North Division
#1 New Hampshire Avalanche (34-9-3) vs.  #4 Valley Jr. Warriors (17-21-8)
Season Series: Avalanche 3-0-1 vs. Jr. Warriors

Why the Avs can win: New Hampshire has been in the Frozen Finals every season since joining the league. They continue to be a force in the North Division and are led by the EHL Forward of the Year in David Basin, who ran away with a league-leading 79 points (33g, 46a), and a very good goaltender in Sam Boos who finished the year with a 2.14 goals against average and .929 save percentage. The team is stacked from top-to-bottom and will do everything in its power to return to Providence.

Why the Warriors can win: The Warriors played well down the stretch of the regular season to hang onto the #4 seed and qualify for the playoffs. That included wins against the defending EHL champion Boston Jr. Rangers and the Avs in their most recent matchup. Cole Fagan and Austin Peterson can score timely goals and Caden Connors has been a rock for Valley's blue line. It's been an up-and-down year for them, but if the Warriors can play their game, they'll have a chance to send the Avs home early for the first time in their history.

#2 Seacoast Spartans (24-16-6) vs. #3 New England Wolves (21-19-6)
Season Series: Spartans 3-2-0 vs. Wolves

Why the Spartans can win: The Spartans lost an entire line's worth of top-end talent from last season, but got themselves right back up in a tough North Division. Jonathan Groth ranks second in the EHL with points in the regular season with 63 (23g, 40a). Evan Plunkett and Ben Skelton proved to be a solid tandem in net with save percentages of .934 and .913 respectively. In addition, the Spartans have a pair of players who have made the Frozen Finals both at the EHL and EHLP levels in Michael Boschetto and Myles Kidd; that kind of playoff experience could help put them over the top.

Why the Wolves can win: The Wolves ended the season with a four-game winning streak and will hope to keep that momentum rolling in the postseason. A.J. Lackas had a phenomenal year with 53 points (21g, 32a) and Joakim Cameron was not far behind with 45 points (17g, 28a). Cam Reardon has been a workhorse in net; he's the only goaltender with over 2,000 minutes played and the second-most is at 1,854. In that large sample size, Reardon has put up a .924 save percentage with a pair of shutouts. If he can keep that going in the postseason, the Wolves could give the Spartans fits in the first round.

East Division
#1 Express Hockey Club (34-10-2) vs. #4 Seahawks Hockey Club (14-30-2)
Season Series: Express 4-0-0 vs. Seahawks

Why the Express can win: Coming into this season, the biggest question for the Express was whether or not they could find goaltending, and they have two excellent netminders in Josh Girard and Alex Koenig. Both goaltenders have save percentages well over .920 and combined for five shutouts in the regular season. Oh by the way, they have some serious firepower up front with Gavin Simopoulos (20g, 41a) and Cody Walker (26g, 33a) leading the offense. Considering how strong the East Division is this year, the Express getting the number one seed will make them a Frozen Finals favorite.

Why the Seahawks can win: The Seahawks had a rough go in the regular season, but they proved how the playoffs can be a different animal as they upset the #4 seed Boston Jr. Terriers in the play-in game. JJ Alger scored a hat trick in their 6-4 road win over Boston, as the team scored five unanswered goals in the third period. Alex Moeller, who led the Seahawks in the regular season with 18 goals and 34 points, also came up big with a goal and three helpers against the Terriers. It will take a collective effort to derail the Express, but this team looks ready to compete with anyone right now.

#2 Boston Jr. Rangers (32-13-1) vs. #3 East Coast Wizards
Season Series: Both teams 2-1-1 vs. each other

Why the Jr. Rangers can win: Boston is coming into the postseason as defending champs and has won two titles in the last three seasons. Three players who won titles last year--Tay Melis, Kaleb Miller and Bret Beale--all put up 50 or more points this year as Melis led the bunch with 60 (16g, 44a) and Miller finished second in the league with 31 goals. Charles Watson finished the regular season with a 17-6-0 record between the pipes. The Rangers continue to be stifling on the defensive end, but have also taken a giant leap offensively as they look to defend their title.

Why the Wizards can win: The Wizards came out of nowhere in the 2023-24 campaign, going from a .500 team over the last three seasons to having a 29-11-6 record this year. The team set a franchise record with 177 goals and had some big victories that included ending the New York Apple Core’s 20-game win streak. Will Rice, the EHL Rookie of the Year, led the team in scoring as an ’04 birth year, netting 54 points (16g, 38a). Three other players hit the 40-point plateau—Aidan O’Connell, Casey Raffone and George Kolovos—and O’Connell reached 43 points (21g, 22a) in just 31 games. It’s no secret the Wizards are an offense-heavy team, but as long as their big guns perform, they can pull off some magic to dethrone the reigning champs.

