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Volume 3 Issue 15
November 25, 2015
MID-SEASON CLASSIC
GIRLS CROSS-ICE TOURNAMENT
Sponsored by USA Hockey, Chicago Blackhawks and the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois
On January 2nd, USA Hockey and AHAI will take over the United Center for the Mid-Season Classic Girls Cross-Ice Tournament. AHAI Girls teams will participate in a cross-ice tournament which will include a minimum of 3 games, a championship, lots of giveaways, and awards for the winners.

The United Center ice will be transformed into three ice surfaces with teams competing in three divisions; 8U, 10U, and 12U. The concourse will be hopping - the concession stands will be open and their will be a photobooth, two gaming trucks, face-painting, a craft-making table and more! The younger girls will also have the chance to watch the Sabre Girls 19U team take on the Admirals 19U team.


The cost is a flat $600 per team. The event will run from approximately 11:30am until 9:00pm. There is NO requirement to have a current girls team at these levels. You are encouraged to take girls that are within your organization and form a team for this event. The minimum needed is 9 and a goalie. There will be a maximum of 8 teams at each level due to the amount of ice we are able to secure. AHAI and the Blackhawks will review all applicants and make sure each club that wishes to participate has a team at one of the levels. Once that is done we will fill in with clubs that have more than one girls team. To add your team to the registration list, please send an email to Jim Clare at MiteADM@ahai2.org. Deadline to register is December 4. Notifications of which teams are playing will be announced on December 5. We look forward to this awesome event and a chance to celebrate girls hockey!
TERRY J. STASICA ~ 1949-2015
AHAI mourns the loss of Terry J. Stasica, a dedicated volunteer who was devoted to the players of the Illinois hockey community.
AHAI NEWS & INFORMATION
ADULT STATE TOURNAMENT DATE & LOCATION ANNOUNCED
AHAI is proud to present the 2016 Adult Illinois State Championship Tournament hosted by the AHAI Adult Committee and the Seven Bridges Ice Arena. The Adult State Tournament will take place April 28 - May 1, 2016 with all Championship Games taking place on Sunday May 3, 2016 at the Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge, IL.

The Adult State Tournament is open to all Adult (21+) Men & Women who are USA Hockey registered players & teams who have played at least 8 games together during the 2015-2016 season, or non-USA league teams & players that wish to become USA members before the Tournament. Players may play on only 1 team in the Tournament. There will be a maximum of thirty-two (32) Women's and Men's teams. READ MORE>>
DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS NOVEMBER 30TH!
Free testing will end this year on November 30th. The association/team that completes the most baseline tests will receive an on-ice clinic with 2013 Blackhawks Stanley Cup Champion, Jamal Mayers. The clinic is free and each participant will receive an autograph and Blackhawks practice jersey. Additionally, every athlete who completes a FREE baseline test this year will be entered to win an official Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Stick signed by a Blackhawks player! REGISTER NOW>>
RESERVE YOUR SEAT AT THE IHHF INDUCTION DINNER
Please make plans on joining this year's inductees at the IHHF Induction Dinner that will be held in their honour on Sunday, January 24, 2016 at the Belvedere Banquet Hall located at 1170 West Devon Avenue in Elk Grove Village beginning at 5:00 pm. Tickets are available by contacting Norm Spiegel at 847/269-2922 or e-mail Norm at jacole@comcast.net. For more information and a list of past inductees into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame, please click HERE.
Congratulations to Chad Rife of the Peoria Youth Hockey Association! Chad was the winner of two tickets to see the Blackhawks vs. Predators on Tuesday, December 8! He also received 2 AHAI Winter Hats and 2 AHAI t-shirts. We have more tickets to give away in January; details coming soon!
2016 ILLINOIS STATE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS
CLICK ON DIVISION TITLE TO VIEW STATE TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
2015 AHAI HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Now that we're almost into December, it's time to focus on the Holiday Season. But what do you give the hockey player, coach or fan who has everything? Click HERE for great gift ideas for players, coaches, managers, moms and dads. Happy Holidays!
NOVEMBER PHOTO OF THE MONTH ~ TOP 5
Your votes have been counted and the Top 5 Photos for November have been selected! Congratulations to our winners! Click HERE to view our 10 Finalists and visit AHAI's Facebook Page to see all photos submitted in October! 

