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MadHatters Elite Team Headed to Playoffs In Inaugural Season

By Joshua Boyd, 02/10/20, 5:45PM EST

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With a month left in the regular season, the Madhatters Elite positioned themselves beautifully, as they were merely a few wins away from clinching a playoff berth in their inaugural season.

The Hatters were coming off a grueling six-game stretch where they faced some of the league’s best - Charlotte, Hampton, Carolina, Springfield, Northern Cyclones, and Richmond.

With four games remaining, the MadHatters were third in the USPHL Florida Division, which will hold its playoffs for the two Nationals berths in Fort Myers, Fla., at the end of this month.

The Hatters were blessed with an off weekend following the USPHL Winter Showcase in Marlborough, Mass., which gave them plenty of time to host the Tampa Bay Juniors.

In Game 1, Hatters goalie Gabriel Lessard (‘00), saved 39 of 40 shots (.975) as the Madhatters Elite locked in a 2-1 victory. In Game 2, the Hatters found themselves down 4-1 after the first period, but refused to fold. Andred Cook (‘02) got the Hatters back within two and 3 minutes later, Drew Depuydt (‘02) put the Hatters within striking distance heading into the third period.

Atlanta pulled their goalie with 1:30 remaining and at the 46 second mark, extra attacker, Michael Abbas (‘00) wired one home to knot the game up at 4-4.

But the Hatters were not done yet.

With 20 seconds left in the third, Nathan Fishman (‘02) fired one home to give the Hatters a 5-4 win in regulation and complete the weekend sweep.

This was a monumental weekend for the Atlanta Madhatters Hockey Club.