Sunday night was more than just a hockey game at UBS Arena—it was history. The Israel Elite Hockey League (IEHL) USA Challenge Cup brought Israeli hockey to North America for the first time, taking New York Islanders ice. The Jerusalem Capitals defeated HC Tel Aviv 7-6 in an overtime thriller. However, the spectacle was always more prominent than the winner. It celebrated Jewish hockey heritage and was a massive win for the sport in Israel.
One unique aspect of the IEHL is its diversity. While the league takes place in Israel, about one-third of its players aren’t Jewish, and many enter with little knowledge of the culture. By season’s end, they leave having experienced high-level hockey and interacted with Jewish people and Israeli culture. They return home as advocates and allies.
The Jerusalem Capitals have built a strong reputation in the realm, reaching the finals twice in the IEHL’s first four seasons. Behind their bench stands David Warsofsky, a former NHL defenseman (2013-18) and older brother of San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky. Ryan is the first Jewish NHL coach since Bob Plager spearheaded the St. Louis Blues in 1992-93.
IEHL co-founder and commissioner Tom Avneri alongside Marc Brunengraber launched a fundraising campaign two years ago to help grow the league. Now, they were playing on the big stage of UBS Arena. The significance wasn’t lost on the fans. Whether Jewish or not, everyone was part of something special.
For HC Tel Aviv, this was a return to the spotlight after winning the league’s inaugural championship in 2021, over what’s now the Puck Empire Holon Vipers. Meanwhile, the Capitals, fresh off a 2024 runner-up finish, fell in a best-of-three final to the Ashdod Dolphins.
The energy inside UBS Arena was electric, but the most powerful moment came when 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Ivan Gluck took the ice as an honorary captain. Skating to honor the October 7 Israeli hostages, Gluck received a standing ovation but fell during his skate. Still, he got back up in an inspiring moment.
Jerusalem head coach Neil Glassburg was touched. “It reminded me of my late father, who was in Israel in 1948, part of the Jewish Brigade when it all came together.” Warsofsky added, “The stuff he went through is way more difficult than anything we do on the ice.” The clash was a landmark for Israeli hockey, displaying the talent kept under wraps for four summers. Capitals stars Nikita Zitersman, a Tel-Aviv native currently in Germany’s top Junior league, and Smithtown, New York’s Jeremy Sprung, an 18-year-old with an NCAA D1 Brown University commit (2026-27), are legitimate future NHL Draft hopefuls.
As the puck dropped, HC Tel Aviv came out strong, scoring the first-ever Israeli hockey goal in the U.S. just 2:03 into the match. Captain Mike Gennello connected with Joey Finfer, who found Chris Blake in the slot for a quick release into the net. Tel Aviv dominated the early moments with a 13-2 shot advantage, but the momentum soon shifted.
HC Tel Aviv quickly learned that Jerusalem thrives on power plays. The Capitals capitalized on three consecutive penalties, taking authority. Zitersman, the 16-year-old phenom, fired a one-timer to level the score. Just 2:30 minutes later, Sprung’s backdoor finish put the Capitals ahead before Zitersman added another to make it 3-1.
Jerusalem’s top netminder, Yonatan Resinger, made highlight-reel glove saves, which earned praise from legendary broadcaster Kenny Albert. “Israeli hockey is entertaining,” Albert proclaimed, marveling at the skill on display. Considering Israel has only three full-sized rinks (and one half-sized), it’s remarkable how talented these players are. Tel Aviv broke through with 4:05 left in the first, as Joey Finfer scored in front. Yet Jerusalem responded quickly, with franchise cornerstone Yuval Halpert restoring the two-goal advantage to make it 4-2. Both teams combined for 50 shots in a chaotic, thrilling first period.
The middle stanza saw things settle down slightly, with Jerusalem extending its lead. Dennis Zaychik set up Israeli national team head coach Evgeni Kozhevnikov for a tally. Frustrated with his team’s “soft” energy, Tel Aviv coach Stuart Gourdji started ripping into his players, trying to spark some life. He descended the bench, challenging different guys to step up before finally turning to Captain Gennello. “Do something to wake these guys up,” he ordered. Whatever Gennello said in response, it must’ve worked. Jake Lebauer crashed the net hard and punched a rebound off a Kirill Malaschenko shot in transition. It was 5-3, and Tel Aviv had a pulse.
The physical play escalated with a fight between Gennello and Jerusalem’s Nolan Bailey at center ice. The 8,000 in attendance went wild as Gennello’s leadership energized his boys. “We loved it,” Finfer quipped. “That’s our captain, fighting at center ice in front of thousands of people. It’s not an easy thing to do, but it’s part of hockey. We love it.” However, a potential goal for Tel Aviv was waved off due to goaltender interference, leaving them still trailing by a deuce heading into the third period.
The final frame was all-out desperation for Tel Aviv, which paid off. Just 74 seconds in, they cut the deficit to one as Gennady Malaschenko rifled a shot home off a clean faceoff win. They nearly tied it moments later, but Jerusalem’s second goaltender, Jac Lymn, made two incredible left-pad and blocker saves to deny Malaschenko again. Seeing their push, Tel Aviv switched up their strategy—dump and chase, get pucks deep, grind it out. Then, finally, they broke through.
Ziv Deener, a Newton, Massachusetts native playing NCAA D3 hockey at Williams College, went wide and sent a perfect pass to Blake, who was in the slot a second time to tie it. Just 1:08 later, Gennady Malaschenko crashed the net hard, creating a rebound that sat right in front. Lebauer was there again, slamming Tel Aviv’s 56th shot and, more importantly, their first lead—6-5 with 8:18 remaining. The bench erupted. The momentum had fully swung.
Now trailing, Zitserman knew what was next. ” I knew I had to put the puck in the net,” the MVP said. That’s precisely what happened, completing his “Kippah Trick” with his third goal, retying the festivities. The tilt was wide open, with chances flying in both directions, but the goaltenders stood tall. After regulation, the shots were 59-56 in favor of Tel Aviv, (They would finish 61-57) and overtime was needed.
Just 2:14 into bonus time, Zaychik, who had a game-high four points, won a faceoff, and pounced on a Timothy Payne rebound, giving Jerusalem the 7-6 victory. The elated celebration and agony of defeat were immediate, but this night was bigger than a trophy. Warsofsky dubbed it “a historic moment for Israeli hockey,” hoping the show inspired more kids in Israel to pursue the sport. Capitals head coach Neil Glassburg echoed that sentiment. “This game was about pushing Israeli hockey forward,” he said. “And we couldn’t have scripted a better ending.”
For Zitersman, it was another unforgettable moment in an extraordinary year ahead of his NHL draft-eligible 2026 season. He led the Israel U18 World Juniors team to a D3A Bronze medal and the U20’s to a D2B Silver. “We started this league five years ago playing 4-on-4, and now we’re playing in an NHL arena. It’s amazing. Nights like this, you never forget.”
Despite the loss, Finfer kept perspective. “We’re here for something bigger. We’re here to support Israeli hockey. The crowd was incredible. This is special. Am Yisrael Chai.” Gourdji added, “That game did what it was supposed to— showcased Israeli hockey on a big stage. You’re upset about the loss for a few minutes, but looking at the bigger picture, it’s all worth it.” After a show like that, the future of Israeli hockey looks brighter than ever.
