WAYNE, N.J. — The New Jersey Warriors defended their home turf on Sunday, defeating the Nebraska Warriors in the Tier 5 final of the inaugural USA Hockey Warrior National Championships at Ice Vault Arena. 

“Being the host team, it meant a lot to win the tournament,” said New Jersey Warriors player Mike Sullivan. “We are the home team, so we had to protect our territory.”

Earlier in the tournament, New Jersey defeated St. Louis to punch their ticket to the finals. In the championship game, they showed tremendous grit as they grinded out a 2-0 shutout win over the Nebraska Warriors to take home the Tier 5 gold. “We came in here as a team and we wanted to win as a team,” continued Sullivan. “We put everything together and kept going like we are supposed to, and it ended up getting us the win.”

The tournament featured 34 teams competing across six divisions of varying skill levels. The competition was fierce and the event provided veterans an opportunity to connect with one another by playing hockey.

“Our team came away with a championship, but it is a win all around. You can just feel the camaraderie and the love between veterans,” said President and Co-Founder of the New Jersey Warriors Ted Curtin. “It is inspiring to see how people can thrive when we use sports and positivity to bring people together. It is an energy that you can not put into words.”