RinkWise podcast: Boys prep hockey midseason review

Avon Old Farms has had lots to celebrate. (Avon Old Farms School)

The first phase of the boys prep hockey season is over and the race to the playoffs begins as teams return from the holiday break.

So, Stephanie Wood was joined by New England Hockey Journal editor Evan Marinofsky in the studio to discuss all that’s gone on in the season.

They get into the top teams, top players and the top college hockey prospects.

The duo also looks back at their preseason predictions to see how they’ve aged. It’s not quite time to take victory laps, but they do so anyways.

On Avon Old Farms recently losing to Taft: 

Marinofsky: “To me, the takeaway from that game was not that Avon lost — it was more look what it takes to beat Avon. I think that’s the real takeaway from that game because if you need to make over 50 saves…Now again, that’s not every game, but if that’s what it’s going to take, that’s an issue for teams going up against Avon. It’s going to be very interesting to see how Avon does with their schedule coming up these next couple of weeks.”

On Sean Keohane with Dexter Southfield: 

Marinofsky: “He’s had his ups and downs, but my take on it is when he gets to the USHL, when he gets to the college level, he’s going to be a different defenseman. He’s going to be more defensive. He can move the puck, he’s a great skater, but he’s not inherently an offensive, puck-moving defenseman. He’s more of a shutdown, two-way, but leans defensive defenseman.”