Elite Predictions 2/12-18

By: Luke Devoe

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Tore it up last week with some big calls like Darien over Prep. Let's hope the good luck continues this week.  Predicting a ton of games with day games throughout the week next week, six of which I'll be attending! 

Elite Predictions: Mark these on the calendar

Last Week: (6-1-2)  Season: (54-31-10) *waiting on 5 that were PPD

2/12 Xavier @ ND West Haven   4:00 Bennett Rink

NDWH has been fighting it a bit lately and it looked scary for a third of Saturday's game against rival West Haven, but the Knights got their act together and disposed of the Devils. Xavier has played its best hockey of the year of late. Tying Prep and LaSalle while beating a one loss East Haven team. Earlier this year they took NDWH to overtime only to fall 4-3. This one will be close and the Falcons have the weapons to pull the upset but ND is too strong at Bennett. NDWH 4, Xavier 2

2/12 Masuk @ NFI   4:00 Danbury Ice Arena

Spelling starting Ryan Dobos, junior goalie Marchello Carlucci was fantastic in net earning a 0-0 tie with D3 power Newtown last weekend. That game truly showed NFI's ability to play with one of the better teams at the D3 level. This game will show if they can play with who I think is currently the best team at the D3 level. Masuk got a brief scare from Shepaug but ended up winning convincingly. While it won't be all that convincing, I think Masuk continues to roll. Masuk 3, NFI 2

2/12 New Canaan @ Ridgefield   5:10 Winter Garden Ice Arena

The first of three times Ridgefield is mentioned on here. They host a red hot New Canaan squad who is 9-0-1 over their last ten with the lone tie coming against rival and #1 Darien. Ridgefield has been winning with great regularity as well, 10 in a row to be exact, but it hasn't been coming agains the quality of opponent NC has faced. That said, something has to give here. I'm a big Mac Wright believer at this point in the year and I think he'll do enough to propel the Rams to victory on the road. New Canaan 5, Ridgefield 3

2/12 South Windsor @ ND Fairfield   6:00 Milford Ice Pavilion

ND Fairfield was dealt a tough blow as elite defenseman Greg Ferris will be out indefinitely. Aside from a five minute stretch in the second period when the Lancers ran off three goals they were thoroughly dominated by Prep on Saturday. South Windsor comes in a completely different team than earlier in the year and has gone undefeated over the last four (2-0-2). This will be competitive. ND Fairfield needs to find some identity right now as they are quickly turning into the team of past years and are seriously hard to evaluate. La Croix is La Croix and will continue to play his dominant, puck possession game. Jonny Suporn has come on as one of the state's best complementary players. They will be enough for the Lancers to take the dub. NDF 3, SW 1

2/12 East Catholic @ Glastonbury   7:30 Trinity College Rink

Glastonbury has been winning games tight regardless of competition. This offensive ineptness could come back to bight them against quality teams like East Catholic. EC on the other hand has been mediocre of late going (2-2-1) over their last five.  That said, they are still one of the top three teams at the D2 level. Glastonbury continues to reside in the middle of the pack at the D1 level. I lost betting on the Broncos in the Super Bowl so I'll go defense over offense in this one where I think Kyle Thibodeaux is one of the more underrated goalies in the state. Tomahawks 2, EC 1

2/12 North Haven @ Northwest Catholic   7:30 ISCC

This one should be tight. North Haven might not be winning with the dominance they were earlier in the year but they're winning again. This is important as the Indians went through a previous five game stretch that saw them go (1-1-3). Northwest Catholic has been up and down all year as a first year D1 team. As a first year D1 team, however, this is a game they should be able to take. NH could struggle to maintain the speed of NWC's Jesse McLain but they have quieted similar players Zach White (Milford) and Adam Shea (Amity) in the past. I was really impressed with NWC goalie Mike Camasso the lone time I saw NWC. I think he'll do enough. NWC 4, North Haven 3

2/12 Fairfield Coop @ Staples-Weston-Shelton   8:00 Milford Ice Pavilion

This one is interesting. Staples is playing as well as any team at the D3 level. Fairfield comes in (5-8) and carried a 6-1 lead over Cheshire on Monday only to allow 7 unanswered goals and lost 8-6. They are certainly a capable team and it'll be interesting to see how they bounce back from that loss. It could go in one of two directions. One, they know what they're capable of or two, it was so devastating it's hard to overcome. I think they bounce back. Fairfield 3, Staples 2

2/13 Delbarton (NJ) @ Fairfield Prep   7:00 Ingalls Rink

Prep flexed a little muscle on Saturday dominating ND Fairfield after losing a heartbreaker in overtime to Darien. Delbarton is a perennial New Jersey power. They come in at 14-3-3 and could be one of the toughest tests Prep has faced all year. Prep's also fighting it personnel-wise. Senior Dean Lockery is expected back soon and the time table for freshman Jack Hoey (upper body) is unknown. I think Delbarton figures out a way to top an inconsistent Prep squad at Ingalls. Delbarton 3, Prep 2

