Our week #5 Prep Poll didn’t see any movement within the top 4; but two new teams were added (Cushing and Rivers) that were not in the top 15 the previous week and therefore two teams were booted (Nobles & Hotchkiss). The biggest risers were Avon Old Farms, Cushing, Exeter and Dexter. There are some important matchups this upcoming week between ranked teams and bubble teams which will have major ramifications as we start looking that playoff probabilities.
1. Salisbury (12-2-0) Previous (#1) This Week: Wins over Westminster and Cushing
NZ’s Take: Salisbury keeps up its red-hot streak which has extended to 10 straight wins; this week they beat two quality teams in Westminster and Cushing, scoring 13 goals in 2 games. The Knights are averaging just shy of 5 goals per game and sit atop the RPI rankings. They play Choate, Trinity Pawling and Kent this week. Continue to prove that they are the best of the rest and if anything the margin is extending, not retracting.
2. Gunnery (13-2-1) Previous (#2) This Week: Wins over Taft, Hoosac and Stanstead
NZ’s Take: Gunnery is now 12-0-1 in the last 13 games scoring at 4.69 per game average and a 1.84 goals against average for a total of +2.85 goal margin which is the best in prep over that span. Wins over Taft, Hoosac and Stanstead who have all knocked off top teams this year, sets them up well for their upcoming week where they’ll have four games in 7 days against Trinity, Millbrook, Williston Northampton and Bishops College. The biggest threat to Salisbury at this point in the season and the two will face eachother on 1/23 at Gunnery.
3. Lawrence Academy (8-0-4) Previous (#3) This Week: Wins over Nobles & Greenough and Thayer.
NZ’s Take: Lawrence remains unbeaten through the first twelve games, the only team in prep with that resume. With that being said the team sits ranked #21 in the RPI given their relatively weak schedule against thus far. However, they beat two talented teams in Nobles and Greenough and Thayer and did it in a convincing fashion outscoring the teams 12-3. They’ll face Nobles and Milton this week who they have beaten already. 6 of their next 8 games are on home ice.
4. Kimball Union (14-3-0) Previous (#4) This Week: Wins over Vermont Academy, St. Paul’s and Governors.
NZ’s Take: KUA has rebounded after Flood Marr and gone 8-0-0 in their last 8 games. Not only are they on an impressive win streak but they have averaged 5.63 goals per game in that stretch and an average scoring margin of +4.63 which is the highest in prep. Some of those wins have come against sub .500 teams but in that span, they have beaten Rivers and St. Paul’s. A chance at redemption against Deerfield this week; a team who came from behind to beat them in overtime at Flood Marr. They also face Brewster and Stanstead. They need some wins before a tough three game stretch against ranked opponents: Exeter, Tilton and NMH. KUA sits at #2 in RPI rankings.
5. Avon Old Farms Previous (#8) This Week: Wins over Hotchkiss and
NZ’s Take: Avon is a two-loss team coming off a 6-0-1 unbeaten streak in their previous 7 games. In that span they have beaten Kent twice, Hotchkiss and tied St. Paul’s, all top 20 teams in RPI. This past week they topped a ranked Hotchkiss team 3-1 and Kent 5-1. This upcoming week they’ll face a tough NMH ranked squad which will be there biggest test since Avon Holiday Classic.
6. Dexter (8-3-3) Previous (#9) This Week: Win over New Hampton
NZ’s Take: Dexter is a team that was coming off a bit of a stumble going 1-2-2 from 12/28 to 1/2. Since then they have rebounded and beaten two +.500 squads by a 12-3 margin, all without star forward John Farinacci. There young talent is getting more acclimated to prep and they are a team that could make real moves at the end of the season, particularly when they have a significant goalie advantage to the teams ranked above them. They have a tough week ahead with three road games against Andover, Thayer and Brooks. They are #6 in the RPI rankings.
7. Tilton (11-2-0) Previous (#5) This Week: Win over Worcester, Vermont Academy and Loss to Andover.
NZ’s Take: Tilton suffered their second loss of the season to an Andover team that went out the next game and lost 6-0 to Exeter. With that being said, the team is 12-2-0 with wins over KUA, Proctor and St. Paul’s. They’ll face Proctor again this week which will have major playoff implications; 6-1-0 in their last 7 games and currently rank 5th in RPI.
