Four teams have advanced past the EHLP play-in round to kick off the 2025 postseason. The Vermont Lumberjacks, Connecticut Nor’Easter, Pennsylvania Huntsmen and Philadelphia Little Flyers have all moved on to the divisional semifinals.

Here’s a rundown of the four series that took place over the weekend.

North Division: #4 Valley Jr. Warriors vs. #5 Vermont Lumberjacks

Result: Lumberjacks defeat Jr. Warriors 2-0

Breakdown: Vermont’s offense surged at the end of the regular season, and that momentum carried over into their first-round matchup against the Warriors. In Game 1, the Warriors had a 3-2 lead over Vermont, but Cam Perras took over in the closing minutes of the third period. Perras, who scored once in the second period, scored two more goals in the final 1:57 of play to complete the hat trick and lead the Lumberjacks to a 4-3 win.

In Game 2, Vermont jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and tacked on a few more goals in the second and third as they cruised to a 6-2 victory. Mackenzie Owens notched a hat trick while Owen Horrigan netted a goal and three assists as the Lumberjacks completed the sweep over the Warriors.

East Division: #4 Connecticut Nor’Easter vs. #5 Bridgewater Bandits

Result: Nor’Easter defeat Bandits 2-0

Breakdown: The Nor’Easter won both games by a score of 4-3, and Nor’Easter defenseman Quinn Bereson scored the game-winning goal in both games while finishing the series with five points (3g, 2a).

Bridgewater opened the scoring in both games, but the Nor’Easter kept finding a way to even the score or pull ahead. In Game 1, the Bandits overcame a 3-1 deficit and tied the game midway through the third period, only for Bereson to score the go-ahead goal with 4:25 left in regulation which stood as the game winner. The next day, Bereson gave Connecticut a 3-2 lead early in the third period, but a goal from Tomas Kobela made it 3-3 and sent the game into overtime. At 7:05 into the extra session, Bereson notched the overtime-winning goal and his third of the series, completing the sweep for the Nor’Easter.

South Division: #3 Union Jr. Thunder vs. #6 Philadelphia Little Flyers

Result: Little Flyers defeat Jr. Thunder 2-1

Breakdown: The Little Flyers’ early-season struggles seem like a distant memory now as they managed to take down the Union Jr. Thunder in three games. Owen Myers scored the go-ahead goal in Game 1 as the Little Flyers opened the best-of-three series with 3-2 win. Union responded the following day with a 4-2 win; Simon Zavorka had a goal plus an assist to help the Jr. Thunder force a deciding Game 3.

In the winner-take-all game, both sides scored in the first period, and the 1-1 score held until the midway point of the third period where Myers scored his second goal of the series. The series marks the third consecutive year the Flyers have eliminated the Jr. Thunder from playoff contention.

South Division: #4 New Jersey Renegades vs. #5 Pennsylvania Huntsmen

Result: The Huntsmen won two tightly-contested games over the Renegades to advance to the opening round of the EHLP playoffs. James Mirigliano was the difference maker for Pennsylvania as he finished the series with four points (2g, 2a). In Game 1, he scored the game-tying and go-ahead goals in the second period, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 victory.

In Game 2, the Renegades took a 1-0 lead in the second period, but Mirigliano tied the game with a power-play goal later in the period. Keegan Zelko’s power-play goal in the third period stood as the game-winner, and the Huntsmen tacked on two empty-net goals for a 4-1 win.

Now that the play-in round has concluded, the first round of the EHL and EHLP playoffs are about to begin. 

Both leagues will have a division semifinal and division final prior to the regional matchups at Plymouth State and Trinity College. The four EHL division winners will go to regionals, while the three EHLP division winners will go plus an at-large bid that will go to the division final loser with the best regular-season record.

With that in mind, here’s a look ahead to all of the first-round matchups for the EHL and EHLP postseason.

EHL
 

North Division: #1 New Hampshire Avalanche (37-4-5) vs. #4 Valley Jr. Warriors (13-26-7)
 

Season Series: Avalanche 5-1-0 vs. Warriors

Series Breakdown: To get an idea of how much the Avs dominated the regular season, they are the only EHL team to score more than 200 goals as a team while giving up fewer than 100. Three different forwards—Louis-Charles Tremblay, Danny Storella and Ben Carfora—have recorded 50 or more points while three more skaters have recorded 40 or more points. They’ll go up against a Warriors team led offensively by Austin Peterson (15g, 14a) while goaltender Ben O’Keefe has been battle-tested with nearly 1,500 minutes of playing time and a solid .914 save percentage to show for it. If the Warriors want to disrupt the Avs’ yearly trip to the Frozen Finals, O’Keefe (or Jake Davies) will likely be at the forefront of that effort.

