realize their goals and dreams at the junior, Division 1 and even the Pro levels. You can check out the success of our alumni by going to/clicking on the following link. To learn more about our great organization click through to our association webpage at this link as well.

As proud members of the MWEHL, we believe we owe a great deal of our success to the MWEHL and our fellow league members as together we all strive to maintain the strategic vision of the MWEHL, to :

1. Provide best-in-class coaching, training facilities, and programs; and
2. Build relationships with USA Hockey, MAHA, Junior Leagues, Colleges/Universities, and the business community; and
3. Instill the core values of Achievement, Competitiveness, Citizenship, Enthusiasm, Scholarship, and Sportsmanship (ACCESS) in each member of the Association

Best wishes and good luck to everyone competing in the prestigious MWEHL AAA Showcase, and let the games begin !!

Hornet Alumni Goalie Kris Mayotte receives third ECACHL Goalie of the Week Honor

Albany, N.Y. – Senior Kris Mayotte (Pittsburgh, PA) strengthened his
bid for all-league honors by being named the ECACHL Goalie of the Week for the third time this season. He is the first goaltender in the league to receive the award three times. Mayotte combined for 55 saves on 57 shots to help Union pick up wins over Brown (2-1) and Yale (5-1) and extend the team’s unbeaten streak to five games. The pair of wins helped the Dutchmen retain sixth place in the league standings and stay within striking distance of a top four finish. Fellow senior Jonathan Poirier (St. Jerome, QUE) and junior Olivier Bouchard (Quebec City, QUE) were named to the league honor roll.

In the game against Brown Mayotte made 27 saves, including 10 on the power play, to pick up his first career win against the Bears. He made several key stops particularly in the second period where the Bears outshot Union 13-7 and had seven power play shots on three attempts. Two of those stops came at the beginning and end of the period. He made a kick save on a point-blank shot early on and then stopped another shot in front with his blocker to keep the game tied at 1-1 until his teammates could tally the game-winner.

In game two Mayotte made 28 saves in his 15th win of the season to defeat Yale and give Union its 10th win at home. Mayotte's lone goal allowed came on the power play after the Dutchmen had built a three-goal lead. He kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard through the first and second periods with another exceptional effort. Just over midway through the first he made a last-second kick save at the right post. He bested that with just over five minutes remaining in the same period by denying Yale on a breakaway opportunity to keep the game scoreless. In the second period he came up with two glove saves right in front to help maintain Union's three-goal advantage.

Mayotte compiled a save percentage above 90 in both games to bring his season total to 22. Union is 15-2-5 in those contests. He has allowed just one goal in four of his last five games and no more than two goals in five straight. Mayotte is currently first in league games in save percentage at .928 and second in the league in goals against average at 2.16.

Kris has had an outstanding career at Union and former Hornet Goalie Shaun Williams of the Chicago Steel will be following in Kris' footsteps as the goalie for Union College next year.

Congratulations Kris on a fine career at Union College and carrying on the tradition of the Pittsburgh Hornets as the "Goaltending Factory" for amateur hockey in the USA