8. Andover (9-3-1) Previous (#7) This Week: Win over Tilton, Tie to Proctor, Loss to Exeter
NZ’s Take: Andover started the season going 8-1-0 in their first 9 games; since then they are 1-2-1 in their last 4. With that being said, those two loses were against top ranked Salisbury and ranked Exeter and the tie was against ranked Proctor and win was over ranked Tilton. So, they’ve played 4 straight ranked opponents in that stretch and are battling injuries. This upcoming week Andover will have to face another 3 ranked teams to make it 7 straight against Dexter, St. Paul’s and Nobles & Greenough. They will likely need to win 2 of those games to keep their Elite 8 hopes alive and well. They are currently ranked #4 in RPI.
9. Deerfield (8-4-0) Previous (#6) This Week: Wins over Loomis Chaffee and Trinity Pawling; Loss to Cushing.
NZ’s Take: Deerfield is the #3 ranked team in RPI given their strength of schedule and while they have 4 losses on the teams; those came to #1 Salisbury (twice), Nobles and Cushing. They have big wins over ranked opponents Avon, KUA, NMH and Hotchkiss. They have a big week with three straight home games against KUA, Pomfret and Choate. If they can beat KUA, they’ll prove they belong where their RPI rank indicates.
10. Exeter (10-4-2) Previous (#15) This Week: Wins over Brooks, Governors and Andover
NZ’s Take: Exeter rebounded nicely to keep their Elite 8 hopes alive with three straight wins against Brooks, Governors and Andover. Their 6-0 win over #8 Andover was a big step forward for the team which will set them up nicely for another important week against Tabor and Hotchkiss. Experienced team who had a mid-season stumble 1-3-1 in the past 5 games before this week, but looks like Exeter could be back in the right form for a playoff run.
11. Northfield Mount Hermon (10-4-0) Previous (#14) This Week: Wins over Bishops College and Berkshire
NZ’s Take: NMH had gone 2-3-0 in their previous 5 games before this week and appeared to be slipping but they rebounded with 2 wins this week against Berkshire and Bishops. There win over Dexter is their best resume builder as they sit at 12th in the RPI rankings. This will be a tough week ahead going to Avon and then returning home to face Lawrenceville and Taft.
12. Cushing (9-5-2) Previous (NR) This Week: Wins over Deerfield, Loomis; Loss to Salisbury
NZ’s Take: Cushing had two dominate wins this week over two good hockey teams in Deerfield and Loomis outscoring them 12-2 and their only loss was to #1 ranked Salisbury where the shots were even at 25-25. They are 6-2-1 in the past 9 games; and those games were against some of the following teams; #3 Lawrence, #1 Salisbury, #8 Deerfield, #11 NMH and Thayer. They play Hebron at UNE Saturday and Stanstead at home Sunday then return next week to play two ranked teams in NMH and Exeter; they need to compile some wins here in the second half to get into the Elite 8 discussion.
13. St. Sebastian’s (10-4-0) Previous (#12) This Week: Loss to Tabor
NZ’s Take: St. Sebastian’s had a disappointing loss to Tabor after going 8-1-0 in the previous 9 games. Like last week they only have one game which is against Governors, but then they’ll face 3 ranked teams in their next 4 games. Talent is there but need to find consistency to make a playoff push late in the season.
14. St. Paul’s (8-3-1) Previous (#13) This Week: Win over BB&N, Loss to KUA
NZ’s Take: St. Paul’s headed into this week on a 4 game win streak and extended that to 5 games with a win over BB&N. More impressive than the streak was who they beat included Proctor and Exeter during that stretch. The streak ended at the hands of KUA where they lost at home. They have three important games this week against Andover, Nobles and Academie St. Louis. If they can run the table this week they’ll move right up the RPI ranking ladder where they currently sit at 12th.
15. Rivers (10-4-2) Previous (NR) This Week: Wins over BB&N and St. Mark’s.
NZ’s Take: Rivers started the season 3-3-0 but since then have made quite a run going 6-1-2 in their last 9 games. Where they lack in the RPI is having a weaker schedule and no signature wins other than #16 Proctor and #13 St. Sebastian’s. With that being said, they are on a 4-0-1 run in the past 5 games with a tie to Dexter and wins over Proctor and St. Mark’s. They may only play one more ranked team (Exeter in Mid-February) before the end of the season so they need to keep their winning streak alive.
Next Best: #16 Proctor, #17 Nobles & Greenough, #18 Hotchkiss, #19 Kent, #20 Brunswick
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