2/15 BCR @ EO Smith-Tolland   12:00 UConn Ice Arena

This one should be a good old fashioned rivalry contest. BCR was able to top the Bucks 3-2 earlier in the year at home in overtime. This time, the Bucks get the home ice and their fans should come out in droves for this one. BCR hasn't played the most difficult schedule but they keep getting it done, including an impressive 2-1 win over a good Suffield-Granby-WL team last time out. The Bucks are a solid D3 team who could surprise many in the tourney. For now, I have to go with BCR to complete the season sweep. Matt Schoen should keep EO in this one though. BCR 3, Bucks 1

2/15 Suffield-Granby-WL @ Milford Coop   1:00 Milford Ice Pavilion

This will be the first time seeing both these teams this year for me. Lots of story lines here. Suffield doesn't play as tough of a schedule as Milford. Milford has shown signs of life after a tough start to the year. Zach White has been dominant. Jake King has been awesome in his own right. Neither team has given up a ton of late. These are two evenly matched squads. I'm going out on a limb on this one and picking the Wildcats on the road. I may regret it, but what the hell. Suffield 4, Milford 2

2/15 Ridgefield @ Fairfield Prep   1:00 Wonderland of Ice

Prep doesn't get much rest after a tough matchup with Delbarton. Ridgefield comes calling at the Wonderland in what should be an excellent game. The two locked horns on opening night and Prep came away with a 3-2 victory. I think both teams have changed a lot since then, so it's hard to base a lot on that. Ridgefield has a murderous week with New Canaan, Prep and Hamden. They may have to wait til that last one to pick up their first win. Prep at home takes it. Prep 5, Ridgefield 2

2/15 Newtown @ Tri-Town   6:00 Enfield Twin Rinks

Tri-Town certainly has the competency to pull this upset however they are only (1-4-1) over their last six. Newtown is coming off a grueling 0-0 tie with NFI. I still think Newtown is one of the top two teams at the D3 level but for some reason this matchup stands out to me. I'll make it clear, I'm going to pick Newtown to win but this should be a quality matchup. Newtown 6, Tri-Town 3

2/15 West Haven @ Hamden   7:00 Lou Astorino Rink

An age old rivalry renewed at the Lou Saturday night. Westies were able to beat Hamden 6-3 back at Bennett in January in large part due to opportunistic goals and some spotty goaltending. West Haven has figured out the grind game. They were able to hang with Darien because of this. Hamden is (2-6-1) since that loss to West Haven. Much of that can be attributed to their brutally tough schedule but at some point you have to figure out how to win the close game. West Haven's schedule has been tough of late as well and they are (0-4-1) over their last five. Something has to give here with two struggling teams. Hamden hasn't played a ton at home but they are (3-1) when they're there. I think this could be the difference maker. Hamden 5, WH 4

2/15 Masuk @ Sheehan   8:00 Choate Ice Rink
A good D3 matchup. Sheehan certainly has the bodies to hang with Masuk but they have failed to have that killer instinct late in games. This one would be huge for the home Titans however. Masuk is the toast of D3 right now and would need to win to continue holding that claim. I think they do just enough. Masuk 4, Sheehan 3

2/17 GAME OF THE WEEK Darien @ ND West Haven   4:00 Bennett Rink
Bennett will be rocking for this one. #1 Darien comes calling looking to continue their string of hot play. NDWH could be the most talented team in the state and will need to have their "A-game" ready for this one. Darien is as fundamentally sound as they come with crisp passing, short shifts and a deep bench. NDWH still relies a ton on their top line, not as much as Billy Gerosa used to but still enough. I'm going to go with the home Knights but this one could just as easily go the other way. NDWH 3, Darien 2

2/17 Hamden @ Ridgefield   2:00 Winter Garden Ice Arena
Ridgefield gets New Canaan and Prep before this one. They should be tested to say the least. Hamden has been up and down all year and even recently, while they're losing a lot, many of the games are extremely close. I think this will be a higher scoring game but Hamden's inadequacies in net right now will be the difference. Tigers win at the Garden. Ridgefield 5, Hamden 3

2/18 West Haven @ Xavier   12:00 Wesleyan Ice Rink
A nice noon start on a Tuesday. West Haven has been fighting it bad. Xavier seems to have turned their season around and have played more competitively in the process. Xavier's Ben Guidobono and WH's Mike Savino are two of the better goalies in the state. Xavier is the deeper offensive team and West Haven seems to have more veteran reliable D options. That said, Xavier needs this one if they want any chance at home ice in the tourney. I think they take it. Xavier 3, WH 1
- denotes CTHSHockey will be in attendance