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Milpitas native Christopher Rye is headed to the Nationals of the Pacific Division of the U.S. Premier Hockey League, the nation's largest amateur ice hockey league. Rye's team, the Ontario Junior Reign, won the Pacific Division championship by defeating the Fresno Monsters in two games on March 7 and 8. Rye had 19 goals and 20 assists in 44 games during the regular season.
Milpitas native Christopher Rye is heading to the national tournament with his amateur ice hockey team.
The Ontario Junior Reign defeated the Fresno Monsters in two games on March 7th and 8th to become the US Premier Hockey League (USPHL) Pacific Division champions. Junior Reign finished his 2023-24 season with a record of 37-8-0-1. The national convention will be held from March 21st to 26th in Utica, New York.
“It was a really special moment,” Junior Reign head coach Jeremy Blooms said of the district championship. “It's hard to explain in words, but they often say it takes a village. In three short seasons, we've built a very special village.”
The team is part of the USPHL's Pacific Division, which was established in 2012. The team is the largest amateur ice hockey league in the United States, officials said. The USPHL facilitates the progression of young players into college and professional hockey.
The USPHL currently has more than 11,000 players in more than 100 organizations across the United States. Since its founding, the USPHL has sent more than 5,000 players to college hockey, more than 200 players to NCAA Division I hockey, and drafted seven players. The NHL comes directly from the National Collegiate Development Council.
Lai (uniform number 95) is a forward who can play center, left wing, and right wing. According to Rye, Junior Reign plays more than 50 games each season. He played in 44 games during the season and had 19 goals and 20 assists.
Rai enjoys playing hockey even though he grew up in a city without natural snow or ice. He has been with the Ontario Junior Reign since August 2023.
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