Who doesn't love some predictions?
We all know hockey, especially playoff hockey, is very easy to predict and the favorites always win, right? Right?
This is my first foray into the whirlwind week-long spring that is the NEPSAC playoffs. Naturally, I'm going to nail every single prediction. Remember, if I don't pick your team, it's definitely personal.
I digress.
When the Large School quarterfinals begin on Wednesday, some of the most intriguing teams in the field will be in action. No. 1 Choate and No. 2 Westminster will be awaiting Wednesday's winners in the semifinals.
Is anyone ripe for an upset? Or will it be all chalk?
Let's dive in.
No. 3 Dexter Southfield vs. No. 6 Exeter
Both of these teams are really interesting cases.
Dexter had a rough start to the season, but they've pulled it together in a big way, going 11-3-1 since Jan. 6. They also beat Exeter, 4-0, in a head-to-head meeting on Jan. 31.
GIRLS PREVIEWS: Elite 8 Tournament | Large School Tournament | Small School Tournament
Exeter was sort of the reverse. The Big Red started well, but had a dreadful 1-7-0 stretch in the dog days of the regular season before getting back into the Large School bracket toward the end. They'll surely want to answer for the shutout against Dexter, too.
The Big Red match up well with Dexter from a production standpoint. But ultimately, Dexter has the advantage here, especially defensively.
Exeter has struggled to keep the puck out of its net at points this season, holding a plus-five differential (60-55), compared to Dexter's plus-32 (72-40). Boston College commits Maddie Murphy (Dorchester, Mass.) and Alaina Dunn (Walpole, Mass.) are a pair of stalwarts on the blue line, while Addie Sutherland (West Roxbury, Mass.) has an edge over Exeter's Allie Bell (Rowley, Mass.) in net.
Prediction:Â Dexter wins, 3-0.
No. 4 BB&N and No. 5 Thayer
This is one of the most intriguing quarterfinal matchups in the entire NEPSAC playoffs. It is a tilt between No. 4 and No. 5, after all.
In one corner, take BB&N. The Knights have had a great second half. After a rough 3-7-3 stretch earlier in the season, Ed Bourget's group is 8-3-1 since Jan. 27. Talk about getting hot at the right time. They're also undefeated against Large School opponents, beating Dexter, Exeter and most importantly, Thayer, beating them 4-2 on Feb. 23.
At the other end, you have the Tigers, who have struggled down the stretch as injuries and illness took tolls on the lineup. They're better than a No. 5 seed, but are 1-4-0 in their last five with the loss to BB&N in the regular-season finale. That's bulletin board material. Will Thayer really let BB&N beat them twice in less than a week?
GIRLS BRACKETS: Elite 8 Tournament | Large School Tournament | Small School Tournament
It's close, especially if Thayer can get healthy. They could absolutely make some noise as a lower seed.
The Tigers have one of the region's most exciting prospects in Morgan McGathey (Braintree, Mass.), who is third in goals in the NEPSAC. But BB&N just got Hannah Weyerhaeuser (Cambridge, Mass.) back from injury, and she hasn't missed a beat – at all. Most importantly, BB&N's Alexsa Caron (Dracut, Mass.) has the edge over Thayer's Elizabeth MacDonald (Medford, Mass.) in net.
Prediction: BB&N wins, 4-2.
