RinkWise podcast: Girls prep hockey midseason review

Deanna Buenzow and Phillips Andover have been dominant in prep hockey this season. (Phillips Academy Athletics)

The girls prep hockey season is well underway and there are many new teams in contention for the top spot.

Reigning champion Williston Northampton sits at 12-0-0, while legendary Nobles already has three losses and one tie.

Andover has been outstanding, as it boasts an 11-0-0 record. So, too, has Kent at 10-2-0.

On the latest RinkWise podcast, host Stephanie Wood, who’s also the head coach at Austin Prep, sits down with editor Evan Marinofsky to discuss all that’s gone on in the girls prep hockey season.

On Phillips Andover’s success: 

Wood: “Their fourth line is almost just as good as their second or their first line. They’re just deep. They kind of come in waves. They have goaltending; they’re really deep on defense. They have eight defensemen that they can roll out at any time that are going to be consistent and effective for them. They have four to five lines that they can put on the ice and that alone, in my opinion, is a huge asset in comparison to some of the other programs in the prep scene because you’re lucky if you have one line that can score consistently.”

On how to approach a full season: 

Wood: “It’s a process for sure. Every single team is different. Every single group of kids is different. When it comes to coaching, if there’s one thing I’ve certainly learned over the years is you are going to have a lot of consistencies in how you approach things, maybe your drills. But just like any great teacher, there’s not a one size fits all. My coaching tactics and style is similar year to year and you certainly grow and change a bit, but I have to do things differently this year than I did last year.”