Team New Jersey Upsets the Field to Win Spring I-270 Cup
Team New Jersey Upsets the Field to Capture I-270 Cup
The Columbus Chill Spring Development Program has come to an exciting conclusion with an exciting finish! Team New Jersey, with standout goaltender Mason Herndon, captured the I-270 Cup as the #7 seed, possibly becoming the lowest-seeded team to ever win the tournament.
A Cinderella Run to the Title
New Jersey's incredible run capped off a tournament filled with upsets and dramatic games. Right from the start, the tournament set the tone for unpredictability when New Jersey stunned #2 seed San Jose early, pushing the heavily favored team into the loser’s bracket.
Meanwhile, top-seeded Philadelphia looked poised to make a deep run but was derailed by #4 seed Nashville in a crucial matchup. Even after dropping to the loser’s bracket, Philadelphia managed to knock out #3 seed Dallas, keeping their championship hopes alive.
However, Nashville proved to be their kryptonite once again, defeating Philadelphia in a rematch to secure a spot in the finals against New Jersey.
A Goalie Duel for the Ages
The championship game between Nashville and New Jersey was an intense showdown, largely due to the outstanding play of goalies Mason Herndon (New Jersey) and Dylan Bell (Nashville). Nashville struck first with a goal by Simon Keller, but New Jersey responded with an equalizer from Alex Martin, who put away a rebound to make it 1-1.
With both goalies making clutch saves to keep their teams in it, the game remained deadlocked late. Ultimately, the tie was broken when New Jersey’s Will Howard found the back of the net, sealing a thrilling 2-1 victory and claiming the 9th Annual Chill Spring Development I-270 Cup title.
An Unforgettable Run
Team New Jersey’s journey from the #7 seed to champions will go down as one of the most remarkable runs in I-270 Cup history. Congratulations to Mason Herndon and the entire New Jersey squad!
Team New Jersey
Kiran Cooks
Jacob Girad
Kyden Hall
Will Howard
Jack Lewis
Van Lewis
Alex Martin
Grant Mooney
Charlie Streng
Goalie - Mason Herndon