From left: Caiden Pellegrino, Evan Nee and Will Manchuso lead St. Mark’s into the Elite 8. (Patrick Donnelly/NEHJ)
The big dance has arrived — the Elite 8.
The biggest tournament in New England boys prep hockey gets underway on Wednesday with the quarterfinals. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, while a champion will be crowned at UConn on Sunday.
Dexter Southfield has been the most dominant team this winter, so it’s fitting that the Shields finished with the No. 1 seed. St. Mark’s has been right there, too, getting the No. 2 seed along with Salisbury, who finished at No. 3. St. Sebastian’s has been a fantastic story, scoring the No. 4 seed and a home game in the quarterfinals.
But No. 5 Hotchkiss, No. 6 Kimball Union, No. 7 Belmont Hill and No. 8 Avon Old Farms all have upset potential.
As I’ve said in rankings throughout this season, there are some pretty clear favorites in the Elite 8. But that doesn’t mean that lower seeds can’t cause chaos and eventually win.
Let’s dive into a team-by-team breakdown.