Longtime Jr. Ducks Nick Cowles and Ethan Kuehn have helped the Northern Cyclones reach the USHPL Elite Nationals, which begin Thursday.

The Cyclones defeated the Boston Jr. Bruins in a best-of-3 series. Cowles brings a 13-1-0 record with a .931 save percentage and a 1.48 goals-against average to Nationals. Kuehn has 25 points (13 goals) through 32 games.

The duo helped the Jr. Ducks reach the CAHA State finals in 2023 and '23. Both are 2005 birth years and both also played in the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League (Kuehn for Lutheran High and Cowles for JSerra and Irvine United).

"Both of these players have put in the time and effort to develop and were large parts of our success in the last two seasons to make to the State playoffs," said Jr. Ducks 18U AA coach Jeff Noviello.

Cowles and Kuehn plan to play junior hockey again next season and hope to continue their careers in college hockey, Noviello added.