January seemed to be a month where the top really separated themselves from the rest of the pack. Our top 4 selections we feel very comfortable about, 5-10 are very interchangeable. We saw 4 teams drop out from our previous top 10 with some new but familiar teams entering the top 10. February and early March will be exciting as teams gear up for playoff hockey.
1. New Hampshire Avalanche EHL - 31-6-3-0
Previous 1
Seacoast and the 87's both got the best of the Avalanche as their only two losses since January 1. But the Avalanche also went 2-1 vs Seacoast, 2-0 vs Vermont and handled the surging Express hockey club easily in 4-1 fashion. 02' Forward and Plymouth State Commit Aden Hotchkiss has had 16 points in his last 12 games. 02' Uncommitted Goaltender Shane Peremba has the tools to backstop the Avalanche to the finals. Peremba should be getting college attention with a 92.9 Save Percentage, a long playoff run should help his resume.
2. Granite City Lumberjacks NA3HL - 34-3-0-1
Previous 4
All the Lumberjacks do is win and more times than not it is in dominate fashion. Their last loss came at the NA3HL showcase Dec 19 to a very good Generals team that just cracked our top 10. The Lumberjacks have proven to be the deepest team in the NA3HL and have proven to be a feeder to the NAHL with call ups throughout the year. From top to bottom this has an argument for being the most skilled team in Tier 3 hockey. Coach Brad Willner has assembled one of his teams in his tenure with Granite City.
3. Charlotte Rush USPHL Premier- 32-5-1-3
Previous 2
Since the USPHL showcase the Rush have been up and down going 1-3 vs Richmond and Hampton. They have built a cushy lead in the Southeast division as they are 9 points up on Potomac and have seemed to let their foot off the gas slightly which is understandable. The Rush have proven they win games in several ways as their depth puts them as the top team in the USPHL Premier. Goaltender 03' Nicholas Anderson has been up to the task all year and has shown consistency that gives them a real shot to win the USPHL National Tournament.
4. Seacoast Spartans EHL - 26-10-4
Previous 7
The Spartans are the biggest benefactor of the middle previous top 10 slipping up through January. Brett Tryder's team has proven they can skate with any team in the EHL and face off vs Worcester Thursday afternoon in what should be a great game. The Spartans have a trio of forwards that rival any trio in Tier 3 hockey, William Pray, Drew Oliveri (TSA Athlete-Colleges contact us directly for more info) and Kenny Maxwell.
Their defensive core features Junior veterans Ted Justicz (TSA Athlete-College contact us directly for more info) and Eddie Mulligan both of which have been asked to play in all key situations this season. As a group the recent split with the New Hampshire Avalanche has gotten February off on the right foot for the Avalanche, look for them to keep trending in the right direction down the stretch.
5. Potomac Patriots USPHL Premier - 29-9-1-1
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A consistent team throughout the entire season, the Patriots have gone 8-2 since January 1. Potomac has a knack for scoring timely goals and are extremely dangerous on the power play. 02' Forward Jakob Johannesson has the team lead in points with 52. Johannesson, is a gifted play maker who has shown scoring touch around the net, at the collegiate level he should be able to produce especially at the ACHA D1 level.
6. Boston Jr. Rangers EHL - 23-14-1-1
Previous 3
The East Division is proving to be extremely deep this season in the EHL. The Rangers went through the Middle part of January dropping 6 in a row which normally drops teams out of the top 10, but we are giving the Rangers the benefit of the doubt. The Rangers have responded with 4 straight victories in a row and look they are back on track. The biggest question this team has going into the playoff race is does Coach Rich Decapiro have enough scoring in this line up? Something seems off with this team this season...
7. New England Wolves EHL - 24-13-1-2
Previous NR
Coming back into the top 10 are the New England Wolves. The Wolves have faced a ridiculous schedule playing 6 games vs TSA Ranked Top 15 teams in their last ten games. For the EHL the Wolves are on the younger side and can be peaking at the right time coming down the stretch. 03' Defensemen Cody Plaza has been dynamite all year recording 21 points and 02' Defensemen Nick Demio has been rock solid as well, Demio will be heading to Assumption College next season.
8. Rochester Grizzles NA3HL - 28-9-2-2
Previous NR
Took a while for the Grizzles to get into our top 10 much like the Northeast Generals but they are here now and are looking like the team we thought they would be this season. Since December they have been one of the hottest teams in the country and are currently winners of 5 in a row. The Grizzles have continued to add pieces to their roster through the season and have recently added more depth to their line up with the additions of Alder Johnston (Austin NAHL) and Luke Morrisette (Boston Jr Rangers EHL). Second year forward Austin Meers has 30 points in 40 games and was a standout at Top Prospects this past week.
9. Northeast Generals NA3HL - 32-4-1-1
Previous NR
With several teams in our previous ranking really struggling over the last 4 weeks, it felt right for us to finally give the General their due. The East Division of the NA3HL has taken a monster step forward this season and the Generals did was run right through it. The Generals last loss was back on December 11 and they went 3-0 at the NA3HL showcase with wins over Gillete, Granite City and the Texas Brahmas. With physical play and heavy grind it out style of game, the Generals will continue to cruise through the season and most likely into the Fraser Cup where they have a legit chance of winning.
10. Worcester Jr Railers Hockey Club EHL - 23-13-0-2
Previous NR
The Railers have been a consistent club this year and have quietly gone about their business. They are 6-3 since January 1 and have a monster tilt on Thursday afternoon vs Seacoast that we will be covering (check back later for the game report). They are currently 15 points ahead of the CT Chiefs and overall, the Railers have taken care of a very average Central Division. The Railers have struggled vs the top programs in the EHL, which makes their Thursday match up vs Seacoast very important. In net the Railers feature two goaltenders, Stefan Kulhanek (92.9 SVP) and Xavier Lapierre (91.8 SVP) that can be absolute X factors for the Railers moving into the playoff season.
Others Receiving Votes
New Hampshire Cyclones (Previous 6)
Islanders Hockey Club
Helena Bighorns
Florida Eels
Texas Roadrunners
Utah Outliers (Previous 10)
New York Aviators
Alexandria Blizzard (Previous 8)
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