DKJA Fifth Grader Knows the Way to San Jose by Winning NHL Shootout Competition

Later this month, 10-Year old Eli Zucker will find himself on the ice and in an arena with some of the world’s most talented hockey players. That’s because the Donna Klein Jewish Academy fifth grader and goalie earned a trip to the 2019 NHL All-Star Game in San Jose, by coming out on top in the Florida Panthers’ annual Mini 1-on-1 Tournament held at the BB&T Center in late December. 

 

The tournament is an annual event for kids 10 and younger and acts as a shootout with one athlete in goal and another one in front with a puck and a stick. Each duo had an opportunity to go head-to-head against one another and show off their best moves and saves.

 

Zucker was one of five goalies and 10 total competitors in the finals, but had to survive earlier qualifying rounds for travel teams, which were held at five ice rinks in the area. The top teams at each rink eventually made the cut and then traveled to Sunrise. The 30 other teams around the league held similar competitions and each duo will square off in San Jose as part of All-Star Weekend, Jan. 24-27. 

 

Making the trip with Zucker will be J.T. Bonilla who scored the tournament-winning goal among the shooters. Both Zucker and Bonilla belong to the Florida Panthers IceDen travel team and this is the second straight year the Panther’s All-Star representatives have come from that squad.