Hempfield's Christian Gorscak becomes junior hockey star, wins NAHL MVP in Johnstown

Johnstown Tomahawks coach Mike Letizia had plenty of words to describe Hempfield product Christian Gorscak.

Humble, determined, talented, confident, consistent, coachable, leader.

Now you can add two more words — most valuable.

Gorscak was named MVP of the North American Hockey League last week, capping off a coronavirus-shortened season where he scored 25 goals and added 39 assists for one of the top teams in the league.

“It was definitely a great honor,” said Gorscak, a Niagara recruit who led the league with 64 points. “There’s a lot of great players up for that award. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates, coaching staff and the city of Johnstown.”

The honor was bittersweet for the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Gorscak, who said he would rather still be on the ice competing for a championship. The remainder of the season was canceled last month.

Johnstown ended the season 34-13-4, with the Tomahawks in second place in the East Division. They had won eight straight games and were gaining momentum for the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament, the playoffs for the USA Hockey Tier II junior league.

“We did a great job,” Gorscak said. “We started 0-3, and we ended on an eight-game winning streak and won 10 of our last 11. We truly started to come together as a team. We started making a great run.”

Gorscak, 19, finished his three-year Tomahawks career with 42 goals and 59 assists. He took a major step forward this season as one of the captains.

“He had a pretty special year from start to finish,” said Mike Letizia, the East Division Coach of the Year. “When he came to training camp, you could tell there was a new sense of leadership and new sense of confidence. He was ready to take the next step.

“Right off the get-go, he was outstanding on and off the ice. There was hardly ever a time where he struggled. It was just a consistent performance.”

Gorscak played with the Esmark Stars of the NAPHL for four years and also led Hempfield’s varsity team with 15 goals and 24 assists in 2017. That year, he also had 100 points for the Stars’ 16U team.

He then jumped at the opportunity to sign a tender with the Tomahawks. He lived with two billet families in Johnstown and has grown into a Division I player.

“It was honestly the best three years of my life,” Gorscak said. “The fans are unbelievable. The overwhelming support that community has with the hockey team is awesome. Getting out to the community and giving back is always a rewarding feeling. We just love to play in front of the fans and build off that energy for sure.”

Gorscak developed into one of the league’s top forwards. He was a plus-29 this season. He had six power-play goals and six winning goals.

“He has a lot of God-given talent,” Letizia said. “He knows where to put the puck to score. He has a great work ethic. With all that talent and ability, he’s willing to make the plays and do things in the best interest of the team, not just himself. He always makes the right plays for the team.

“He is 100% team-first and coachable, which, as a coach, you can’t ask for much more than that.”

With the season complete, Gorscak has turned his attention to his college career. He is scheduled to report to Niagara this summer, but the coronavirus outbreak could delay that plan.

He plans to major in elementary education.

“The sky is the limit,” Letizia said. “We’ll see how everything goes for him in college. I can definitely see him in professional hockey someday.”

Staying in shape in the meantime has become a challenge. Rinks are closed around the region, leaving players few options to maintain their strength and skill.

“I’m doing some at-home training,” he said. “It involves running every day, band work. … I’m kind of working on my hands and my shot.”

It’s the type of work ethic teammates, coaches and fans have come to expect from a player described as most valuable.