Long unbeaten streaks are a common theme among many of the team’s ranked in this season’s 11th New England Hockey Journal Prep School Coaches Poll.
A week without game action nearly cost Salisbury the top spot, but the winners of four straight games were able to hold off a No. 2 Kimball Union team that has not lost in over a month and remain at the top of the poll for the 10th time in 11 weeks.
There is very little change throughout the rest of the poll with Dexter Southfield moving into a third-place tie with St. Sebastian’s. Both of those teams are in the midst of at least 10-game unbeaten runs entering the stretch drive of the regular season.
In addition, Deerfield did make a one-spot jump to the No. 8 position this week, while Westminster is back among the ranked teams for the second time in four weeks as it is in the midst of a six-game unbeaten streak that has spanned throughout February.
Ten other teams also received consideration in at least one submitted ballot. Teams receive 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for a second-place vote, eight for a third-place vote, etc.
Coaches from around New England make up the voting panel for the poll, which is released on Tuesday afternoons throughout the season. If you are interested in participating, please send an email to jkummins@hockeyjournal.com.
1. Salisbury (20-3)
107 points - 10 first-place votes
The Crimson Knights have not played since Feb. 9 but remain the top team in New England for the ninth consecutive week. Salisbury has won four consecutive games.
2. Kimball Union (25-4-2)
106 points - 1 first-place vote
KUA went 2-0-1 last week, posting a pair of 5-2 wins over Proctor and Cushing before skating to a 1-1 tie in another meeting with the latter club. Arlo Merritt and Sullivan Mack scored two goals in the first two games of the week, respectively, while Paul Dore had two points in both contests. Mack scored the lone goal in the second contest with Cushing, which moved the Wildcats’ unbeaten streak to 13 consecutive games (11-0-2). Veeti Kohvakka made 56 saves over two of the games, including 30 in the Proctor win.
T-3. Dexter Southfield (19-3-4)
88 points - 1 first-place vote
Dexter earned three straight wins last week and has not lost in its last 15 games (13-0-2) dating back to Dec. 30. Fifteen players found the scoresheet in a 9-1 win over Berwick to open the week, including Ben Meehan (Walpole, Mass.), Bobby Pearl (Wakefield, Mass.) and John Farinacci with a goal and two assists apiece. Farinacci scored twice and Chase McInnis had a goal and an assist as Dexter doubled up Winchendon, 4-2. Derek Mullahy (13 saves; Scituate, Mass.) and Jack McMahon (4; West Roxbury, Mass.) combined for a 6-0 shutout of Kents Hill as Farinacci scored twice and added an assist, John McElaney (Walpole, Mass.) also logged three points, and Ben Raymond (Newton, Mass.) scored two goals.
T-3. St. Sebastian’s (20-4)
88 points
The Arrows won their 10th and 11th straight games defeating Tabor, 5-4; and Governor’s, 6-2. Jack Hughes (Westwood, Mass.) scored the game-winner in the third period against Tabor as Liam Connors (Westborough, Mass.) and Jayden Struble (Cumberland, R.I.) posted a goal and two assists apiece. Six different Sebs skaters had one goal and one assist against Governor’s, including Connor Joyce (Dedham, Mass.) who scored the deciding goal in the second frame. Goaltenders Luke Garrity (Duxbury, Mass.) and Jack Moffat (Wellesley, Mass.) each earned one of the victories.
5. Lawrence (17-2-6)
68 points
The Spartans went 3-1 last week against Governor’s (8-4), BB&N (5-0), St. Mark’s (0-1), and Milton (1-0 win by forfeit). Braden Doyle (Lynnfield, Mass.) posted a goal and three assists in the week’s first game before a 2-1-3 effort from Conor Lovett (Franklin, Mass.) led the way in a 75-shot performance and Ben Litchman (Harvard, Mass.) shutout against BB&N. Lawrence was held off the scoresheet as Brandon Milberg made 30 saves in the narrow loss to St. Mark’s.
6. Gunnery (22-4-2)
63 points
The Gunnery moved to 8-0-1 in its last nine games after a 3-0 week against Pomfret, Brunswick, and Bishop’s College School. Alex Jeffries (1-1-2; Lunenburg, Mass.) and Robert Cronin (0-2-2; Plymouth, Mass.) had two points apiece as their team opened the week with a 3-1 win. JP Mella (Stamford, Conn.) made 27 saves. Jeffries led the way with a hat trick and one assist in a 6-1 win over Brunswick, while Riley Brennan and Aiden Hotchkiss (Clinton, Conn.) each logged two goals and an assist in a 9-2 win over Bishop’s College School.
7. Northfield Mount Hermon (20-5-2)
43 points
The Hoggers reached the 20-win mark with three straight against Exeter, 3-2; Loomis Chaffee, 4-1; and Choate, 7-1. Theo Hembre (Falmouth, Maine) scored the deciding goal and Connor Hasley made 18 saves to lift NMH to the narrow victory against Exeter. Against Loomis, Devan Tongue (Hampden, Mass.) led the offense with a goal and two assists. The offense was balanced against Choate as Ean Small (2-1-3) led four players with three points and Hembre scored a pair of goals.
8. Deerfield (14-8-1)
24 points
The Big Green earned a 5-1 win over Taft and 1-0 win over Exeter but a 3-2 loss to Northfield Mount Hermon came in between and marked its second defeat in three games. Michael Holland netted a hat trick and Tomas Zourikian dished out two assists against Taft, while Connor Guest scored the lone goal in Thomas Gale’s 35-save shutout of Exeter. Zourikian assisted on goals from Holland and Alex Robert (Lewiston, Maine) against Williston.
9. Westminster (13-5-4)
16 points
The Martlets continued a perfect February with a 4-1 win over Loomis Chaffee and 2-2 tie with Berkshire. Ignat Belov scored twice and added an assist against Loomis, then he and Jacob Monroe (Wethersfield, Conn.) assisted on both goals against Berkshire. Malik Alishlalov and Jordie McKenna scored in the latter game. Ian Shane had a great week in goal, making 69 saves on 72 shots over the two games.
10. Tilton (18-6)
10 points
The Rams picked up an 8-0 victory over Hebron after dropping its second consecutive game to Brewster Academy earlier in the week, 7-5. Cam Ryan (2-1-3; Arlington, Mass.), Brendan Sjostedt (1-2-3; Tewksbury, Mass.), and Ryan Harrigan (2-0-2; Scituate, Mass.) were three of the nine offensive contributors against Hebron. Five different players scored against Brewster, including Shawn Leslie (Braintree, Mass.), Harrigan, and James Cates who all had a goal and an assist.
Others receiving votes: Cushing, Exeter, Andover, St. Paul’s, Thayer, Rivers, Kent, Groton, St. Mark’s, Nobles
