Bishop Gorman hockey makes history with tournament win, state championship in just third season

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Bishop Gorman is known nationally for its football dominance, but this winter it was the school’s hockey team making headlines.

In just its third season, the Gaels became the first Nevada team to win the prestigious CCM tournament in Chicago. They followed that performance with a dominant state championship run, including an 11-0 win over Faith Lutheran.

WATCH | Taylor Rocha caught up with the team to hear more about the success this young program is seeing:

“It felt great, you know, just representing Bishop Gorman becoming the first team from Nevada to win the tournament, it was a great feeling,” defenseman Jonathan Budin said.

For a program still in its infancy, the national stage carried added significance.

“Means a lot… just putting Nevada on the map and showing that we can do this… that we have great programs here in Nevada and that we can stand with the top programs in the country,” Budin said.

The tournament victory was not without adversity.

“In the final, for example, we were down two goals when there was like a couple of minutes left, then we turned it around,” head coach Joakim Falt said.

The Gaels went undefeated in Chicago, a feat Falt described as “absolutely massive.”

“We just didn’t win it. We won all the games, too. We didn’t lose any games, and two of the games we were down going into 3rd, so the guys really came out hard and took care of business,” Falt said.

Goalie Lenny Tanchala called the championship-clinching moment “a surreal experience.”

“When we scored in that overtime, and we’re all just celebrating on the ice, I couldn’t even comprehend what was happening,” Tanchala said. “Obviously, we know how huge it is for Gorman because Gorman, it’s our third year… such a young program.”

The confidence from Chicago carried into the state tournament, where the Gaels finished the season in commanding fashion.

“Just winning 11-0… it just shows a lot of dominance, shows that we are the top program in Nevada and that we will dominate for years to come,” Budin said.

Much of the team’s chemistry stems from familiarity. Several players have skated together since childhood.

“It feels great… just to win with some of my good buddies that I’ve known for years,” Budin said.

Falt believes the success represents more than trophies. With limited ice facilities in Nevada, he sees each victory as building toward the future of the sport locally.

“We’re trying to build a rink over there, so it’s huge… but the only way for us to actually get a rink, we’ve got to keep winning, because there is no substitution for winning,” Falt said.

At a school where championships are expected, Bishop Gorman hockey has quickly earned its place — and may only be getting started.