With many of their hockey seasons over, and some still going to state, 60 Minneapolis Bantams and 14U/12U Girls players descended on the John Rose Oval for what hopefully becomes an annual tradition....playing for the USA Jr. National Bandy Championships.

There were two National Championship games played on Monday, March 3rd. The 15U Boys National Championship and the 17U Girls National Championship. The two games pitted the Minneapolis Millers Bandy Club (Storm away jerseys) vs the Minneapolis Storm Bandy Club (Storm home jerseys). The boys 15U game was an incredible battle that went right down to a tense final minute with the Millers Bandy Club holding off the surging Storm in a 5-4 game. That would be all for the Millers Bandy Club. In the 17U Girls National Championship the Minneapolis Storm jumped out to a 3-0 lead. In the second half both teams notched two goals and the final was 5-2 for the Storm.

Both games were coached by USA National Team Mens and Womens coaches who met with the players prior to the game to give them a bandy primer...it worked as the kids played some incredible bandy.

Big thanks are due to those in the USA Bandy Community that helped and participated in this event:

Referees: Keven Bowen, Eric Hemesch, and Nick Hauer

Coaches: Chris Middlebrook, Rick Haney, Chris Halden, Win Mitchell, Kat Graeves, and Mikael Sandberg

Webcast Crew: Neal Logan, Shane Lines, and Rich Chlebecek

Tournament Director: Steve Jecha

The United States has been awarded the 2015 17U Girls World Championships and the 2016 boys 15U World Championships. Many of the players on Monday night will be called on to take on the best from Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Russia. Games were webcast worldwide and you can view them in the archives at this address:

GIRLS 17U NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WEBCAST

BOYS 15U NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WEBCAST