That was the last time Suffern lost a regular-season game. You’d have to go back to the season before that to find the last time Suffern lost a regular-season game at Sport-O-Rama. But but those streaks are in jeopardy Saturday night against Pelham and coach Ed Witz, who needs just one win to record No. 300 in his career.

The Suffern-Pelham is just one of a handful of incredible games coming up over the next few days. Tonight there’s Fordham Prep-Rye at Playland, a matchup that hasn’t taken place in a generation. Friday is the traditional Fordham Prep-Iona Prep game at Playland, always one of the most spirited games (and crowds) of the season and a good early barometer of where those teams will stand in the CHSHL. Mamaroneck also begins its title defense at home against John Jay, and the White Plains tournament begins, featuring three League 1 teams, CHSHL runner-up Stepinac and Section 9 champion Monroe-Woodbury and Clarkstown North, perhaps the most intriguing team heading into this season (I’ve seen predictions ranging from sectional finalists to third place in League 2). And on Sunday, Fordham Prep finishes a wild five days with a game at Madison Square Garden against Farrell.

I have bad news, good news and either good or bad news, depending on your views. The bad news is that hockey preview is going to be held until Dec. 1, after the football state championships are completed. The good news is that most of the information has already been posted on this blog (not the features, obviously). The mixed news is that I will be in Washington D.C. this weekend for Thanksgiving, my 10th high school reunion, a Turkey Bowl title and a ticket to the Giants-Redskins game.

Fortunately, an all-star group of reporters will be around the rinks this weekend to cover Iona Prep-Fordham Prep, Pelham-Suffern and the White Plains tournament championship, and you can read their reports on LoHud.com (I won’t ask you to do something crazy like pay for a newspaper, but of course it will be there as well).

I will do my best to check in from a dial-up AOL account. In the meantime, let’s give thanks for some great hockey this weekend.

League 2 will certainly be interesting, with three new teams (out of 7). It includes programs on the rise, trying to stop a slide, or hoping to make an impact in the playoffs. In alphabetical order.

Brewster (10-14-1 last year, 4-6 in League 2)

Last year: The Bears suffered three 1-goal losses to Yorktown, including 7-6 in double overtime of the Division II quarterfinals.

Fowards: Two of the three big scorers return, Mike Miller (60 points) and Ian Fleming (55). Both juniors see the ice well and are always moving and working hard. Sophomore Matt Benson, also a hard worker, should fit right in on the first line. Last year’s third line of Ray Bedarczyk, Jake Donelan and Joe Vitaliano will move up to the second line.

Defense: Seniors Kyle Ligos and Jesse Barone are an extremely fast first pairing. Returning junior Joe Rabino, freshman Mark Benson and junior Karl Volpe round out the defense.

Goalies: All three veterans return and are competing for the job. Mike Daley (664 minutes) got most of the time last year ahead of Ian Sampayo (283) and J.J. Lornejo (7).

Outlook: The team is very young and has a short bench, but it has the right work ethic. The team got 91 of its 108 goals from the forward line last year and will need more players to step up to get above .500.

Clarkstown North (1-22, 1-13 in League 1)

Last year: The Rams shut out Mahopac 2-0 on Jan. 18. They lost to League 4 Sleepy Hollow/Irvington 3-1 in the first playoff game hosted by the Palisades Center Ice Rink.

Fowards (with corrected info): Two years ago, Matt Willows led Section 1 in goals (55) and points (103), while Jake Shuman had 25 goals and 32 assists. Willows played at Morristown-Beard last year, where he was third-team all-state, while Shuman sat out, but both players, who are also travel linemates, are back with the Rams for their senior season. Junior Michael Kapnick and Spencer Cohen are the top returners from last year.

Defense: Evan Byrnes is a very strong sophomore who is always in position and has a great shot. Senior Mike Kozlin brings leadership and good size and quickness, while freshman Jake Dickson is a big guy with a slapshot “like you wouldn’t believe,” according to the coaching staff.

Goalies: Chris McIndoe is back to 100 percent after tearing his ACL playing lacrosse in the spring. To give you an idea of how well-respected he is, McIndoe was an all-state honorable mention despite winning just one game

Outlook: If anyone can make a White Plains-like sweep through the competition, it’s Clarkstown North. But is that too much to ask from a 1-win team last year? Then again, it was a 25-win team just two years ago.

