Columbus Chill Win USA Hockey National Championship
Columbus Chill 18U Make History, Capture First Youth National Championship
It didn’t end with a routine celebration.
It ended with a pile of grey jerseys, gloves in the air, and a moment Columbus hockey had never seen before.
The Columbus Chill are NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
On a Sunday afternoon in West Chester, Pennsylvania, the Chill defeated the Nashville Jr. Predators 4–3 in overtime to win the 2026 USA Hockey 18U Tier II 3A National Championship, securing the first youth national title in Columbus hockey history.
And they did it the only way this group knew how, TOGETHER!
A Championship Decided in a Moment
The game had already given them everything.
A two-goal lead.
A pushback.
A tie game late.
Then overtime.
Just over three minutes into the extra frame, the moment arrived.
Ben Spence found space and finished it.
Game over. Season complete. History made.
Spence scored twice in the championship, including the overtime winner, while Nick Myers and Will Howard each added a goal. Howard also chipped in an assist, continuing his strong tournament play.
Behind them, Dylan Bell stood tall, turning aside 28 of 31 shots, including several key saves late in regulation and in overtime that kept the Chill alive long enough to finish it.
The Identity Was Built Early
The championship wasn’t won in overtime.
It was built shift by shift over six games.
Columbus opened the tournament with a 4–2 win over last year's finalists New Jersey Jets, getting contributions across the lineup. Nick Myers opened the scoring for the tournament two minutes into the game, while goals from Connor Hagkull, Theodoros Makrogiannis, and William Yoho helped seal the victory.
A day later, the Chill delivered one of their most complete offensive performances, a 6–2 win over the Philadelphia Blazers. Nicholas Greco scored twice, while Spence, Myers, Yoho, and Parker Schlade added goals in a game that showcased the team’s depth and ability to attack in waves.
Columbus’ confidence and skill showed in different ways. On Greco’s second goal, Lucas Robertson sent a behind-the-back pass into the slot, setting up a highlight-reel moment that reflected just how connected and in rhythm the group had become.
Behind the offense, Dylan Fansler was sharp in net, making timely saves and controlling rebounds to limit second chances. His performance ensured the early lead held firm and allowed the Chill to continue building separation as the game progressed.
Then came a test.
A tight, physical matchup against Nashville to close out pool play.
The Chill responded with a 2–1 win, getting an early goal from Hagkull and the eventual game-winner from Tate Rook, assisted by Myers and Hagkull. In net, Bell turned aside 29 shots, preserving a perfect 3-0 record heading into elimination play.
The line of Michael Wozniak, Donovan Roen, and William Yoho consistently tilted the ice, using relentless forechecking and extended offensive zone pressure to wear down Nashville. Their ability to cycle pucks, win battles, and maintain possession became a defining factor in the tournament and reflected a strength that had been there all season long.
When the Moment Got Bigger, So Did the Plays
The margin shrinks in elimination hockey.
The plays matter more.
The moments last longer.
If there was a game that tested everything the Chill had, it was the quarterfinal against the South Shore Kings, as momentum never stayed in one place for long.
Every push had an answer.
Every mistake was punished.
Special teams defined the game, with both teams executing at a high level and each scoring three power-play goals in regulation in a back-and-forth battle that never allowed either side to separate.
Tate Rook, with one of the defining performances of the tournament scored three times, recording a hat trick to carry the offense, while Donovan Roen found the moment in overtime, burying the game-winner and sending the Chill to the semifinals with a hard-earned 4–3 victory.
But the story of that game wasn’t just goals.
It was composure.
It was the ability to hold the line when momentum could have shifted.
And in net, Dylan Fansler delivered exactly that, stepping into the moment and making critical saves in a high-pressure elimination game. His presence gave the Chill stability when it mattered most and allowed them to push forward to the finish.
One Step from History
The semifinal didn’t carry the same drama.
It carried dominance.
Columbus controlled play from start to finish in a 5–1 win over Team Philadelphia, with Ben Spence scoring twice and goals coming from Nick Myers, Conner Hagkull, and Luke Myers.
Five different scorers.
Relentless pressure.
A team playing its best hockey at the right time.
One game left.
Built on Defensive Commitment
While the goals and overtime moments defined the highlights, the foundation of the Chill’s championship run was built at five-on-five.
Columbus was elite defensively all tournament long, allowing just six even-strength goals across six games, a testament to their structure, discipline, and commitment away from the puck.
That commitment started up front.
The forwards consistently protected pucks, limited turnovers, and managed the game the right way, understanding when to attack and when to play with patience. Their ability to value possession reduced extended defensive zone time and helped tilt the ice in Columbus’ favor.
Behind them, the defensive group was steady and reliable every night.
Henry Thackeray, Tommy Scharfenberger, Eli Hall, Bradley Martin, Parker Schlade, and Alex Martin formed a unit that was physical, composed, and difficult to play against. They limited time and space, closed quickly on threats, and consistently kept opponents to the outside.
And behind it all, the stout goalie duo of Dylan Bell and Dylan Fansler provided a calm and confident presence in goal, delivering key saves throughout the tournament and reinforcing the defensive structure in front of them.
In key moments, especially at even strength, the Chill didn’t just defend.
They controlled.
And that defensive consistency became one of the defining traits of a championship team.
More Than a Championship
When the final goal went in, it wasn’t just about one game.
It was about everything that came before it.
The practices.
The travel.
The small moments that built a team capable of something bigger.
Six games. Six wins.
A championship earned through depth, resilience, and belief.
For the Columbus Chill, it’s more than a title.
It’s a milestone.
A standard.
And the start of something that had never been done before.