PLYMOUTH, Minn. — A pair of Chicago Blackhawks teams, along with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche, each earned titles today at the eighth annual USA Hockey Sled Classic, presented by the NHL.
The four-day event that commenced last Thursday (Nov. 16) was hosted by the Minnesota Wild at the Plymouth Ice Center in Plymouth, Minnesota. The field included a record 28 teams associated with a record 20 NHL clubs.
2017 USA Hockey Sled Classic,
Presented by the NHL
Division Championship
Division Winner
Tier I Chicago Blackhawks
Tier II Pittsburgh Penguins
Tier III Edmonton Oilers
Tier IV Colorado Avalanche
Tier V Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks won two division titles by topping the Colorado Avalanche, 7-1, in the Tier I title game and edging the Minnesota Wild, 3-0 in the Tier V championship game. As Tier I champions, the Blackhawks received the inaugural O’Connor Courage Trophy as a symbol of the NHL’s commitment to the sled hockey community. The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-2, to claim the Tier II crown while the Edmonton Oilers blanked the Minnesota Wild, 4-2, in the Tier III championship game. In the Tier IV title game, Colorado Avalanche B shut out the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-0 for the division title.
Other NHL clubs that sponsored teams included the Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Winnipeg Jets.
For full tournament results and statistics, click here.
NOTES: The event, which saw each team wear official NHL licensed jerseys with local club marks and logos, is part of the seventh annual Come Play Hockey Month and the Hockey is for Everyone program, two joint efforts of USA Hockey and the NHL … Six NHL clubs – the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins – have two associated teams in this year’s USA Hockey Sled Classic while the Colorado Avalanche will have three teams … Last year, the Nashville Predators held the tournament in Antioch, Tenn., where the Colorado Avalanche captured the Tier I Division, the Pittsburgh Penguins claimed the Tier II crown, the Nashville Predators won the Tier III Division, the Colorado Avalanche captured the Tier IV division and the Carolina Hurricanes took the Tier V title … Previous NHL teams to host the event include the Colorado Avalanche (2010; Denver, Colo.); Philadelphia Flyers (2011; Voorhees, N.J.); Buffalo Sabres (2012; Williamsville, N.Y.); Pittsburgh Penguins (2013; Pittsburgh, Pa.); Washington Capitals (2014; Arlington, Va.); and the Florida Panthers (2015; Sunrise, Fla.) .