North Division: #2 New England Wolves (34-11-1) vs. #3 Vermont Lumberjacks (23-17-5)
 

Season Series: Lumberjacks 3-2-1 vs. Wolves

Series Breakdown: While New England had more sustained success throughout the regular season, the Wolves and Lumberjacks both finished the regular season red-hot, and the fact both teams have won three times in the season series indicates this should be a fun playoff matchup to watch.

The Wolves have been led by a young group of forwards, including the team’s leading scorer Harrison Kramer (30g, 20a) and Felipe-Miguel Miron (12g, 28a). Vermont, on the other hand, is led by goaltender Cam Wickens, who led all EHL goaltenders with 2,078 minutes played and has a .933 save percentage with four shutouts. 

East Division: #1 Express Hockey Club (36-3-7) vs. #4 Boston Jr. Eagles (18-25-3)
 

Season Series: Express 5-0-0 vs. Jr. Eagles

Series Breakdown: The Express finished the season 7-0-2 in their final nine games and secured the regular-season championship on the final day of the season. They now enter the first round of the playoffs against a team they have never lost to. Vile Bodin had a remarkable regular season with 26 goals and 51 points while Alex Koenig has won earned countless accolades this season as one of the league’s top goaltenders with a .951 save percentage and eight shutouts.

The Jr. Eagles had a solid first season in the EHL, staying competitive in a super competitive East Division. Riley Van Son led the way with 50 points (19g, 31a) in 46 games while Caden Pasqualone established himself as the team’s starter with a .924 saver percentage and a shutout. While the team did not beat the Express in the regular season, their final three games were all decided by one or two goals. They’ll have to play a tight checking game to try and knock off the regular-season champs.

East Division: #2 East Coast Wizards (31-12-3) vs. #3 Seahawks Hockey Club (23-19-4)
 

Season Series: Wizards 4-0-1 vs. Seahawks

Series Breakdown: The Wizards spent most of the season right behind the Express in the East Division standings, as Daxton St. Hillaire finished third in the EHL with 71 points (31g, 40a) while Joey Ala (15g, 39a) and Teddy O’Keefe (21g, 21a) also contributed greatly to the Wizards’ high-octane offense. 

The Seahawks, meanwhile, had an extraordinary turnaround in December; they went 4-14-2 in their first 20 games of the season while going 19-5-2 in their last 26 games. Cory Kashul, Jacob Gelman and Danny Kehoe all hit the 40-point plateau while goaltender Isak Saldhoughi was incredible down the stretch, winning each of his last nine starts. The team went 1-0-1 against the Wizards since their mid-season renaissance, suggesting this series could be closer than the standings and stats may suggest.

Central Division: #1 Providence Capitals (32-10-5) vs. #4 Connecticut RoughRiders (14-32-1)
 

Season Series: Capitals 5-1-1 vs. RoughRiders

Series Breakdown: In their first season without the ‘Hockey Club’ moniker, the Capitals ruled the Central Division and will take on the RoughRiders in the first round of the playoffs. Daniel Kroon (25g, 48a) and Deaglan Kelly (30g, 38a) respectively finished the season second and fourth in the EHL scoring race as the team combined for 173 goals in the 2024-25 campaign. 

The RoughRiders had their ups and downs throughout the season, and they have five different players who scored 12 or more goals including leading scorers Stepan Sidorkin (12g, 23a) and Kory Cardenas Aston (15g, 16a). Goaltenders Colten McIntyre and Heikki Forder split time in goal and had save percentages of .908 and .910 respectively, and they’ll be looked upon in this series to slow down the Capitals’ offense.

