Junior Power Rankings

RANK

TEAM

RECORD

COMMENTS

 1

NH Jr.
Monarchs (EJHL)

30-14-1

 The Monarchs won their third consecutive Eastern Junior Hockey League Championship by sweeping the Bay State Breakers, then upsetting the South Shore Kings in three games before pulling off the two-game sweep in the EJHL finals over the Jersey Hitmen. New Hampshire was led by playoff MVP Zach Andrews, who recorded a .931 save percentage and a 1.80 goals against average between the pipes.

 2

Jersey
Hitmen (EJHL)

27-14-4 

The Hitmen finished the 2011-2012 season as the runner-up to the Monarchs in the EJHL’s Dineen Cup playoff finals. Jersey made it to the finals by defeating the Valley Jr. Warriors in two games followed with a surprising two game sweep over the regular season champion Boston Jr. Bruins. In the finals, the Hitmen ran into a hot goaltender and a hotter Monarchs team forcing them to go home without the post season hardware.  

 3

Walpole
Express (AJHL) 

 38-5-0

Walpole’s two game sweep of the New York Bobcats in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League’s finals gave them the three-peat as they won their third AJHL championship in as many years. Coach Mark Kumpel’s squad dismissed the New Jersey Rockets, the Boston Bulldogs and the Bobcats in six total games to earn the league crown. AJ Goaltender of the Year, Kyle Shapiro, was a major reason for Walpole’s postseason success.

 4

Boston
Jr. Bruins (EJHL)

37-7-1

The Jr. Bruins, winners of the regular season championship, opened the Eastern Junior Hockey League’s Dineen Cup playoffs with a sweep over the New England Huskies but ran into a determined Jersey Hitmen squad. Boston gave up 13 goals in two games, leading to the Jr. B’s being swept out of the playoffs in the semifinals.

 5

NY Bobcats (AJHL)

31-12-1

The Bobcats made a run for the Atlantic Junior Hockey League’s title by enjoying playoff success with series victories over the Hartford Jr. Wolfpack and Northern Cyclones, but they eventually fell short against the Walpole Express in two games. League scoring champion William Pascalli was named the AJHL regular season Most Valuable Player. 

 6

South Shore
Kings (EJHL)

 37-8-0

The Kings, champions of the South division, entered the Eastern Junior Hockey League’s postseason on a 15-game winning streak. The club finally lost a game in the quarterfinals to the Green Mountain Glades but were still able to end the Glades season after a mini game. In the EJHL semifinals, South Shore lost in three games to defending champion New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs. Record-setting league scoring champion Jim Vesey (North Reading, Mass.) was named the EJHL’s Most Valuable Player. Vesey’s linemate, Nick Bligh (Milton, Mass.), was selected as the league’s Rookie of the Year.

 7

Northern
Cyclones (AJHL)

35-6-1

The Cyclones skated past the Portland Jr. Pirates in the AJHL quarterfinals but lost in a physical series to the New York Bobcats in three games in the semifinals. The Cyclones finished the regular season in second place. Their efforts were recognized by the league, which named Jared Henderson Best Offensive Defenseman and Bill Flanagan as the AJHL’s Coach of the Year.

 8

Green Mountain
Glades (EJHL)

 22-20-3

The Glades came close to pulling off a momentous upset by taking the South Shore Kings to the mini game in the quarterfinal round of the postseason. Green Mountain will be skating south to Connecticut and compete as the Oilers in 2012-2013 under new head coach, Eric Lind.

 9

Bay State
Breakers (EJHL)

 22-17-4

The Breakers season came to an end at against the N.H. Jr. Monarchs in the quarterfinals. Forward James Murphy amassed five points in four total playoff games for Bay State. Matt Vidal was the club’s regular season scoring leader with 20 goals and 46 assists for a total of 66 points.

 10

   
New England
Huskies (EJHL) 

20-22-3

The Huskies, behind the goaltending of Josh Hillegas, competed hard in their attempt to upset the Jr. Bruins in the playoff quarterfinals but could not match Boston’s firepower. Next season, the Huskies will have a new name, as they will become known as the Islanders and will be under the tutelage of new head coach Sean Tremblay, who is making the move to Tyngsboro, Mass., after ten years as coach of the Jr. Monarchs.