Eastchester/Tuckahoe/Bronxville (13-7, 9-3 in League 3)

Last year: The Eagles were runner-ups in League 3 but proved they could beat League 2 competition, winning against Brewster (9-6), Fox Lane (4-0) and Scarsdale (7-6 in the Division I first round). They lost to Mamaroneck 13-1 in the quarters.

Fowards: Top two scorers Alex Hagen (55 points) and Ronny Sherding (44) are fun to watch together. Their puckhandling ability is uncanny and they always seem to find each other. Hagen, who played in the Empire State Games, has an unbelievable shot, while Sherding is big and strong. They could be joined by freshman Mark Luciano, a strong finisher. A big addition this year is a reliable second line with center Chris Bellotti and wings Nick Stefano and Ian Palfrey.

Defense: Juniors Brian McNamara and Mike Ciotta are great skaters and control the game well. They also provide offense, with a combined 14 goals and 47 points.

Goalies: Both Joe Donato (490 minutes) and Matt Lazzaro (329) return from last year and will battle for time. Freshman Will Ruppel may also crack the lineup.

Outlook: The Eagles have some of the area’s best young talent, and they can score with almost anyone. But they gave up at least six goals in half their games last season, and they will need to shore up their defense to compete in a higher league.

Mount Pleasant (7-12-1 last year, 2-7-1 in League 2)

Last year: After starting 4-1 (2-0 in league) the Ice Cats were hurt by injuries and didn’t win another league game. They lost to North Rockland 4-2 in the first round of the Division I tournament.

Fowards: Coach Mike Voron calls his lines the “green line” and the “red line.” The “green” scoring line of Chris Abramo, JoJo Pandolfo and Chris Yarrobino scored 40 of the team’s 79 goals last season. Abramo is the total package — a high hockey IQ, great passer, great defender, aggressive. The “red” line of Mike Belloli, Anthony Cassario and Matt Meleska has tremendous speed.

Defense: Brendan Marinelli, one of the injured players that the team sorely missed last year, is physical presence who does all the little things. Senior Ronnie Catucci is the ideal stay-at-home defenseman who leads by example.

Goalies: Starter Mike Ulley is back, but he will actually miss the start of the season because of an ankle injury suffered while playing football (he’s a wide receiver at Westlake). Brandon Jampol, who won the Clarkstown South game last year, will take over.

Outlook: The Ice Cats are a fast team, and if they can stay healthy they should avoid last year’s slide. A move into the WSA, which is closer to the schools Mount Pleasant represents, and a Saturday night slot for home games could also bring some added excitement to the program.

North Rockland (14-8-1 last year, 10-2 in League 3)

Last year: The Red Raiders closed 8-3 to wrap up a league title and make it to the Division I quarterfinals, where they lost to Suffern 5-0.

Fowards: Sean O’Connor (team-leading 30 goals and 33 assists), another ESG veteran, not only has excellent skills, but also has the ability to make his linemates better. He will likely be joined by returning players Max Hoehn and Michael Meigh. Two sophomores who only played travel year, Steven D’Alessera and Rob D’Bellonia, and St. Joe’s transfer Connor Callanan are also scoring options.

Defense: Craig Meany and James Eberhardt will be on the ice 2/3 of the game. Meany’s a bulldog who runs the point on special teams, while Eberhardt has more of a finesse game. Eberhardt missed half of last year with a concussion but is 100 percent now. Nick D’Amelio, Nick Finch (who will be out six weeks with a broken wrist) and Matt Moran will make the second line.

Goalies: Starter Alex Nestle and backup Joe Pane are both back. Nestle is consistent but also capable of making 1-2 big saves a game.

Outlook: North Rockland returns its top players and has a lot of depth at forward. But like most teams, they lost a lot role players who were integral to last year’s success, and of course they moved up a league, so it’s hard to guess where they stand.

Scarsdale (13-12 last year, 6-4 in League 2)

Last year: It was quite a 2008 for the Raiders—four straight wins, then four losses, then five wins, and then three losses, including a first-round exit.

Fowards: Leading scorer Matt Oliverio (58 points), John Felix (43) and Rye Country Day transfer Aelx Klein are all good skaters who can handle the puck, take good shots and have a good hockey sense.

Defense: Mike Constantinides and Patrick Johnson are experienced. Constantinides is a fast skater who handles the puck well, while Johnson is small in stature but very intelligent. Freshmen Jake Bank and Travis Misarti are an intriguing second line.