Central Division: #2 HC Rhode Island (20-18-8) vs. #3 Connecticut Nor’Easter (21-22-3)
 

Season Series: Nor’Easter 5-2-1 vs. Rhode Island

Series Breakdown: HC Rhode Island narrowly won the second seed in the Central Division to get home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but the Nor’Easter fared better in the regular-season series against Rhode Island. Much of Connecticut’s offense runs through Micaiah Bascombe (15g, 31a) and Gavin Brandon (18g, 20a), but the team has some depth as well as defensemen who can put up points like Ryan Sikorski (9g, 19a). In net, they have Jason LoRicco who earned 15 of the team’s 21 wins while sporting a .920 save percentage.

Mike Bianco led HC Rhode Island’s offense this season with 43 points (29g, 14a). While the team scored fewer goals than Connecticut, they also gave up fewer goals. Much of that can be traced to goaltender Ryan Rhodes, who finished the season with a 12-9-3 record and a .942 save percentage. 

South Division: #1 New Jersey Bears (32-10-4) vs. #4 Philadelphia Hockey Club (21-22-3)
 

Season Series: Bears 5-2-0 vs. Philadelphia 

Series Breakdown: The Bears had a strong first year in Flemington and managed to one-up that in the 2024-25 season with 32 wins and 195 goals scored as a team. Owen House led the pack with 52 points (19g, 33a), and the Bears have two sets of twins—Artur and Artem Kondrashov along with Christopher and Michael Benkovitz—who have been integral to the team’s success. Duncan Stewart was a late addition to the team who made an immediate impact with 29 points (6g, 23a) in just 17 games. Goaltenders Ryan Hacker and James Mikos have 10 wins each with the team and will be the likely tandem for the Bears in the postseason.

As strong as the Bears have been, Philadelphia has proven they can compete with anyone in the South Division. Their offense is led by Nick Vinson, who led the league with 33 goals, and Connor Movalli who had 43 points (21g, 22a). Cross Sherman has been Philadelphia’s go-to netminder, winning 17 games for Philadelphia while posting a .924 save percentage. While the team struggled down the stretch, Philadelphia is a team that is capable of regrouping and could make this a fun series.

South Division: #2 New Jersey 87’s (33-12-1) vs. Pennsylvania Huntsmen (23-18-5)
 

Season Series: 87’s 6-1-0 vs. Huntsmen

Series Breakdown: The 87’s started the season as a team that could not score goals, only to end the year second in the league with 207 goals for. Alex Legkov has been a revelation in his second tenure with the team, putting up a league-best 97 points (31g, 66a) in 38 games. Landon Adams and Ivan Kulagin were also big for the team offensively, putting up 53 and 44 points this season respectively. Florentin Fally-Puskas had a strong season in net for New Jersey, winning 18 of his last 20 starts while posting a .919 save percentage and four shutouts.

The Huntsmen’s EHL team is in its second season, but this will be their first time competing in the postseason. Ryan Arendes, who has been with the organization since Day One, had a remarkable age-out season with 60 points (28g, 32a) while the team boasts other 40-point scorers like Damon Warren, David Cook and Enzo Giuliani. The team has utilized a number of goaltenders, mainly Alexander Illus, Aiden Chominsky and Andrew Knox, but all three of them have save percentages hovering around .910, so any one of them could be tasked to slow down the 87’s attack. However, if we look at the last regular-season matchup between these two teams in late February, a 7-6 overtime win for New Jersey, this series could see some very high-scoring games.

EHLP
 

North: #1 New England Wolves (38-4-0) vs. #4 Vermont Lumberjacks (14-25-3)
 

Series Breakdown: The Wolves had one of the best seasons in EHLP history with 38 wins and 251 goals scored as a team. Cam Plumb (42g, 42a) and Zach Spicuzza (22g, 58a) both reached the 80-point mark while Charles-Etienne Roy was right behind them with 74 (36g, 38a). 

While the Wolves had an incredible year, the Lumberjacks are coming off an excellent play-in round where they upset a strong team in the Valley Jr. Warriors. Cam Perras and Mackenzie Owens recorded hat tricks in Games 1 and 2 respectively, and they’ll try to match the Wolves’ firepower from the regular season.

North: #2 New Hampshire Avalanche (26-12-4) vs. #3 Adirondack Jr. Thunder (25-16-1)
 

Series Breakdown: This matchup will put the adage of “defense wins championships” to the test. Adirondack scored 191 goals and gave up 153 this season while New Hampshire scored 153 goals while giving up just 117. Thunder forward Cole Davidson tied Plumb for the league-lead in points with 84 (35g, 49a) while Bradley Parker finished the year with 71 points (33g, 38a). 

