For the most part, the tier gap between divisions in CIAC boys’ hockey is fairly significant. But before this season, I heard from many coaches that a few teams in Division 2 were good enough to compete in Division 1.
That feeling applied to last season’s Division 2 state finalists — the East Haven Co-op and Cheshire — in particular. And after two weeks of play, the Yellowjackets and Rams have done nothing to disprove that theory. Both own wins over solid Division 1 programs and are cruising through their Division 2 schedules.
And both are now in the top five of our rankings.
Lou Pane and Anthony Giusto’s teams clearly look good enough to survive in the 11-team Division 1. But it may also be worth wondering if they could contend with Division 1's four traditional powers (New Canaan, Darien, Fairfield Prep and Notre Dame-West Haven), too.
We may never know. But it’s an interesting thought exercise nonetheless as we head into the New Year.
1. New Canaan (4-1-0)
Previous rank: 1
Division: 1
Conference: FCIAC
Coach: Clark Jones
Next: at Greenwich Country Day (Conn.), Jan. 8, 4 p.m.
The top-ranked Rams have enjoyed a stress-free start to 2026, with a 6-2 win over Prout (R.I.) and a 6-0 win over Ridgefield in the last three days. Rogan Lowe put up five points (two goals, three assists) against the Tigers, bringing his season total to 5-6-11, and fellow senior forward Tony DelCarmine (two goals, two assists for 5-5-10) isn’t far behind. Facing 22.6 shots a game thus far, sophomore Blake Pozatek boasts a 1.8 goals against average and 0.9 save percentage.
2. Darien (3-3-0)
Previous rank: 2
Division: 1
Conference: FCIAC
Coach: Mac Budd
Next: vs. Fairfield Prep, Jan. 7, 4 p.m.
The Wave returned from the Christmas break with a sound 3-0 victory against a tough Greenwich team, then took New Jersey power St. Joseph all the way before a disastrous final three minutes turned what was a tied game at 1 into a 4-1 defeat. Budd’s group rebounded with an 8-0 thrashing of St. Joseph (the Conn. version) on Saturday as it heads into a showdown with Fairfield Prep on Wednesday. That’ll be Darien’s second big CIAC test after it fell to arch rival New Canaan two days before Christmas. We’ll learn something about the Wave in that game, but with star senior top-liner Jack Marisca (five goals, three assists) and third-liners Jack Konzerowsky (three, two) and Holden Mohr (four, one) rolling, Darien remains at No. 2.
READ MORE: Division 3 college hockey takeaways from the holidays
3. Fairfield Prep (1-3-0)
Previous rank: 3
Division: 1
Conference: SCC
Coach: Vin O’Hara
Next: at Darien, Jan. 7, 4 p.m.
Prep got in the win column with a 3-2 decision against Bishop Feehan (Mass.) — junior Tyler Wilhelm buried the game-winner on a perfectly executed rush for his first career goal — but the early-season growing pains resumed the next day, when O’Hara’s team fell to Catholic Memorial (Mass.), 8-2. Still, CM is one of the best teams in all of New England, and though the pre-Christmas loss to Ridgefield was disappointing, the Jesuits have played a tough schedule. It won’t get easier with Darien on Wednesday, but it starts to let up after that. Star senior Connor Driscoll leads the team with three goals; junior defenseman Greyson Walker leads with four assists.
4. East Haven Co-op (6-0-0)
Previous rank: 6
Division: 2
Conference: SCC
Coach: Lou Pane
Next: at New Milford, Jan. 7, 8 p.m.
It took only two editions of our in-season rankings for the two reigning Division II finalists to crack the Big Four in Division 1. It’s a bold move, but why not? Both are dominating right now. The Yellowjackets get the nod over Cheshire because of their 4-2 triumph over the Rams two days after Christmas, when junior Ryan Bunnell buried the third-period game-winner off a feed from senior defenseman Preston Cantele. Exciting 6-foot-1 forward Dante Garea, a mid-season pickup after the junior’s club team folded (the CIAC doesn’t allow players to double-roster), debuted in that game, too, then scored twice in a 6-3 win over Greenwich (Division 2). Pane’s team is rolling and only getting stronger.
5. Cheshire (4-1-0)
Previous rank: 5
Division: 2
Conference: SCC
Coach: Anthony Giusto
Next: vs. West Haven Co-op, Jan. 7, 3 p.m.