Central Division
#1 Railers Jr. Hockey Club (36-8-2) vs. #4 Connecticut Chiefs (17-25-4)
Season Series: Railers 4-1-0 vs. Chiefs

Why the Railers can win: Each year, the Railers find ways to get even better than the previous season. They went from seven wins in their inaugural season to 18 wins, then 28 wins, then 30 wins, and now a sterling 36-8-2 record to win the regular-season championship. Jack Wineman (29g, 29a) and Connor McAleer (20g, 33a) both hit the 50-point mark while five other skaters hit at least 30 points. Adam Casper went 20-4-0 with a .932 save percentage and five shutouts, and got plenty of help from a stacked blue line including Corbin Melie and Tristan Boyer among others. The Railers are also the only team with a goal differential above 100. No team has ever won a Regular Season Championship plus an EHL Frozen Finals Championship in the same year, but the Railers could very well buck the trend this year in search of their first title.

Why the Chiefs can win: For a team that finished fifth in their division, the Chiefs have not had much trouble putting the puck in the net this year. Zach Groleau, Josh Swan and Anthony Vernillo all put up 40 or more points while three others hit 30. This past Friday, the Chiefs offense came up big when it mattered most, earning a 5-3 win over H.C. Rhode Island in the play-in round. Vernillo and Sean Gilland scored two goals each, all while goaltender Artur Dzhilavyan made 38 saves to secure the victory. It will not be an easy matchup for the Chiefs, but they have the firepower and goaltending to hold their own.

#2 New York Apple Core (34-11-1) vs. #3 Providence Hockey Club
Season Series: Apple Core 4-0-0 vs. Providence

Why Apple Core can win: It’s the turnaround season everyone is talking about, and for good reason. Apple Core has been around since 1998, predating the modern EHL, and just finished their best season yet with 34 wins and a league-leading 201 goals scored. Four players, Peter Unger, Nick Sweet, Gleb Ushakov and Davis Kinne, all scored 50 or more points. Five more players recorded at least 30 points. Midway through the season, Apple Core made a trade that could go down as the biggest in league history, sending Anthony Vernillo to the Chiefs in exchange for goaltender Ryan Crowshaw, who proceeded to go 17-3-0 and post a .929 save percentage in New York. Apple Core also went on a 20-game win streak that stands as the second-longest in league history. All of this to say, Apple Core has set the league ablaze this season, and they hope to make two trips to Providence this year: one trip for Game 2 of the first round, and another trip for the Frozen Finals.

Why Providence can win: In their inaugural EHL season, Providence Hockey Club finished right at hockey .500. At times, they struggled against some of the top teams like the Railers or Apple Core, but they managed to hold their own and secure the #3 seed in the Central. Deaglan Kelly was the top scorer with 37 points (19g, 18a) and five other players reached double digits in goals. Nicholas Hansen and Ayvin Eidsness split time in goal, combining for 19 of Providence’s 20 victories. The team has not been able to solve Apple Core just yet this season, but they have not played each other since January, right in the middle of New York’s massive streak. Now that it’s a new season, Providence can enter the series with a clean slate and try to end Apple Core’s 'Cinderella' year.

South Division
#1 New Jersey Bears (29-12-5) vs. #4 Philadelphia Little Flyers (23-20-3)
Season Series: Bears 4-2-0 vs. Little Flyers

Why the Bears can win: In their first season with a new identity, the Bears cruised to a number one seed in a tightly-contested South Division. Carson Frye won Goaltender of the Year award with a 20-8-2 record and .929 save percentage, while backup Tim Briley had a solid 9-4-0 record in net. James Vermeersch had 43 points (16g, 27a) and was one of seven different skaters to score 10 or more goals in the regular season. The Bears also faced some adversity midway through the season, going winless in the month of December before rebounding in mid-January. It’s often said that teams need to go through rough stretches to strengthen their game, and the Bears went through it without giving up their lead in the division.

Why the Little Flyers can win: The Little Flyers were the only #4 seed to win its play-in game, defeating Philadelphia Hockey Club by the score of 5-2. Trevor Kruczek had a pair of goals and Ronnie Petrucci made 34 saves in the win. Throughout the regular season, defenseman Jack Costabile drew a lot of attention as he led the team in points with 54 points (26g, 28a), including 29 points (15g, 14a) on the power play. Costabile was named the league’s MVP yesterday afternoon, but he’s not alone with his scoring prowess. Fellow blue-liner Andrew Henry had a terrific season with 33 points (7g, 26a) while forwards Sabre Koleber and Christian Kinsler also put up big numbers. Considering how tight the South Division is, a win for the Flyers would hardly qualify as an upset, especially for a team that has made multiple trips to the Frozen Finals.

