Plymouth, MN | Spring is near and so is the end of the hockey season as the Omaha Junior Lancers Varsity team gets ready to compete in the 2018 USA Hockey Varsity Nationals.  The Omaha Junior Lancers are going as the representative of Nebraska as the top team and will compete against other teams in pool play from New York, Texas and California in what is called the combined division.

There are two divisions at Nationals, one for the pure teams (all players coming from one school) and the combined division (all players coming from multiple schools or a district).

The Omaha Junior Lancers have finished 3rd in the last two National Championships and look to change that fortune this season.

“We have a team that can get to the championship game when they are focused,” stated head coach Alex Euerle, “We just need to stay out of the penalty box and stay disciplined.”

Penalties have hurt the team in games this season, but they all know to be successful they need to play the game with all 20 guys in the game.

“This is my first trip to Nationals and if we can stay disciplined we can do something special, we have a great group of guys and I want to go out on a winning note,” exclaimed senior captain Noah Peyton.

The varsity squad starts play Thursday morning at 11 am central in Plymouth MN against the Plano Wolves from Texas; the game itself will be streamed live on HockeyTV (www.myhockeytv.com). This is a subscription service that will carry all of the USA Hockey National Championships.

“Plano will be a tough team to play against as will be our other opponents from NY and CA.  We expect a dog fight from the Wolves and hope to play well enough to get the opening day win and move on from there,” said assistant coach Nick Harrahill.

In pool play the Junior Lancers will play three games and the top two teams in each division will move onto the quarter finals, the winner of that match will then go to semi-finals and finals will be played on Monday.

“It would be fantastic to make it to the Championship game on Monday, we have been close the last two years finishing third and I would like nothing more than to finish my senior year on a positive note,” added assistant captain Harrison Werner.

Both coaches expect a tough schedule and hope to bring home a championship one last time for the season.

Sioux City will also represent the MHSHL at the tournament.

2018 USA Hockey Nationals Tournament Page