Cheshire lost its big test against East Haven, but the Rams did well to rally back from a two-goal deficit in the third period (junior Jake Soderlund and senior Mark Laskin scored; senior Luca Ocone-Krause had both primary assists). Aside from that loss, Giusto’s team has been excellent, with hard-fought wins over Xavier (Division 1) in the opener and the Watertown Co-op on Saturday, sandwiching demolitions of Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe and Glastonbury. West Haven will be another tough matchup, but through two weeks, Cheshire and East Haven appear in a class of their own in Division 2.
READ MORE: Latest Conn. girls top 5
6. Notre Dame-West Haven (1-5-0)
Previous rank: 4
Division: 1
Conference: SCC
Coach: Larry Viera
Next: vs. Seton Hall Prep (N.J.), Jan. 7, 6 p.m.
There’s a good chance ND-WH is still better than both East Haven and Cheshire — and the Green Knights’ 1-5 record is mostly because of a schedule unlike any other in the CIAC — but it’s hard to argue with the body of work thus far. Viera’s group has lost five straight and was outscored 27-4 across three games against teams from North Dakota and Minnesota last week. The trip was meant to test the young Knights, so Viera isn’t panicking, but ND-WH could use some momentum from its two upcoming out-of-state games (on Wednesday and against La Salle Academy (R.I.) on Saturday) before it opens CIAC play with Xavier and Darien next week.
7. Xavier (4-4-0)
Previous rank: 7
Division: 1
Conference: SCC
Coach: Karl Sundquist
Next: vs. Moses Brown (R.I.), Jan. 10, 7 p.m.
Sundquist’s team suffered three losses in three days upon return from Christmas break, including defeats at Providence College’s Schneider Arena to Pilgrim (R.I.) and Smithfield (R.I.) and a mystifying 5-3 home loss at St. Joseph. That Darien beat those Cadets 8-0 four days later doesn’t look great for the Falcons, but both Sundquist and Budd feel St. Joe’s is much improved. The Falcons responded with a 4-1 win versus Northwest Catholic (senior captain Tyson Jarvis scored twice), and a 3-2 overtime victory over Greenwich on Monday (junior Dillon Torneo scored the OT winner).
8. Simsbury (3-3-0)
Previous rank: 9
Division: 1
Conference: CCC
Coach: Dave Olechna
Next: vs. Fairfield Prep, Jan. 9, 4:10 p.m.
Olechna’s young, new-look roster dropped its three games before Christmas, all in tight fashion against solid teams. In the three games since, the Trojans have dominated lesser opponents, outscoring Northwest Catholic, Glastonbury and South Windsor by a combined 22-2. Simsbury’s leaders in the top six — senior captain Ryan Goodwin and senior assistants Blake Alibozek and Nick Matteo — are on fire. Fairfield Prep on Friday will be a big-time measuring stick.
9. Amity (2-0-0)
Previous rank: 8
Division: 2
Conference: SCC
Coach: Andy Townsend
Next: vs. Hamden, Jan. 7, 8 p.m.
The Spartans just haven’t played much, so it’s hard for them to move up the rankings and easy for others to pass them. After dominating Trumbull yet escaping with a victory to open the year, Amity returned from break and took down the upstart West Haven Co-op fairly convincingly, with a 4-1 win in which it outshot the hosts 34-21. Senior captain defenseman Kevin Gu had a goal and an assist, and junior Myles Moran scored for the second consecutive game. The Spartans’ schedule finally thickens starting Wednesday — they’ll play four games in a week, concluding with a big test at East Haven.
READ MORE: New boys prep rankings
10. Greenwich (2-3)
Previous rank: NR
Division: 1
Conference: FCIAC
Coach: Neal Rich
Next: at Ridgefield, Jan. 8, 8:30 p.m.
The Cardinals have lost three straight, but each of those games were against teams in our rankings. In its first season under Rich, Greenwich played mighty Darien tough in a 3-0 loss, then was tied 2-2 with East Haven halfway through last Tuesday’s matchup before a difficult third period. A 3-2 overtime loss versus Xavier on Monday was another solid showing, and the Cardinals have a pre-Christmas win over Simsbury to boost their resume. Senior forwards Teddy Johnson (three goals, one assist) and Hayden Odelfelt (three goals) have led the way.
In the hunt: St. Joseph (4-1-0), Ridgefield (2-3-0)