#2 New Jersey 87’s (25-16-5) vs. #3 Team Maryland (24-18-4)
Season Series: 87’s 4-2-1 vs. Maryland

Why the 87’s can win: If there’s one thing to be said about the 87’s this season, it’s that goals were hard to come by on either side of the ice. While the team was tied for the third-fewest goals scored in the league with 110, they played a strong defensive game by only allowing 111 goals. Kyle Spann and Erik Tarneberg were both solid in net while veterans Landon Adams and Blake Dustin led the team in points with 43 and 31 respectively. Defenseman Mikhail Kukareka has been strong on both ends of the ice while notching 25 points (7g, 18a). By playing low-scoring and tight-checking games all season, it can be said the 87’s game is tailored for the playoffs, and we’ll find out how it translates in the first round.

Why Maryland can win: Despite finishing third in the division, Maryland was the only other team in the South who finished with a positive goal differential at +10. Forwards Vadim Frolov (23g, 24a) and Nolan Zotter (19g, 25a) and defenseman Chase Hannon (7g, 31a) all finished above a point-per-game. If it weren’t for Ryan Crowshaw, Maryland’s trade for Jake Hugessen would get more attention. Since going to Maryland, Hugessen went 11-6-0 while posting a .958 save percentage with five shutouts. In addition, he’ll be going up against his former team in the first round.

As for the EHLP, over the weekend, eight teams competed in a best-of-three play-in round to complete as the #3 and #4 seeds in the Boston and Mid-Atlantic Divisions.

Now, 12 EHLP teams remain and will compete for a trip to the Frozen Finals in Providence, RI. The teams that are left will compete in a divisional semifinal and final, and both rounds will be a best-of-three series.

Here's a look at all of the matchups and what to watch out for in these divisional rounds.

New England Division
#1 Adirondack Jr. Thunder (28-8-6) vs. #4 Vermont Lumberjacks (14-24-4)
Season Series: Thunder 6-2-1 vs. Lumberjacks

Why the Thunder can win: Adirondack had a phenomenal second season in the EHLP and secured the first seed in the New England Division. They scored 194 goals which was good for second in the league; five different players scored 50 or more points while Cole Davidson (31g, 32a) and Mack Ryan (26g, 35a) both exceeding 60 points. AJ Murphy and Andy Buser recorded 13 wins each in net, but make no mistake, this team is all about raw firepower. A couple of returning players recall their heartbreaking first-round exit against the Avalanche last Spring, and now the team is primed to reverse its playoff fortunes.

Why the Lumberjacks can win: Vermont had a bit of a down year in the EHLP, but still managed to rattle off victories against top teams including Adirondack. Connor Kelley led the team with 31 points (15g, 16a) and goaltender Ian Boutin posted a .914 in net with four shutouts. It will take a 'Herculean' effort to slow down the Thunder’s attack, but crazier things have happened in the EHLP.

#2 New England Wolves (19-19-4) vs. #3 New Hampshire Avalanche (17-20-5)
Season Series: Wolves 4-0-0 vs. Avs

Why the Wolves can win: The Wolves turned some heads in the Aston showcase, whether it was coming back from a five-goal deficit or snapping the Railers’ winning streak. Harrison Kramer finished the regular season with 70 points (38g, 32a) and four other players recorded 40 or more points. Those top performers will need to be on their A-game if they want to knock off the Avs.

Why the Avalanche can win: New Hampshire struggled against the Wolves in the regular season, but otherwise had a solid 2023-24 campaign. Unlike their opponents, the Avs’ scoring is very evenly spread out and shows no signs of a drop-off anywhere on the roster. Hunter Atkinson finished the season with 20 goals, and three other players reached double digits in that category.

Boston Division
#1 Railers (38-4-0) vs. #4 Valley Jr. Warriors (27-11-4)
Season Series: Railers 4-0-0 vs. Warriors

Why the Railers can win: Just like their EHL counterpart, the Railers' Premier team dominated the league and earned a Regular Season Championship. The Railers also set the EHLP record for most wins in a season and had a +121 goal differential. Brooks Wright, Nolan Tomczyk and Zack Warner-Senee all eclipsed 50 points, while Christopher Gingras went a perfect 14-0-0 in net. This team is stacked from top to bottom, and they’ll look to avenge their championship loss from last year.

Why the Warriors can win: Don’t be fooled by their place in the standings or the season series against the Railers: this Warriors team is good. Their goal differential is tied for second-best in the league at +73 amidst a super-talented Boston Division. While it took them three games to knock off the Seahawks in the play-in round, they got the job done in Game 3 with a 6-1 win. The Chrisom twins, Brendan and Colin, combined for nine points in the deciding contest. The Warriors have a tall task going up against the best EHLP team, but this could easily be the best #1 vs. #4 matchup this postseason.

