Syracuse, NY (Youth1)- After a fast start to their league schedule the New Jersey Devils Bantam AAA Minor team went to the Syracuse Nationals 98 Invitational with high hopes for success. After an opening game loss to the Long Island Gulls in a game the Devils led late, New Jersey bounced back with a convincing win over the Pittsburgh Selects. In their final preliminary game the Devils took on the host team the Syracuse Nationals with a playoff spot on the line. After falling behind 2-0 the Devils battled back to tie the game at two and then killed a 5 on 3 penalty. Syracuse scored to take a 3-2 lead but the Devils would not quit and scored two quick goals to go ahead 4-3 and sealed the win with an empty net goal.

The Devils met the Neponset Valley River Rats in the quarter finals and jumped out to a 2-0 early lead. The Rats battled back and the Devils had to hold on for a 4-3 win. The Semi Finals had four teams all from the AYHL as the Devils took on the Mid Fairfield Blues and the New Jersey Rockets met the Long Island Gulls. In a terrific game the Devils and Blues battled hard and the game remained scoreless until there was under two minutes left. New Jersey finally scored on a hard fought goal by Thomas Lamacchia and iced it on an empty net goal by Sam Field. Logan Kramsky played a tremendous game in net and the defensive unit of Andrew Petrillo, Zach Berzolla, Ryan Bogan, Chris Helmlinger, Ryan Dallow and Marc Tietjen all combined to earn the shut out win.

In the finals the Devils took on fellow New Jersey team, the Rockets. Peter Negron was nearly flawless in net and the Devils exploded to a 6-0 lead and never looked back winning against a very good Rockets team by the final score of 7-2. New Jersey got a pair of goals from Bjorn Kvaale and also had goals from Sam Field, Thomas Lamacchia, Andrew Petrillo, Alex Borowiec and Augie Burkhardt. Throughout the tournament the Devils got play from Chet Morgis, Matt Lavalette, Harry Bahrenburg, Danny Farr and Jack Bloem who all chipped in during the tournament.

The 98 birth year team is 3-0 in league and in first place in the AYHL. Overall they are now 8-1 with 60 goals for and 15 against.