New Hampshire’s leading scorer this year was Michael Cote with 31 points (14g, 17a), but this is a team that has largely scored by committee throughout the season. They were also led by goaltender Deagan Rathburn who finished the year 16-7-1 with a .926 save percentage, who could be a key contributor in trying to shut down Adirondack’s offense.

East Division: #1 Seahawks Hockey Club (26-14-2) vs. #4 Connecticut Nor’Easter (17-19-6)
 

Series Breakdown: Like their EHL counterparts, the Seahawks EHLP team was terrific down the stretch and secured first place in the East. Carson Low (24g, 30a) and Orynn Freedman (23g, 28a) both hit the 50-point mark this season while four additional players reached double digits in goals. Will Rose was excellent between the pipes this season with 11 wins, a 1.98 goals against average and .942 save percentage while Justin Mackley serves as a solid 1B.

Connecticut is coming off a two-game sweep over the Bandits in the play-in round, and defenseman Quinn Bereson was the star of the round with five points (3g, 2a). Danny Anello finished the series with three points while other big-time forwards like Colin Daigler and Trey Guire found the back of the net. If those players can keep up the momentum, the Nor’Easter could give the Seahawks some trouble in the first round.

East Division: #2 Providence Capitals (26-15-1) vs. #3 Express Hockey Club (19-19-4)
 

Series Breakdown: The Capitals’ first season in the EHLP was a good one, and they have an opportunity to raise the bar with a potential trip to Providence. Three different players reached 40 points this season as Jack Farrell (23g, 23a) and James Caeran (21g, 19a) also hit the 20-goal mark. Mason Czaban has been a solid addition on the blue line, the former Little Flyers defenseman has 24 points (11g, 13a) in 31 games with the Caps. Jack Munini has been the goaltender for Providence, racking up 15 wins and three shutouts with a .928 save percentage.

While the Express didn’t mirror their EHL counterparts’ regular-season championship, the Premier team has a history of being a threat to higher-seeded teams in the postseason. Cooper Grossguth led the forward group with 52 points (24g, 28a) and Colby Strunk was solid with 37 points (13g, 24a). Ben Ashton finished the year with a 9-8-1 record for the Express, but his 2.45 goals against average and .944 save percentage indicates that he could potentially steal some games, maybe even a series, this postseason.

South Division: #1 New Jersey 87’s (37-5-0) vs. #4 Philadelphia Little Flyers (9-30-3)
 

Series Breakdown: The South Division rivalry starts yet another chapter in the postseason as these teams will square off in round one. The 87’s set a team record for wins in a season with 37 and EHLP record for fewest goals ever given up in a season with 66 (the next lowest is 80). Defenseman Alec Osher finished the season with 53 points (20g, 33a), leading an offensively talented team that includes the likes of Sultan Kulumbek, Beknur Akmakhan and Chris Erasmus. Frankie Smith and Patrick McGillicuddy have been lights out in goal combining for 10 shutouts, a big reason why the 87’s have been so stingy defensively.

It was mentioned in the play-in round preview that Philadelphia’s record wasn’t indicative of how they would play in the postseason, and they proved it with their three-game series against Union. Owen Myers had the game-winning goals in each of the Little Flyer wins, and they’ll carry their strong play to the Jersey Shore in another battle of the Turnpike.

South Division: #2 New Jersey Bears (20-17-5) vs. #3 Pennsylvania Huntsmen (16-23-3)
 

Series Breakdown: Similar to Providence, the Bears added a Premier team and had a terrific first season, finishing above hockey .500. The team was led by age-out forward Gabriel Harrison (24g, 20a) and an ’08 standout in Dominic Moushon (21g, 19a). Tyler Wilson provided some extra offense from the blue line with 28 points (12g, 16a) and the net was shared by Caleb Berardelli and Nathan Metlaf as they recorded eight wins each.

Speaking of standout ’08 forwards, James Mirigliano led the Huntsmen in their sweep over the New Jersey Renegades in the play-in round, including two goals in Game 1 and another in the series-clinching Game 2. Viktor Strnad was excellent in goal, stopping 66 of the 69 shots he faced. This upcoming matchup, unlike Little Flyers vs. 87’s, features two newer teams in the EHLP South Division, but it should be just as exciting to see these teams battle in a best-of-three.