Earlier this month, a team of young Jewish hockey players from the New York Metro area entered a high-level tournament in Delaware and emerged victorious. The team, nicknamed the Juice, was made up of boys who attend Moriah, Noam, Ramaz and MDS and were coached by three of their fathers. Playing some of the most talented teams on the East Coast, the Juice faced an uphill battle in the tournament, but played their hardest in every game. They played two games on Friday, the first day of the tournament, tying their first game against an all-star team from Delaware before beating a team from New York City. On top of the tough competition they faced, the team had an extra challenge of making sure they could work their schedule around Shabbat and arranging a place to daven and eat their Shabbat meals in their hotel. Shabbat was a great experience for the boys, who got to spend time hanging out with their teammates and enjoy the break from a busy playing schedule. After Shabbat, the Juice played again, with a win against a team from Long Island, and advanced to the next round of the tournament.
On Sunday morning, the Juice faced a semifinal rematch with the team from Delaware, with both teams fighting for a spot in the championship game. Thanks to strong goaltending by Eitan Rosenblatt and a superb showing from Aiden Sholomon, who scored four goals, the Juice emerged victorious, winning 6-2. Waiting for them in the finals were the Exton Bulls Elite, a talented team from Pennsylvania. Both teams opened up strong, with each of them scoring a pair of goals in the first period. The goal scorers for the Juice were Sholomon and Gabriel Hornblass. In the second period, the Juice pulled away, with Asher Rudman scoring and Hornblass adding a second goal. Strong play by the Juice defensemen, Max Levy, Alex Jacobs, Joey Doft and Gabe Nahari, and shutdown goaltending by Rosenblatt, helped them stay ahead. Sholomon scored again in the third, building on the already commanding lead. The Bulls would return with a goal of their own before the game ended, but it would prove to be too late to build a comeback.
The championship winning Juice were ecstatic to have been able to pull off great wins against these talented teams, as they hoisted their trophy in celebration. Rosenblatt, who played amazingly throughout the whole tournament and especially well in the championship game, was named tournament MVP. He gave up only six goals in five games and was a key piece in the Juice’s tournament victory. On the offensive side, the leading scorer for the Juice was Aiden Sholomon, with 11 goals in 5 games over the tournament.
Sadly, one of the star players for the Juice, Bennett Burgida, was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. After the hard fought victory in the tournament, the team decided to dedicate the championship win to him. Bennett is finishing his treatment, and last week the boys visited him in his house to present him with the trophy. It was very special to be able to win the tournament for their friend and teammate, and it meant a lot to Burgida to feel that support.
Overall, the tournament was an amazing and exciting experience for the boys, on and off the rink. They got to experience playing hockey at a very high level and made a great kiddush Hashem, wearing their kippahs proudly and representing the Jewish people. The team also really enjoyed the time they got to spend together throughout the weekend. “The tournaments are the best weekends of the year,” said Asher Rudman,”not only do we get to play exciting games against good teams but we get to spend a Shabbos together as a team.”
By Eli Rifkind
