Boys' Hockey: Wednesday's Top Games (2/1)

Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe @ Staples/Weston/Shelton @ 4pm
-S-W-S is having a rough time right now and things don't get any easier as they host FCIAC foe FWL.  FWL is also a top team in DII that S-W-S would like to beat to show that they are serious contenders in their first year in DII

Simsbury @ Daniel Hand @ 6
-Simsbury keeps proving one game at a time that they are serious legitimate team in DI this year.  Facing off with a top DII team that has wins over other DI teams, Daniel Hand, will be a good test for both squads.

#5 Xavier @ #1 Fairfield Prep @ 6
-A top five matchup is going down in Bridgeport tonight!  X is coming off a 2-1 win over N Haven over the weekend while Prep is flying high as the champions of the inaugural Jesuit shootout, including a big 2-0 win over BC High (MA).  Prep has beat numbers two through four in the rankings so let's see if Xavier can shake some things up or if Prep extends their win streak to eight.

Bolton/Coventry/Lyman Memorial @ Milford Co-op @ 6
-BCL is an alright team but the main reason this is getting featured is that a win means a trip to the DII state tournament for Milford co-op and a trip to the DIII state tournament for BCL.

Cheshire @ #2 Hamden @ 6
-The big duel to watch in this one is between the pipes.  Tyler Carbone for the Rams and Andy Varga for the Green Dragons are two of the best goalies in the state and they keep their teams in games until their offenses warm up.  I still expect Hamden to win, especially at home, but ti could be a lot closer than many are expecting; Cheshire only lost 1-2 to #4 ND-WH.  Oh yeah, a win for Hamden would be their 8th, officially qualifying them for the DI state tournament.

Westhill @ Trumbull @ 630
-Westhill is hot right now with wins over Stamford and S-W-S in their last two games while Trumbull is one of, in not the, top team in DII so far this year.  However, they only beat 3-8 Wilton 2-1 in their last game and lost 1-2 in OT to Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe in the game before that.

Notre Dame-Fairfield @ #10 West Haven @ 7
-These rankings are in reference to a post I still haven't posted but W Haven made it back into my top ten on Sunday.  They have rebounded from their losses well and pick up quality wins, which they have another opportunity for tonight.  ND-F, on the other hand, just creamed Conard and has some momentum going into Bennett Rink.

N Haven @ #6 Glastonbury @ 730
-N Haven dropped out of my top ten but will still give the Thomahawks a good game up at Trinity College in Hartford.  Very good game, especially for N Haven to face a CCC opponent and CCC area fans to see an SCC team.

Guilford @ Conard @ 730
-Somewhat interesting SCC/CCC game but the bigger thing to watch is that Guilford will qualify for the DII state tournament with a win at Veteran's Memorial Rink tonight.

Branford @ North Branford @ 8
-This game was postponed from way back on 1/21.  Home game for both teams in a local rivalry.  This game is also huge for both teams as they vie for a spot at the very top of DII team this year.  Branford beat Milford co-op 5-4 in OT and Milford co-op beat N Brandord 2-5.  Branford lost 6-7 in OT to Trumbull, a team that Brandord beat 5-4 just over a week prior.  However, Branford beat some other DII teams (Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe, Lyman Hall) by a lot more than N Branford.  The T-Birds are already in the DII tournament but the Hornets will secure a spot as well if they win this technical away game.  Should be a pretty dang good game!

#9 New Canaan @ #3 Ridgefield @ 830
-Top ten and FCIAC battle that is really either team's game to win.  Ridgefield, a fairly dominant team that has not lost since their opener (0-3 to #1 Prep, 11 straight since), plays top teams close.  They only scraped by #5 X at home 5-4 in OT, took down then #2 ND-WH on the road, and then St. Joseph and Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe 3-2 each in FCIAC games this season.  Encouraging for the Tigers is that they beat #6 G-bury 5-2 but that was right after the loss to Prep.  Perhaps coming off the close one with FWL will add to their drive and desire against now-ranked New Canaan.  NC tied #5 X 1-1, beat St. Joseph 6-1 and has yet to lose a FCIAC game just like Ridgefield.  Expect the Rams to be on their A game and this is going to be a really good hockey game at the Winter Garden Ice Arena.

#8 Darien @ St. Joseph @ 830
-This is the game that will make FCIAC fans want to be in two places at once.  Again, two of the conference's best teams, both already in the DI state tournament, are facing off and this time the Rinks at Shelton are hosting.  The Blue Wave want to continue their seven game winning streak while both teams look to add on a crucial conference victory to their records.  Going to be another good one in Fairfield County tonight.