Goalies: Coach Jim Mancuso said that junior Jordan Gluck, sophomore Justin Halman and freshman Connor Wolfe are all competing right now, although Gluck (2.323 at RCDS) is the only one with varsity experience. Gluck shut out both Iona Prep and Clarkstown North last season (combined 32 saves).

Outlook: Like usual, Scarsdale doesn’t have much depth. But the Raiders do have a lot of talent, and with Gluck they are capable of beating anyone.

Yorktown (16-8 last year, 6-4 in League 2)

Last year: After a 6-5 start, Yorktown closed really well, beating Rye Town/Harrison in the regular season Brewster in double-OT in the quarterfinals before falling to Pelham 4-1 in the semis.

Fowards: Seniors Brett Cabriele, Michael Bonitatibus and James O’Donnell are end-to-end players who are strong across the board. Junior Joe Castellano, sophomore Matt Williams and freshman T.J. Mayterski should also step up and help.

Defense: Ryan Litwin, Mike Sullivan, Scott Schneider and Brian Shkolnik are all returning juniors who are strong defensive-minded defensemen.

Goalies: Will Parra, a four-year varsity player, is back in net. He had a 3.05 GAA last year.

Outlook: The team is full of great forecheckers and backcheckers and players that love to get their hands dirty. Is now the year they make the leap to the finals?

Today’s Journal News features a look at three of the top seniors from last year (Suffern’s Tom Natoli and Matt Ruthberg and White Plains’ Rui Encarnacao), and what they’re doing to try and play at the NCAA level: “It’s slow going on an icy road.”

I’m sure this is not news to anyone on this blog, but maybe it will help people on the outside realize the dedication and sacrifice that is needed to play college hockey, and make them aware of a situation that is really unique to this sport. One thing I didn’t have the space to address is why it is that high school hockey players, unlike counterparts in basketball, lacrosse, football, soccer, etc., have to play years of juniors in order to make a college roster. It seems unfortunate, but obviously it’s not going to change anytime soon.

Anyway, I was working on that story and the football, but I’m back now. I’ll put out the League 2 overview later today, and then tomorrow I’ll look back at the limited action so far, and look ahead to a huge weekend. Away we go

The CHSHL should be fascinating this year— just making the four-team playoffs at the end of the season could be a challenge. Iona Prep will still be strong, Fordham Prep and Chaminade are improved, Farrell and Stepinac are always in the mix and newcomer St. Anthony’s is a huge wild card. Two of those teams aren’t making the postseason. I’ve also included RCDS, who will be taking on public schools Clarkstown North, John Jay and Rye this year. Here are how the local private schools look, in alphabetical order.

Fordham Prep (11-12-1 last year, 6-9-1 CHSHL)

Last year: After a 3-6-1 start, the Rams won eight in a row, and then closed the season with six straight defeats, including a two-game sweep versus Iona Prep in the semifinals. 

Forwards: Michael Spillane, James Murphy and Anthony Policastro comprise a senior first line. Spillane was on the first line when Fordham Prep won the championship two years ago, and is the team’s leading returning scorer (20 points) despite playing defense for part of last year. The junior second line of Brendan Masullo, Jonathan Renza and James Evers has looked great in the preseason, scoring six of the team’s eight goals in the first two scrimmages. Two more solid lines provide depth.

Defense: Anthony McGuinness is steady in the defensive end and seldom gets beat. James Brown, Jaime Rivera and Spencer Granelli round out a solid core of defensemen.

Goalies: R.J. Fusco and Nick Guberti are both back after stepping up as freshman. They split time evenly last year.

Outlook: While last year’s team had just three seniors, this year’s group has 11, which should even out the extreme ups and downs the squad had last season. Sidenote: Two big highlights on the schedule. A game in Madison Square Garden against Farrell next Sunday after the Rangers game, and a game against Rye for the first time in a long time (30 years?).

Iona Prep (18-10-2, 12-2-2)

Last year: The Gaels didn’t lose a league game until Jan. 7 against Stepinac, who remained the only CHSHL team to beat the team all year. Iona Prep had the last laugh, a 3-2 overtime win in Game 3 of the finals.

Forwards: Mike Cambria, who had 52 points last season, uses his speed and skating ability to create scoring chances and set up teammates. Rob Molinaro is a physical presence who is good along the walls and might be the team’s best skater, and Alex Lopez (40 points) can also put up a lot of points. New varsity players Luke Lynett and Tommy Nolan should provide depth.

