The postseason is less than three weeks away.
The NEPSAC will announce its girls hockey tournament fields on Feb. 25 ahead of the quarterfinals on Feb. 28.
Before we know it, champions will be crowned at Nobles, this year's hosts, on March 3.
Here's where things stand if the playoffs were to start this very second, according to U.S. Hockey Report's projections:
Chuck Vernon Elite 8 Tournament:Â
- Nobles (19-0-2)
- Williston Northampton (15-1-1)
- Loomis Chaffee (15-3-1)
- Andover (13-3-1)
- Deerfield (15-3-2)
- St. Paul's (13-6-0)
- Kent (8-3-2)
- Tabor (11-6-3)
Patsy K. Odden Large School Tournament:
- Choate (13-6-0)
- Westminster (11-6-2)
- Thayer (14-5-2)
- BB&N (10-7-3)
- Dexter Southfield (11-8-0)
- Taft (6-9-1)
Dorothy Howard Small School Tournament:
- New Hampton (11-5-4)
- Groton (13-5-2)
- Frederick Gunn (11-7-1)
- Tilton (15-6-2)
- St. George's (8-5-5)
- Millbrook (10-8-1)
Obviously, a lot can change over the next few weeks. The final spots in the Elite 8 have been revolving doors for most of the season. All it takes is a big week for one of the higher seeds in the Large and Small tournaments, and they could be right back into the Elite 8 picture.
With all of that in mind, here are five storylines to watch through the end of the regular season.
1. Can Nobles stay undefeated?
The Bulldogs opened their season with a tie with New Hampton before rattling off 19 straight wins. Their streak came to an end on Wednesday in a scoreless tie with Groton.
It's easy to see why Nobles has been so dominant to this point in the season. The Bulldogs boast an outrageous 105-11 (plus-94) differential, the best in the NEPSAC. They've yet to allow more than two goals in any game this season. Even crazier: They've only allowed two goals on four occasions.
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Nobles has completely stifled teams with its forecheck, while an all-star cast on defense makes up perhaps the deepest blue line in the region, headlined by Olivia Maffeo (Canton, Mass.) and Sophia Levering (Westwood, Mass.). Starter Anya Zupkofska (Braintree, Mass.) and backup Annie Spring (Concord, Mass.) have been among the region's best goaltenders this season as well.
All of it makes a typical recipe for a deep playoff run.
Tom Resor's group has some tough challenges before the postseason, whether it's BB&N this weekend or Tabor, Andover and Milton in the coming weeks. But the Bulldogs are clearly determined to deliver for Resor in his final season at the helm.
2. Williston's bid for a three-peat
We've been following this story all season, and it's still one of the most intriguing ones to keep tabs on.
The Wildcats are gunning for a third straight Elite 8 title. They've won 10 straight and are unbeaten in each of their last 12. Christa Talbot Syfu's team actually leapfrogged Nobles for the top spot in the RPI after the latter's tie on Wednesday, too.
Williston's goal differential of 86-18 (plus-68) is second only to Nobles. They've cleaned up against other strong foes like Groton, Westminster, Tabor, Kent and Choate, overcoming their fair share of injuries in the process, too.
Few teams can keep up with their top line of Monique Lyons (Bedford, Mass.), Nora Curtis and Mia Daley (Lynnfield, Mass.). That's not even mentioning key depth like Zola Piekarski (Concord, Mass.) and Emily Hamann (Marlborough, Mass.). Liv Ferebee boasts a 93 percent save percentage, and Violet Carroll's (Milton, Mass.) success in her transition to defense has been huge.
There are some much-anticipated games with Andover, Loomis and Deerfield on tap. Either way, Williston is in a great spot to defend its titles.
3. Who are the contenders behind Nobles and Williston?
The way I've broken down the contenders this season has been to split teams into tiers. In the top tier are the favorites, Nobles and Williston.
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Behind them, I have Loomis, Andover and Deerfield in the next batch of contenders.
Andover is one of the hottest teams in the NEPSAC right now. Since some ups and downs around the holidays, they've ripped off eight wins in a row and 10 in their last 11. Avery Rodeheffer (New Haven, Conn.) has hit her stride in goal. The offense has been balanced, too. Six skaters have at least 10 points this season, while seven have at least five goals.
Like Andover, Loomis has been scorching of late. They're riding a 15-game unbeaten streak (14-0-1), which includes wins over Andover, Kent, Tabor, Westminster and Choate. Depth has also been the key for the Pelicans, like Andover. Nine skaters have at least 10 points, and eight have at least five goals. Ellie Lachance has come on strong, leading the way with 16 points (5g, 11a) in 19 games.
Deerfield will be an interesting case to watch in the coming weeks. The Big Green rocketed into the top five, but have hit a bit of a skid. They're winless in three straight (0-2-1), falling to Andover and St. Paul's before tying Westminster. Annie Dinges' (Woodstock, Conn.) rapid scoring pace has slowed down, too. How they respond in the coming weeks will be massive for their postseason hopes. They'll need to be at their best with Williston and Loomis on the horizon.
4. Who can emerge from the next tier of Elite 8 sleepers?
Behind the top five is where things have been crowded all season.
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Kent and St. Paul's have had their inconsistencies, but have proven to be up to the test against a number of challenging opponents, especially St. Paul's. They've taken down the likes of Williston, Andover, Groton, Deerfield, Thayer and New Hampton. Cami Bell (Barre, Vt.) is an offensive threat each time she's on the ice, while Ally Martiniello (Salem, NH) is arguably the best goalie in the region.
Both Kent and St. Paul's have somewhat favorable schedules to solidify their Elite 8 standing the rest of the way. But nothing is given, as we know.
Choate, Westminster, Thayer, New Hampton and Groton are all on the outside looking in right now. Each has been inside the Elite 8 at one point or another this season.
Tabor, currently in the top tournament, has been volatile since the holidays, too. The Seawolves have recovered, going 4-1-0 in their last five games. They have a massive test against St. Paul's on Friday.
As for the rest of this crowded bunch, like I mentioned above, all it takes is a hot week or a misstep by a team ahead of them, and they could be right back into the Elite 8 picture.
5. Who will win the NEPSAC scoring race?
There hasn't been any shortage of offense around the region this season.
Williston's Lyons leads the way right now, scoring over two points per game with 41 (21 goals) in 17 games. Her linemate,Curtis, is also in the top 10 with 32 points (14 goals).
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Three skaters are firmly in the mix to potentially catch Lyons, too. Groton's Tina Scalese (West Boylston, Mass.) trails Lyons with 36 points (19 goals) in 20 games. Thayer's Morgan McGathey (Braintree, Mass.) and Nobles' Maffeo are right behind with 35 points each as well. Maffeo's teammate and fellow defender, Levering, is also in the top 10 with 30 points from the blue line.
McGathey leads the NEPSAC with 25 goals in 18 contests. Lyons and Portsmouth Abbey's Zoe Rosenberg (20 goals) round out the 20-goal scorers right now. A handful of players — Scalese, Deerfield's Dinges, NYA's Sarah Moore (Libson, Maine) and St. Paul's Cami Bell (Barre, Vt.) — are in the hunt with 19 goals each as well.