Hannah Grzybowski
"Hockey Halloween"
Sabre Girls 10U

Send those photos in for December! Click HERE for complete photo contest details.
Niko Dougan
"Dougan Dives"
Cyclones Squirt A3


Zander Zels
"Go Chargers!"
Chargers Squirt 3
Brooklyn Kramer
"Miracle on Ice"
Decatur Youth Hockey

Charlie & Henry Krzmarzck
"Picture Day"
Sabres Silver & Gold Mites
ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY NEWS
ROSS FORMAN'S HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY
Sean Freeman is celebrating his 15th season coaching the Highland Park Giants - and this could be one of his best teams. "Once we have all players back in the lineup, we are a top 10 team in the state," said Freeman, 40, who lives in Highland Park and is the president of Twenty9, Inc., a construction management company and more.
 
This season's Giants are much younger than many past HP teams, but it's a hard-working crew. "This team truly loves the game of hockey," Freeman said. The Giants stand at 9-10-1 overall (as of Nov. 20), and are 3-1-1 in the 11-team Champions League of the IHSHL North-Central Division. Evanston (3-0-2) has one point more than the Giants and the Wildkits are in first-place. Also competing for the top spot in the Champions League are Loyola Maroon, Carmel Catholic, New Trier Blue and New Trier White, Crystal Lake South and Maine Township, among others. READ MORE>>
CHICAGO BLACKHAWK ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP
A letter from Jim Smith, Chairman, Blackhawks/Blackhawk Alumni Committee 
Dear Illinois High School Hockey Player: We wanted to make you aware of a unique opportunity for all graduating Illinois High School Players. This is an annual scholarship which is provided by the Chicago Blackhawk Alumni Association to three Illinois High School hockey players.

The Alumni Association was formed in 1987 by former Blackhawk players (Stan Mikita, Keith Magnuson, Cliff Koroll, and many others) with one of the main goals being giving back to Illinois youth hockey, High School in particular. As a part of this charge, the Alumni awards three annual $7,500 scholarships (for 4 years) to "the most deserving high school hockey players" in the state. The selection process is determined not by talent, but by the following five criteria: Academics, Financial Need, Character, Community Service and Applicant Essay.

In December of each year, scholarship applications are available for download on the Blackhawk Alumni website. READ MORE>>
IHSHL NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION
Another 2 weeks in the books and the parody in the Champions league continues. Since our last update there have been 19 leagues games played and all but 3 were decided by 2 goals or less or ended in a tie.

Loyola Maroon currently has a share of the top of the IHSHL North Central Division with a record of 3-2-2 (8pts) but recently fell to New Trier Blue 3-1 as part of the annual Quad series between Loyola and New Trier. READ MORE>>
CCHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH
JAKE ROTT
The Chicago Catholic Hockey League (CCHL) is proud to present its October Player of the Month award to Providence Catholic's junior forward, Jake Rott. The 6'4" right wing posted 7 goals and 11 assists in 5 CCHL games in October the Orland Park resident also posted two hat tricks and two 4-assist games during October. Rott currently leads the league in assists, total points and points per game. READ MORE>>
22ND ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL HOLIDAY HOCKEY CLASSIC
The best high school teams throughout the Midwest will compete in the 22nd Annual Chicago Blackhawks Charities High School Hockey Classic, presented by Coca-Cola Zero and supported by Comcast Sportsnet which will take place at the Edge Ice Arena located at 735 Jefferson Street in Bensenville, Illinois from Saturday, December 26, 2015 through Monday, December 28, 2015. This year's tournament will feature twenty (20) high school teams.

Tournament play will be a round robin format with the top six (6) teams in the "A" pool and the top two (2) teams from the "B" pool advancing to the playoff round. All Tournament proceeds benefit Chicago Blackhawks Charities which supports amateur hockey as well as underprivileged and abused children. We invite you to bring the family out to watch some exciting high school hockey action during this holiday season. Click HERE to view participating teams and ticket information. Click HERE for tournament schedule.
OFFICIATING NEWS & INFORMATION
IHOA SPOTLIGHT: IAN McCAMBRIDGE
By Michael Barrett,  IL Referee-in-Chief & Supervisor of Officials ~ One of the goals of IHOA is to provide officials with every opportunity to advance in their officiating career and move to the highest levels of the game. It is in this spirit that I would like to take a moment to recognize one of IHOA's very own officials.

Ian McCambridge is an IHOA official I would like to recognize for his accomplishments, volunteerism and rise through the officiating ranks. Ian started right here as a level 1 official a number of years ago. Ian started as an official by working mite games and through the years he continued to advance as an official and young man. Ian worked his first hockey game in October of 2004 with Dave Zednik at the Bridgeview Ice Arena. READ MORE>>
ASK THE OFFICIAL
BY DAVE ZEDNIK
QUESTION: A player has been assessed a second major penalty in the same game. The Referee is not aware of the fact that the player had received two major penalties in the same game and thus should have been assessed a game misconduct penalty. What happens if the player later scores a goal while illegally in the game?
 