Defense: Myles Gillespie brings a lot of toughness, while Matt Kirincic is an offensive-minded defenseman who makes a good first pass and jumps into the play. Together they make a great first line. Because of forward depth, Sean McArdle and Gerard Traficante are moving to defense this season.

Goalies: Junior Kevin Kaiser and sophomore Joe Gizzo are fighting for the starting job, and coach Tim Turnbull said he would play whoever’s hot.

Outlook: The Gaels have to replace first-team all-stars Cody King and Kevin McCabe and goalie Stefan DiMario. But there is a lot returning, including 12 seniors. How old faces adjust to new roles—and how the goaltending situation works out—will be the keys.

Rye Country Day (11-9-5)

Last year: After a 3-1-2 start, the Wildcats went 5-2-1 down the stretch to finish above .500.

Fowards: Ryan Blatt, a two-way centerman, is a strong skater with a good shot who can play the physical game as well. Shane Bingham has good size and is an excellent forechecker who can chip in with scoring, while Jeff Horowitz is a tremendous skater and playmaker and freshman Henry Beshar has moved up the ranks. Chandler Grinell and Jordan Kemp are also strong returners.

Defense: Four-year starter J.P. Garry is a good puck mover who can log a lot of ice time. Cole Kleinberg likes to carry the puck and is a good offensive defenseman. Eighth grader Michael Rocco has looked strong after joining the program this year, and junior Tomo Yokose is a converted forward who is moving back.

Goalies: Eighth grader Omeed Alidadi and freshman Steve Halperin both played in the middle school program last year and will battle for the position.

Outlook: Despite some high-profile transfers, including the starting goalie, RCDS has some veteran talent and will be competitive in a tough league.

Stepinac (17-9-1, 12-3-1)

Last year: The Crusaders won 10 of 12 entering the finals, then lost a heartbreaking three-game series to rival Iona Prep.

Forwards: Thirty-goal scorer A.J. Datino is gone, but Rocco Miano had a breakthrough championship series, scoring four of the team’s nine goals, and Ryan Rueda is a tireless competitor. Frank Magnone completes a solid first line.

Defense: This should be the team’s strength. Kenny Kauffman is steady as a rock, while Anthony Reagan provides an offensive punch. Freshman Lance Holloway and Mike Misotonis are both strong options, and Steven Yankowski can be used as a swingman.

Goalies: Freshman Mike Lanero is very solid and a good mover. While no one can replace Joe Reagan, coach Pat Scanlon said that the Bronx native is on par with where Reagan was as a freshman.

Outlook: Stepinac may not have quantity, but it has quality. It was a formula that worked last year, when it rode a short bench to the cusp of its first title. They’re a hard-working team who shouldn’t be overlooked.

We’re starting the previews with a look at League 1. I think Mamaroneck is the clear favorite, with Pelham and Suffern the most likely to challenge for the title. At this point, I could see four teams finishing in fourth (you can share your thoughts in the poll on the right, and of course the comments below), so it should be a very competitive year. Away we go, in alphabetical order  (note: John Jay has been added).

Mahopac (6-17-2 last year, 1-12-1 in League 1)

Last year: After starting out 3-1-1, the Indians suffered through a 0-13-1 stretch before finishing 3-3, losing to Suffern in the Division I semis.

Fowards: The team’s three top scorers all return. Tyler Perrelle (39 points) missed 10 games with a knee injury and still led the team in scoring, which shows how valuable he was. The three-sport star is powerful, anticipates well and has great hands. Chris Mastrocola, who had a great year as sophomore (38 points), is a dynamic player with a lot of speed, and Tyler Gyscek (24 points as a freshman) is now bigger and stronger.

Defense: After being converted from forward to defense last year, Joey Griskin has some experience and should lead this unit. Senior Chris Kelly, sophomore Nick Alexander and junior Rich Barletta are also returning and should play big roles.

Goalies: Bobby Fatone played about 1/3 of the minutes last year and is in his third year on varsity. Kevin Canedo, who missed last year with a back injury, will also push for playing time if he stays healthy.

Outlook: The Indians graduated only two seniors last year, so the core group returns with another year of experience. The Indians have plenty of speed and depth at forward, where they can go 9-10 deep, and if they can actually stay healthy this year, it should be a very improved team.

