FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 15, 2021

East Lake Eagles & Seminole Sharks Begin Play at USA Hockey National Championships

Tampa, FL – The 2021 Chipotle USA Hockey High School National Championship tournament begins today in Omaha, Nebraska. A total of 40 teams across the United States make up the playing field across 1 girls division (8 teams), and 2 boys divisions (Tier I 16 teams; Tier II 16 teams), with champions being crowned in each division on April 19, 2021. As play begins, the Lightning High School Hockey League’s own East Lake Eagles (Tier I) and Seminole Sharks (Tier II) will begin their quest to bring a National Championship title back to Tampa Bay, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 2016, when the Mitchell Mustangs took home the Tier II National title.

East Lake, a Tier I/Pure team, finished the LHSHL regular season with a record of 22W-0L-0T, the first team to go undefeated in the LHSHL since the 2015-2016 season, when the Mitchell Mustangs went 21W-0L-1T. After falling to the Seminole Sharks in the Lightning Cup Playoffs Conference Finals, the Eagles advanced to the SAHOF State Championships where they went undefeated, including a 5-4 overtime victory over North Broward Prep in the Tier I State Championship game to punch their ticket to USA Hockey Nationals. The Eagles will play 3 games in the opening round of the USA Hockey National Championships:

• April 15, 2021 – 10:00am vs Notre Dame Saints (Arizona)
• April 16, 2021 – 10:15am @ Penn Gold (Indiana)
• April 17, 2021 – 4:15pm vs Santa Margarita (California)

The Seminole Sharks, a Tier II/Combined team, finished the LHSHL regular season with a record of 19W-3L-0T, securing 1st place in the Lecavalier Division. Earning a -bye- in the first round of the Lightning Cup Playoffs, the Sharks would outscore their opponents 14-6 throughout the playoffs, in route to securing their second Lightning Cup Championship in just as many years (defeated Durant 4-2 in 2021, defeated Jenkins 7-4 in 2020). Advancing to the SAHOF State Championships, the Sharks would go undefeated in the tournament, including a 3-2 overtime victory over the Durant Cougars in the Tier II State Championship game. The sharks will play 3 games in the opening round of the USA Hockey National championships:

• April 15, 2021 – 4:00pm @ Gillette Grizzlies (Wyoming)
• April 16, 2021 – 12:15pm vs NW Arkansas (Arkansas)
• April 17, 2021 – 11:00am vs Sun Valley Suns (Idaho)

The 2021 Chipotle USA Hockey High School National Championships are available for viewing on Hockey TV.

*All game times are listed in Central time.