By Jacob Messing

The Michigan Hockey Advancement (MHA) U18 team defeated the Ted Reeve Thunder Sunday afternoon 4-2 to be crowned back-to-back champions of the Bauer Motown Classic.

The tournament, which included 176 teams over nine divisions, including 16 in the U18 classification, was based in the Detroit metro area and attracted international teams from Canada and even the Czech Republic.

After losing in the finals in 2015, Michigan’s best-of-the-best walked into the 2016 tournament with a chip on their shoulder, and walked out champions. They entered 2017 as the team to beat, and lived up to their reputation as nobody could defeat them.

MHA went 6-0-0, outscoring opponents 39-10 and logging two shutouts. Their closest victory — the championship game — was still a sound 4-2 win. They opened the tournament with a 7-2 thrashing of St. Louis-based AIC Prospects before a 9-5 victory over the Falcons from Highland Park, Illinois.

Who's going home with these? #Champs @Bauer_Motown #BeltsAreSweet pic.twitter.com/oe252klq2o

— Bauer Motown Classic (@Bauer_Motown) October 22, 2017

MHA continued its domination Saturday, shutting out the Michigan Elite Brigade Yellow 7-0 en route to the Upper Quarter Final. Another Michigan team was in store, as a 2-1-0 Little Caesars team would prove to be a big test in its first Bauer Motown Classic since 2013.

The winner awaited the Troy, Michigan-based Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, who punched their ticket to the semifinals after a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Vengeance.

The MHA offense continued its overwhelming scoring rate with a 5-1 rout of Little Caesars, setting themselves up for a rematch of the 2015 Bauer Motown Classic quarter-finals with the Grizzlies.

That year, MHA sent Oakland home with its only loss after a 5-1 victory and the rematch seemed like destiny. But the excitement settled quickly Sunday, as the teams clashed while moving in opposite directions. MHA’s offense kept on rolling, scoring quick and often against the Grizzlies, who fell flat in the 7-0 shutout.

Only two remained as the Ted Reeve Thunder of Toronto won Pool C with a 2-1-0 record before beating the 2015 champs Hill Academy of Concord, Ontario, 4-3, and the Leafs of West Dundee, Illinois, 5-1, to reach the finals.

In the end, the result was the same story in a different game, as MHA won once more, successfully defending their title by a score of 4-2 over the Thunder.

With the undefeated tournament, MHA holds an overall record of 15-1-1, which they will look to build on this weekend at the Marlboro, Massachusetts’ annual Beantown Fall Classic.

Have a question or a comment for Jacob Messing? You can find him on Twitter @JMessing23.