Mamaroneck (23-4-1, 12-2)

Last year: After avenging its only two Section 1 losses by beating Suffern 2-1 in the sectional final, the Tigers lost in the state quarterfinals in overtime to eventual state champion Massena.

Forwards: Brett Jackson, Christian Glaser and Robert Fine form one of the best first lines in the section. Glaser and Fine combined for 29 goals and 88 points last season, while Jackson, who was injured for most of last season, is one of the smallest players, but is capable of making unbelievable plays with his ability to create space for himself. The second line of Matt Conner, Matt Marr and Will Thompson/Robbie Gardiner (Gardiner is expected back around New Year’s after breaking his leg six weeks ago) all played valuable minutes in the sectional title run last season.

Defense: At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, first-team all-state defenseman Sean Hagan is one of the area’s most imposing players. A fourth-year varsity player with a rocket slapshot, he controls play with his reach and passing ability. He will likely play with fellow big man Sam Christiansen (6-2, 205). Adam Zweig is another quality defenseman who can hit people and sees the ice well.

Goalies: Luke Glaser posted a 1.74 goals-against average, with seven shutouts, against the county’s toughest schedule. He comes up huge in big spots and has great reflexes, controls rebounds well and is excellent on breakaways.

Outlook: Despite winning the section, the Tigers should still be hungry after losing to Massena on a disputed goal, and then seeing that team win the state title. Westchester/Putnam Player of the Year Brian Conner will be tough to replace, but the Tigers have more returning talent than any other team, The question will be how they respond to their new role as the favorite.

Pelham (17-9-1, 9-5)

Last year: After a strong third-place finish in League 1, the Pelicans fell to Rye 2-1 in the sectional final.

Forwards: Leading goal scorer Marc Flory (24 goals) and distributor Andrew Emerson (23 assists) both return, and Michael Mamone, an outstanding passer with size and speed, is moving up from defense to the center position. Adrian Rivera brings unbelievable speed, Michael Duffy is a big body up front, and Adrian Rivera and Matt Hernandez also logged significant minutes last year. Overall a very talented and experienced group.

Defense: Victor Dzenis and Gus Harms are boht coming off great seasons. They can shoot, are outstanding skaters, are great in both 1-on-1 and odd-man situations, and really understand and work well in the Pelham system. Juniors Nick Perrorazio and Billy Maselli are veterans, while freshman Graham Lambdin and Matt Landis are big, strong freshman who should see significant time.

Goalies: Canterbury transfer Gavin Lambdin returns to Pelham, where he will compete with Skyler Veselis, who had a 2.917 GAA in parts of nine games last year, and freshman Jason Silverstein.

Outlook: The team lost just three players, and while they were all major contributors on offense, the Pelicans return more skill and experience than any other team in Division II, including a strong group of seniors that played on the Final Four team three years ago. Sidenote: coach Ed Witz is one way away from No. 300.

Rye (17-9-2, 6-9-1)

Last year: After a 2-5 start, the Garnets won their second straight sectional championship and were the only team to tie Suffern in the regular season. They lost in the state quarterfinals.

Forwards: Juniors Paul Mundinger and Taka Katsuta will be asked to carry the scoring load. They bring a lot of speed and agility, shoot well, see the ice and handle the puck. Ellis Beber scored 13 goals last season, and Nick Rosenfield is returning off a great year. Senior Chris Fulenwider brings experience and sophomores Robert Holmes and Matt Moran have size and should contribute.

Defense: Senior veterans Paul Skanga and Kris Talgo are real defenseman’s defenseman and should anchor this unit. Sophomores Tommy Sullivan and Alfredo Hulguin have also looked good in the preseason and are expected to step up.

Goalies: Matt Benincasa, who won the starting job around Christmas last year and turned into a real attribute (2.147 GAA), is returning. So are backups James Goodenough and Billy Kawas.

Outlook: The Garnets certainly have the track record, and the talent and system is there for a three-peat. And unlike last year, when Rye didn’t enter the season with a clear starter in goal and struggled to find chemistry early because so many players were winning a football state championship, this year there is only one hockey/football conflict, junior defenseman Brian Powers, so Rye shouldn’t have to recover from a bad start.

Rye Town/Harrison (13-9, 8-6)

Last year: The Titans surprised a lot of people (re: me) by finishing fourth in their first year in League 1. They lost to White Plains in the quarterfinals.