ANSWER: In this instance, the goal shall be allowed, but the player must be assessed the required game misconduct as soon as the Referee becomes aware of the oversight. Rule References 403(b) and 203(a). The onus of assessing the game misconduct penalty is on the Game Officials. READ MORE>>
PLAYERS, LEADERS & CLUBS IN THE NEWS
PROUD TO BE YOUNG AMERICANS
By Mike Scandura, USA Hockey ~ A year ago, each of the Chicago Young Americans Tier I teams qualified for USA Hockey's National Championships. The 16U team earned the silver medal and the 14U team earned bronze. But when these girls aren't busy competing for championships, they're giving back to the community. For example, this season the Young Americans are holding their first alumni game on December 23. Admission is free, but everybody who attends the game must bring a canned good that will be donated to a homeless shelter. READ MORE>>
CYA & CHICAGO MISSION BRING HOME BAUER WORLD INVITE TITLES
Two Illinois girls teams claimed Bauer World Invite Championship titles today: Chicago Mission and Chicago Young Americans. Congratulations to our 2 champions, 2 semi finalists and 3 quarter finalists for their great showing in Detroit! FULL WRAP-UP>>
Chicago Young Americans
U12 AA Tier I
Chicago Mission
U19AA Tier I
LACZYNSKI & KNIERIM ROSTERED TO U.S. JUNIOR SELECT TEAM
USA Hockey announced the first 20 players for the U.S. Junior Select Team, which includes Illinois' Tanner Laczynski (Shorewood) and William Knierim (Skokie),  that will compete in the 2015 World Junior A Challenge from Dec. 13-19 in Cobourg and Whitby, Ontario, Canada. READ MORE>>
 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS NEWS & INFORMATION
YOUTH REFEREE SPOTLIGHT: COLTON EDLING & NICHOLAS WEST
The Youth Hockey Referee Spotlight highlights two amateur hockey referees from Illinois per month and gives them the opportunity to attend a Blackhawks game and meet the NHL refs prior to puck drop. The impact and contribution of youth referees in hockey is as important as the players, and this is a great opportunity to reward them for their contributions.

Featured in the second spotlight are Colton Edling and Nicholas West. They attended the game vs. the Edmonton Oilers on November 8, 2015. READ MORE>>
CLUB BLACKHAWKS MOBILE APP
Check out our new mobile app, Club Blackhawks, made just for you! This app allows young Blackhawks fans to get exclusive access and features, connect with the Blackhawks, fellow fans and Tommy Hawk! You can earn badges by completing challenges, play trivia games and share photos with your friends. The app is free so be sure to ask your parents and sign up today!
JOIN TOMMY'S CREW
Chicago hockey fans are invited to join Tommy's Crew. Tommy's Crewmembers will receive a monthly E-Newsletter, a birthday card from Tommy, a gift bag, have the chance to attend exclusive events and much more! Don't miss out on this all-access pass featuring Tommy Hawk and the Chicago Blackhawks! SIGN UP TODAY>>



BLACKHAWKS BREAKAWAY SCHOLARSHIP
Break away from the pack by completing your degree. In partnership with the Blackhawks, University of Phoenix is offering three full-tuition University of Phoenix scholarships to Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin residents. Applications are being accepted now through Jan. 12, 2016. MORE INFORMATION>>
NOMINATE THE TOP SHELF TEACHER IN YOUR LIFE
Know a teacher who is top shelf? The Chicago Blackhawks and University of Phoenix have partnered for Top-Shelf Teachers, a program that recognizes and rewards hardworking educators in the states of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. At 21 home games this season, we'll select one teacher to win the following prizes: one (1) Blackhawks replica jersey, six (6) 300-Level tickets to a regular-season Blackhawks game and one (1) $100 gift card to spend on classroom supplies at DonorsChoose.org. OFFICIAL RULES>>
 UPCOMING EVENTS
Do you have an event you would like to share with the Illinois Hockey Community? Contact AHAI Communications Manager, Gretchen Cockey at gretchen@ahai2.org for more information. Check out the "EVENT" tab on ahaienews.com for a complete list of upcoming events.
DYHA CHARITY ALUMNI GAME
DHYA is pleased to announce our Inaugural Charity Alumni Game. Players from DYHA's past will once again be lacing up their skates, but this event will do a lot more than bring old hockey gear out of the closet! The money raised will be donated to the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks NHL for Cancer Funds. Click HERE for more information and event details.

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