Hockey: 2018 CIAC Championship Preview Capsules

No. 1 Fairfield Prep goes for an undefeated Connecticut season when it plays Greenwich in the Division I championship. Photo: Catherine Avalone, Hearst Connecticut Media / New Haven Register

DIVISION II Championship

No. 1 FARMINGTON VALLEY vs. No. 3 GUILFORD

When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Ingalls Rink, New Haven

Records: Farmington Valley (21-3-1); Guilford (22-3)

On The Air/Web: NFHSNetwork.com (subscription required) | WELI 960-AM

Championship game appearances: As a co-op team Farmington Valley is making its first championship game appearance. Before joining the co-op, Farmington had one appearance and won the D-II title in 2005. Guilford is the defending champion and makes its fourth championship game appearance. It won D-II titles in 1994 and 2017 and a D-III title in 2010.

What to look for: The Indians lost some key players from last season’s championship team but haven’t missed a beat this season with strength on both ends of the ice. They are peaking at the right time and enter the final on a 12-game win streak that includes winning the SCC/SWC Division II tournament championship game. The Indians have the best first line in Division II with forwards John DeLucia, Jack Dacey and Jack Ring and a solid second line led by Jake Watrous. Goalie Mete Yanbul and defensemen Joe Neleber and Tom Cattaneo lead a strong defense. The Generals player the Indians need to key on is speedy forward Tim Arena, one of the most prolific scorers in the state. Overall, the Generals have talent front to back and have outscored opponents 22-7 in three CIAC D-II games. On defense they are led by defenseman Peter Hoffman and goalies Ryan Belluci and Trevor Paluso.

You should know: Tim Arena routinely scores in bunches for the Generals. He had a hat trick and an assist in Farmington Valley’s 4-1 win over Conard in the D-II semfinals.

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Division III Championship

No. 3 TRI-TOWN vs. No. 5 EASTERN CT EAGLES

When: Saturday, 10 a.m.

Where: Ingalls Rink, New Haven

On The Air/Web: NFHSNetwork.com (subscription required) | WELI 960-AM

Records: Tri-Town 15-7-1, Eastern CT 17-3-3.

Championship game appearances: Both co-op teams make their first championship appearances.

What to look for: Both teams can score and have a decent defense. The Eastern CT Eagles, a co-op team drawing from the towns of Fitch, Ledyard, East Lyme, Waterford, Wheeler, Stonington, Griswold and Hale-Ray, have outscored opponents 15-7 in three CIAC D-III tournament games. The Eastern CT Eagles are led by forwards Kevin Close, Ryan Huta and Kyle Jacobson and defenseman Riley Jordan. Goalie Rylin Fowler had 16 saves in an 8-6 win over Staples in the semifinals. Tri-Town, comprised of players from East Windsor, Ellington and Somers, has outscored its opponents 21-4 in three tournament games. Tri-Town is led by scorers Dan Bell, Zach Roy and Mike Shuman and goalie Peyton Emrick.

You should know: The teams played twice in the regular season. The Eastern CT Eagles beat Tri-Town 8-5 on Jan. 18 and Tri-Town beat the Eastern CT Eagles 6-5 on Jan. 26.

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Division I Championship

No. 1 FAIRFIELD PREP vs. No. 2 GREENWICH

When: Saturday, 2 p.m.

Where: Ingalls Rink, New Haven

On the Air / Web: NFHS Network (subscription required) | WELI 960-AM

Records: Fairfield Prep (21-2-1); Greenwich (22-3)

Championship game appearances: Fairfield Prep is making its 21st appearance with 13 Division I titles and one Division II title. Greenwich is making its fifth appearance with one title. Greenwich and Prep have met twice in the Division I final. Prep won 2-0 in 2000 and Greenwich won 3-2 in 1992.

What to look for: The Jesuits are the most complete team in the state this season and are a perfect 16-0 against state competition. Prep features 11 players with double-digit points, led by Kevin Oricoli (six goals, 20 assists) and Joe Mancini (14 goals, 13 assists). On defense, they are led by goalie Jack McGee (1.67 goals-against average) and coach Matt Sather calls defenseman Cole Casl (five goals, 19 assists) one of the state’s best two-way players. Since losing to Ridgefield in the FCIAC tournament, the Cardinals have dominated on both ends of the ice, outscoring opponents 11-2 in three Division I games. The Cardinals are led on defense by goalie Ben Nash and defensemen Nick Pelletier-Martinelli and Ryan Columbo. On offense, they are led by speedy forwards Alex Mozian, Charles Graves and Sean Pratley.

You should know: Fairfield Prep is 5-0 against FCIAC teams and Greenwich is 4-1 against SCC teams.

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The 2018 CIAC Winter Championship Weekend Schedule / Scoreboard