Forwards: Adam Urban (37 points) is one of the top forwards in the league. He’s one of the fastest kids the program has ever had, has a rocket shot and is tenacious on the puck. Mike Finiguerra, Matt Jacobson and Arran Walsh also played on the top two lines last year, while freshman Dean Brancucci and Sal Jiacomo should see minutes and Connor Strozza moved up from defense. Overall, there are three solid lines here.

Defense: Senior Matt O’Shea and Tyler Ketchabaw are a good pair. O’Shea is offensive-minded with a good shot and good skating ability, while Ketchabaw is a stay-at-home defenseman. Sophomore Nate Berman was playing good minutes last year and should lead the second line.

Goalies: Paul Nadasi is a junior in his third year on the team. He’s tall and knows what to expect after playing some minutes last year.

Outlook: The Titans have improved rapidly in each of the last four years, moving from the lower leagues into the top half of the power league. Now, can they replace their top two scorers, top defenseman and four-year starting goalie? They’ve proven the doubters wrong before.

Suffern (24-1-2, 13-0-1)

Last year: The Mounties entered the playoffs as the top-ranked team in the state. Unfortunately for them, their only loss came in the Division I championship to Mamaroneck.

Forwards: Zac Hiller and Johnny Hill will be the leaders of this unit. Hiller was tied for the most assists in Section 1 (44) and has more points than any returning player (65), while Hill is a physical, hustling player with a tremendous shot. First-line forward Jake Jaeger and senior Joe Modica are the other veterans of this unit.

Defense: Greg McCarron, a third-year veteran, and Kevin Norwin, an Empire State Games alternate, are the backbone of the defense. Both are incredibly solid players and should log a majority of the minutes.

Goalies: Who will replace first-team all-state “Natoli the Goalie”? It’s between Paul Gabriel and Brandon Rice. Though both played a total of 43 minutes last year, they have had a lot of travel experience. Coach Rob Schelling is hoping for another Tom Anthony Vertullo situation—he only started his senior year, but earned second-team all-state honors.

Outlook: The Mounties have a total of six skaters who saw ice time last year, so it’s hard to predict what will happen. Going by past experience, there’s no rebuilding at Suffern, only reloading. It’s just a matter of who will step up.

White Plains (23-4, 10-0 in League 2)

Last year: The Tigers had their best season in 15 years—their only Section 1 losses were to Suffern and Mamaroneck (4-3 in the sectional semifinals).

Forwards: Steve McCarrick, Matt Altieri, Dan Broderick and Jeremy Lindh were all on the top two lines last year. McCarrick and Altieri are big, solid players with good hands and good speed and a combined five yetars of experience, while Broderick and Lindh work really well on the second line, where Broderick’s grittiness and Lindh’s finesse compliment each other.

Defense: Junior Ryan McGee and senior Harrison McCandless are smart, two-way defensemen who seldom get caught out of position and can contribute on the attack. Aaron Klimchuk, a transfer from RCDS, brings good size.

Goalies: Senior Mike Pavarini was 7-1 in his eight starts last year, with a 2.88 GAA. He’s a third-year player with really good quickness, and he should thrive knowing that the net is his.

Outlook: The Tigers might not have the star power like last year’s duo of Phil Sigona and Rui Encarnacao (153) points combined), but they have a bunch of solid players. It will be interesting to see how they deal with the a League 1 schedule, where every game is a battle.

John Jay (9-13-1, 4-9-1)

Last year: After a 1-7 slide to start 2008, followed by a late-season coaching change, the Indians won two straight and then fell to Rye in the Division II semis.

Forwards: Leading scorer Dave Rofosky (40 points) returns, as does Kyle Greenberg (23 points), the third-leading scorer. Rofosky  is skilled and fast and plays with a chip on his shoulder, while Greenberg is a very talented senior who should pile up points. They will be joined on the first line by Scott Turecamo in an intelligent player who can pass and shoot well, while strong center Mike Skalaski leads the second line.

Defense: Louis Ricci is an experienced, physical defenseman and is paired with Nathaniel Kaplan, a good-skating junior with a lot of hockey smarts. Senior Alex Wohl and sophomore Alec Lalone provide depth, so Danny Wertz might be moved to forward.

Goalies: Mike Ott returns after a very steady sophomore season (3.25 GAA). He will be backed up by two younger goalies, Joe Webb and Jake Petrillo.

Outlook: The Indians graduated 10 seniors, and need a group of younger players to step into big roles. They’re not very big, but they are scrappy and could sneak up on anyone who overlooks them.