DIII teams that make the state tournament with a win:
Northwest Catholic (vs Wethersfield @ 730)
Joel Barlow (@ Shepaug/Litchfield/Nonnewaug @ 815)
Masuk (@ Newtown @ 850)

Boys' Hockey: Monday and Tuesday's Results (1/30 and 1/31)

Monday

Windsor/Farmington/Avon 1 @ Newington/Berlin 3
-Huge win for Newington/Berlin and very disappointing loss for Windsor/Farmington/Avon.

Brookfield/Bethel/Danbury 7 @ Staples/Weston/Shelton 1
-More than a loss for S-W-S they got embarrassed by a DIII team in this one.

Masuk 2 @ Joel Barlow 4
-Barlow shows they are still better than Masuk as both teams now sit on the cusp of the DIII tournament with seven wins each.

Tuesday

-no games scheduled

Boys' Hockey: Monday and Tuesday's Top Games (1/30 and 1/31)

Monday

Windsor/Farmington/Avon @ Newington/Berlin @ 4
-N/B picked up a solid win over Hall/Southington on Saturday and they now get to host a fellow CCC-South rival, Windsor/Farmington/Avon.  W/F/A just made the DI tournament and they can continue to prove their worth against a top DIII team in a big-time game for both teams.

Brookfield/Bethel/Danbury @ Staples/Weston/Shelton @ 6
-B-B-D is on top of the work right now becoming the second team in the DIII tournament thus far this season, after their 4-3 OT win against Newtown this weekend.  S-W-S, on the other hand, is last year's DIII runner-up struggling in DII right now after being upset by Westhill making their current losing streak three games.

Masuk @ Joel Barlow @ 740
-SWC and DIII match-up that I featured at the beginning of the season too.  Masuk has done better since losing that game 1-2 so now is their shot at revenge and clinching a berth in the DIII tournament.

Tuesday

-no games scheduled

Boys' Hockey: Saturday's Scores (1/28)

#8 South Windsor 1 @ Simsbury 4
-Bobcats are really struggling now and I think this win still looks good for Simsbury.

West Haven 5 @ Amity 2
-Good win for W Haven as they qualify for the DI state tournament and just keep taking things one game at a time.

Windsor/Farmington/Avon 1 @ #7 East Haven 3
-Easties got what they needed to solidify a spot in the top ten in the state.  Windsor/Farmington/Avon is now 1-1-1 in DI despite having already qualified for the DI state tournament.  East Haven hosts Amity next.

#1 Fairfield Prep 3 @ St. Peter's Prep 2 @ Purdential Center (Newark, NJ)
-FP won the inaugural Jesuit shootout and CT hockey looked very good beating a top team from NJ (that beat a good NY team) and a top five team from the great hockey state, Massachusetts.

Notre Dame-Fairfield 8 @ Conard 2
-ND won without Marty Roos for the first time since his resignation and they won big over Conard.

#4 Notre Dame-West Haven 3 @ #2 Hamden 3
-What did you expect, right?  Whenever two really good teams tie, I always bring up what I said that one time how a tie is worse than a win or loss for either side in my opinion.  The same thing applies here but mainly because neither team can say they're better and then Ridgefield can contend that they belong in the #2 spot; rankings will  be very interesting.

Westhill 7 @ Staples/Weston/Sheton 6
-I can't explain it and I wish somebody would but after starting 0-8-1, Westhill has won two straight games against good FCIAC teams: Stamford and now S-W-S.  S-W-S was looking pretty good in their first year in DII and they need to bounce back strong from this loss.

Newtown 3 @ Brookfield/Bethel/Danbury 4 OT
-Took OT but B-B-D got into the DIII state tournament.  The result looks good for Newtown too going forward.

#3 Ridgefield 3 @ Farirfield Warde/Ludlowe 2
-Neither team wanted to lose their first FCIAC game and FWL's strong performance in this one should help them going forward.  I am only looking into it so much because I have to find some reasons for separation but this results lessens Ridgefield's bid a little bit for #2 in the rankings.

Immaculate/New Fairfield 0 @ Watertown/Pomperaug 9
-9-0 win for the defending DIII champions to qualify for the DII tournament in their first year.

#5 Xavier 2 @ #9 North Haven 1
-X picks up the one goal win over North Haven again and shows that even after not playing for over a week, they can still come out and play good enough to beat a top team in the state.  Lookin' good for the Falcons going forward and N Haven can still build on this result.

New Canaan 3 @ Greenwich 1
-NC is back in the DI tournament that many thought they would win last year.  I'm sure the Rams feel good about that and adding another FCIAC win to their record.

Bolton/Coventry/Lyman Memorial 1 @ Rockville/Manchester/Stafford 2
-B-C-L has to wait a little longer to make the DIII tournament as Rockville/Manchester/Stafford got revenge and their fourth win in this one.

#10 Darien 9 @ Norwalk/Brien McMahon 2
-Dairen is in!  The Blue Wave should look to keep going up from here.

Hall/Southington 1 @ Newington/Berlin 4
-N-B gets a good win to continue their dominance of DIII.