Massapequa resident Patrick Jones won MVP of the 7th Annual Vytra Cup Nassau team at the recent 7th Annual Vytra Cup Ice Hockey Tournament held at Nassau Coliseum.

Although the Suffolk County High School Hockey League All-Star Team beat Nassau with a 3-2 victory, Jones, the team's goalie, kept a shutout for two and a half periods.

"The Nassau County Team has lost the Vytra Cup to Suffolk County six out of the past seven years," Jones explained. "Naturally, this year Nassau was expected to lose again. Unexpectedly, our team went out, held our ground and played a great defensive game."

Jones called playing at Nassau Coliseum "quite an experience." He said that playing on a professional rink, under the lights, in front of a crowd of nearly 2,500 fans was "... great, but nerve-wracking. You just have to tune it all out and play hockey."

Describing his style of play as "aggressive," Jones said he likes to challenge the shooters. "By coming out of the net, I cut down the angles and give the shooter less to shoot at. I also like to assist the defensemen when the puck is shot into my zone by passing it to them. This cuts down on the amount a defenseman needs to skate back, and slows things down in our own zone."

Jones said he has college aspirations, although the 11th grader has yet to choose a particular college. "It has been my dream for a while to play college hockey and hopefully, if I'm lucky, I'll get noticed."

Jones's father, Patrick Jones Sr., attributes his son's success to more than luck. "Patrick has been working extremely hard at improving as a hockey player, putting in long hours of practice. It is great to see him recognized and rewarded for all his hard work. We are extremely proud of him."

So, who does Jones root for when he is watching hockey, instead of playing it? "I am a diehard Ranger fan," he said. "Unfortunately, they are not having the best season, but they did beat the Islanders 5-0 in last Tuesday's game.