Hey everyone, thanks for your patience this weekend. This is actually one of the busiest weeks of the year for us, since fall sports and winter sports collide (for instance, I can’t cover hockey this weekend because I’ll be in Kingston Friday for Nyack football and Uniondale Saturday for Iona Prep football). 

It looks like the winter previews in the newspaper won’t start until next Friday, Nov. 28 (hockey goes first)—there will be 20 players to watch, four feature stories, three questions about the season, and a “season at a glance” box. Incidentally, this should give you some idea of where our focus is right now, since fall sports are still going strong. But I will start posting the hockey team previews this week, starting with League 1 (hopefully by tomorrow morning), and then continuing with the CHSHL/RCDS and League 2, League 3 and League 4.

In the meantime, you can scroll down on the blog to find league and division alignments, key matchups, coaching changes, a new merged team and last year’s all-league, all-section and all-star players. So thanks for hanging in there and I’ll be back shortly.

It’s official now — the Section 1 championships will be held at a neutral site, specifically the rink at Army. I spoke to chairman John Orlando, who said he wanted to play the finals “in the best facility in the area.”It is the first change to the finals format since they were taken out of Playland in 1988 and given to the higher seed.

West Point has almost 3,000 seats, and Orlando said the finals will be treated like an Army home game, with ticket windows, a full staff of ushers and an open snack bar. Tickets will cost $10 for the doubleheader. It is also important to note that this is a one-year trial, and it will be re-evaluated after the season (in fact, if there is a scheduling conflict next year, West Point might not even be available). Still, Orlando said it was a chance “to put the sport on the map a little more” and “move into the 21st century.”

Every other sport plays its finals in one spot, so perhaps it was inevitable that this move would be made in hockey, especially after fans were turned away from both finals last year.

 First round at higher seed

Division I Monday, Feb. 23

Division II Tuesday Feb. 24

Quarterfinals at higher seed

Division I Wednesday, Feb. 25

Division II Thursday, Feb. 26

Semifinals at higher seed

Division I Friday, Feb. 27

Division II Saturday, Feb. 28

Finals, Sunday, March 1 at USMA, West Point

Division II, 4 p.m.

Division I , 6:30 p.m.

State quarterfinals, Saturday March 7

Division I: Section 1 at Section 10

Division II: Section 1 at Section 2

Final Four at Utica War Memorial Auditorium

Semifinals Saturday March 14 

Division I: 1/10 winner vs. 6/9 winner

Division II: 1/2 winner vs. 9/10 winner

Finals Sunday March 15 

It’s been eight months since the high school hockey season ended in the state quarterfinals, but the skates have finally hit the ice again for the first day of practice.

Now the starting line is in sight — only 3 1/2 weeks until a blockbuster first weekend, which includes Suffern-Pelham, Iona Prep-Fordham Prep and the White Plains tournament.

Speaking of that, I listed the schedule below. Although I’m aware that some top players missed the tournament last year, it still proved to be a really accurate indicator of how teams would do:

— White Plains won the tournament, a precursor to its League 2 title, 23-win season and sectional semifinal appearance.

— Rye Town/Harrison beat Mahopac and Monroe/Woodbury, a sign that it would be a surprising force in League 1

— Mahopac tied Brewster and strugged to beat Somers/North Salem, an early indication that it would struggle the whole year.

— Stepinac was competitive against White Plains and Monroe/Woodbury and ended up in the CHSHL finals.

— League 3 Byram Hills went 0-3 and wound up struggling the whole season.

With that in mind, here’s this year’s schedule. Clarkstown North has replaced Byram Hills and has a fascinating game against Monroe/Woodbury to start the season. It’s really a wide-open tournament, and a chance for one of these teams to make a real statement to start the year. Feel free to add your predictions in the poll on the right.

Friday, Nov. 28

Game 1: White Plains-Rye Town/Harrison, 7 a.m.

Game 2: Stepinac-Brewster, 9 a.m.

Game 3: Mahopac-Somers/North Salem, 11 a.m.

Game 4: Clarkstown North-Monroe/Woodbury, 1 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 29

Game 3/4 losers, 8 a.m.

Game 1/2 losers, 4:30 p.m.

Game 1/2 winners, 6:30 p.m.

Game 3/4 winners, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 30

Seventh-place game, 9 a.m.

Fifth-place game, 4:15 p.m.

Third-place game, 6:15 p.m.

Championship, 8:15 p.m.