Bishop Guertin's Mike Kiely jumps into the arms of teammate Sean Kelley after he set up Kelley for the game-winning overtime goal in the Cards' 4-3 Division I quarterfinal win over Exeter last March. Both are key returnees for the Cards, who open up tonight at 7 vs. Trinity at Cyclones Arena in Hudson. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING).

The last time we saw a local team take the ice for a meaningful game, the pandemic was a day away from receiving full attention, last March.

The Bishop Guertin High School boys hockey team was just leaving the ice at Manchester’s JFK Arena, despondent after a semifinal loss to Bedford.

It was to be Bedford-Concord in the Division I title game, but of course no such game was played.

What will it be like for this winter, as an abbreviated schedule for local teams begins this weekend, already with some games cancelled due to COVID concerns?

“Despite all the (virus) distractions, we are thoping to have as ‘normal’ a season as possible,” new Nashua North-Souhegan coach Bill Kotsifas said. “The kids are just happy to be on the ice, they’re staying positive and working hard.”

It hasn’t been easy, as the Saber-Titans won’t open up until Feb. 1, as first Souhegan was on pause and then North went on pause. And the team they are set to open against, Merrimack, went on pause last week.

That appears to be the case too for Alvirne-Milford.

That basically leaves Bishop Guertin as the only local boys team able to compete right now, along with Pembroke Campbell in Division III, which already has a win under its belt, 4-3 vs. Monadnock.

Hollis Brookline-Derryfield has been reportedly healthy but impacted by others. For example, the Warriors scheduled opener today vs. Nashua South-Pelham was cancelled, then Merrimack was secured as a replace and that was cancelled. Plus next Saturday’s game vs. Alvirne-Milford was cancelled, so the Warriors won’t begin until Wednesday, Jan. 27 when they host Goffstown at Nashua’s Conway Arena. Wow.

Here’s a look at the locals for whenever they take the ice:

DIVISION I

The Cardinals, 14-10 last year, will look to find some scoring with senior forwards Derek Amaral (nine goals, 15 assists last year), Mike Kiely (9-8-17), Sean Kelley (6-7-13), plus senior defensemen Sam Cronin (8-11-19) and Declan Wilkie (4-11-15) the candidates.

However, the Cards will be trotting out new goalies, so it’s pretty simple in the dean of hockey coaches Gary Bishop’s mind: “The keys will be consistent goaltending and scoring goals,” he said.

North-Souhegan has some key returnees from a team that made the tourney for the first time last year as a co-op, finishing 6-10-3. Senior forward Mike Dodge, plus the top senior defensive pair of Ryan Charest and Peter Lenox, and junior goalie Colin Duckless are mainstays. There are six other seniors led by senior forward Ryan Catalano.

“We have an experienced team with good senior leadership and strong goaltending,” Kotsifas said.

Nashua South-Pelham got a week or so of practice in before being paused under new coach Jordan Sarracco. The keys will be returning senior forward Tyler Martin, Sean Connors and Dylan Nutter, plus defensive returnees senior Cam Cole and Stephen Robbe. Cam Reinbold is the lone returning goalie, but there are newcomers vying for the job as well. With just five seniors, the Kings will be building.

DIVISION II

Merrimack, after a 14-5-1 season that ended in the semis, won’t be able to open until Jan. 30, and of course will have to find a way to replace the scoring of graduated Telegraph Player of the Year Zach Stimeling.

“It’ll be hard to replace stimeling,” Tomahawks coach Dan Beliveau said. “The keys will be team defense and goaltending, good team chemistry, and more power play goals.”

The goaltending is solved with All-State senior goalie Ben Hardy (2.31 GAA, .918 save percentage, three shutouts), and he has senior defensemen Joe Pillsbury and Jason DeBeaucourt, plus sophomore Kyle Dunn, to help.

Offensively, senior forwards Dom Carozza (14-17-31) and Dylan Sadowski (10-12-22) should help, as will sophomore forward Evan Roy (16-17-33). Of cours, this team has a mission to do well after dedicating its season to popular late assistant coach Gary Moore, who passed away from cancer over the summer.

As for Alvirne-Milford, the Admirals are hoping for improvement from a 2020 season in which they had just one senior. They could have as many as six this year, led by forward Corey Girouard, who led the team in scoring last season. Sophomore Matt Ryan was third on the team in points last year as a freshman.

DIVISION III

The Warriors likely can’t wait to get out there, as they are one of the favorites in the division, returning some 20 players from a 13-4-1 team that was upset in the first round of last year’s tourney.

Keys will be senior forwards Sal Vella, Cole Giersch and junior Paul Vachon, while defensive mainstays are goalie Rylan Morgan and senior defenseman Joey Oetjens.

“Our keys will be to remain focused and emphasize team play in all three zones while limiting our mistakes,” said Warriors coach Joel Sanborn, “especially in the defensive zone.”

Campbell has more players co-opping with Pembroke this year, led by senior forwards Matt Dexter and Andrew Durfee, plus junior forward Nathan Perry and sophomore forward Joey Sullivan. There are a few freshmen as well to give coach Marc Noel some depth.

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