#2 Boston Jr. Rangers (31-8-3) vs. #3 Express Hockey Club (29-10-3)
Season Series: Rangers 3-1-1 vs. Express

Why the Rangers can win: These are two teams that are very evenly matched in terms of record and goal differential. Boston has the slight advantage in both categories as they were led by PJ Sweeney, who had 70 points (36g, 34a) in 37 games. Carter Amidon put up 51 points (27g, 24a) and Max Wretsell netted 22 goals in the regular season. Veteran goaltender Luciano Chinappi went 13-4-0 and led all qualified goalies with a .932 save percentage. While Boston fell short in the Frozen Finals last year, they have the tools to go right back to Providence.

Why the Express can win: Last season, the Express had nine regular-season wins and nearly pulled off the upset of the century against the Boston Jr. Rangers in the playoffs. This year won’t be an underdog story so much as heavyweight battle. Express forward Charlie DiMartino led the league with 86 points (43g, 43a) while Peyton Myers was right behind him with 78 points (31g, 47a). Goaltenders Andrew Ladd and Aaron Donovan earned 12 wins each, though Ladd has slightly better numbers with a .921 save percentage. As long as the Express’ top forwards can do their thing, they won’t need a Nick Piazza-like performance to get past the Rangers this year.

Mid-Atlantic Division
#1 New Jersey 87’s (31-10-0) vs. #4 Philadelphia Little Flyers (13-22-7)
Season Series: 87’s 7-0-0 vs. Little Flyers

Why the 87’s can win: The defending EHLP champions ended their regular season with a 13-game winning streak and overtook the Pennsylvania Huntsmen for the number one seed in the division. Ayden Georgiano led the way offensively with 67 points (27g, 40a) and is one of six skaters who scored 30 or more points. Between the pipes, Frankie Smith went 19-5-0 while posting a .910 save percentage and three shutouts. This is a veteran team getting hot at the right time, and that could spell trouble for the rest of the Mid-Atlantic Division.

Why the Little Flyers can win: The Philadelphia Little Flyers did not rack up many wins this year, but they play with a ton of tenacity and heart which was obvious throughout their hometown showcase. Forward Reid Ludwig and defenseman Mason Czaban both recorded 30-plus points and Nick Wah has been able to keep his team in a bunch of games this year. Rivalries are different in the postseason, and if any team can ignore the results of a regular-season series and catch an overly-confident team off guard, it’s the Little Flyers.

#2 Pennsylvania Huntsmen (30-9-3) vs. #3 New Jersey Renegades (15-21-6)
Season Series: Huntsmen 7-0-1 vs. Renegades

Why the Huntsmen can win: Like Adirondack, the Huntsmen had a phenomenal sophomore season in the EHLP. Defenseman Brock Burrell has been a leader to the team and put up 40 points (21g, 19a) in 38 games. Zander Lunnie was acquired from the Avs, and he notched seven points in his first six games with the team. Nick Smith had a fantastic season as an ’07 birth year, scoring 32 points in as many games, and Matt Beatty put up a 12-3-1 record for the team in net. Pennsylvania has a real shot at making Providence in just their second year, and it starts with a favorable matchup against the Renegades.

Why the Renegades can win: For a good portion of the regular season, the Renegades were first in the Mid-Atlantic Division. While they slumped at the end of the season, the team looks much better now than in years past. Justin Sergeant and Matt Tavares both recorded 40-plus points and Cam Cherry, who notched a hat trick in the play-in round against the Connecticut Chiefs, netted 16 goals in the regular season. The Renegades are a team that likes to capitalize on other teams’ mistakes, and they could do just enough to upset a team like the Huntsmen.

Anthony Di Paolo

Anthony Di Paolo covers the EHL for HNIB and can be followed on Twitter @DiPaolo_016

Anthony Di Paolo has been working in various levels of hockey over the last five years, ranging from juniors to the pros. Di Paolo spent four seasons as the Communications Director and play-by-play announcer for the New Jersey Titans of the North American Hockey League (2016-2020), and is entering his fifth season in a similar role with the New Jersey 87’s of the Eastern Hockey League. Graduating from Seton Hall University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, the New Jersey native covered Division I athletics for his school’s radio station, WSOU, and spent two years writing for the Fischler Report, a newsletter run by U.S. Hockey Hall-of-Fame inductee Stan Fischler. In addition to writing features and player spotlights throughout the season, Anthony is a fixture on the weekly #EShow podcast.

Comments