Local matchups on tap in hockey tourneys next week
Finally, they have been poured over and released.
The NHIAA’s hockey committee, which used records as well as location instead of having the blind seeding draws used in basketball, came out with next week’s boys and girls ice hockey tournament pairings.
There will however, be the same regional setup Both the Bishop Guertin boys and girls teams are top seeds in their respective regions.
DIVISON I BOYS
In Divison I boys on Wednesday, Bishop Guertin will host No. 4 Nashua South-Pelham, while No.3 Nashua North-Souhegan will visit No. 2 Keene. The winners square off in the regional final.
The Region Four winner then takes on the Region Three winner in the semis on Wednesday, March 10 at Manchester’s JFK Coliseum at 4:15 and 7:45 p.m.. Exeter and Bedford are the top two seeds in that region.
The top seeds in Regions One and Two are Salem and Concord, respectively, in the other semifinal bracket. The finals are at JFK on Saturday, March 13 at 7 p.m.
DIVISIN II BOYS
There’s an immediate all-local matchup as, in Region One, Merrimack will host Alvirne-Milford next Wednesday at Manchester’s West Side Arena. The winner faces top seed (and unbeaten) Manchester Memorial in the quarterfinals on Saturday, March 6.
The top seeds in Regions Two, Three, and Four are Dover, St. Thomas, and Oyster River, respectively.
The semis are March 10 at Dover Ice Arena (4:15, 7:45 p.m.) and the finals are Saturday, March 13 at 5 p.m. at Dover Ice.
BOYS DIVISION III
Hollis Brookline-Derryfield is the No. 2 seed in Region Two and will host Sanborn at Conway Arena next Wednesday. The winner takes on top seed Pembroke Campbell on Saturday March 6.
Region One’s top seed is Berlin Gorham, and already will host Kearsarge in that regional final on March 6. Lebanon-Stevens-Mt. Royal is the top seed in Region Three and Kennett is tops in Region Four.
DIVISION I GIRLS
Yes, there could be a Bishop Guertin vs. Hanover state final, a rematch of the other day’s classic, won 7-4 by the Cards.
In a Region Two matchup of the tourney’s only two locals, the No. 1 unbeaten Cardinals will host No. 4 Souhegan next Tuesday, March 2, with the winner facing either No. 2 Keene-Monadnock-Fall Mountain or No. 3 Bedford in the regional final next Friday, March 5.
The Region One top seed is St. Thomas-Winnacunnet-Dover. In the other bracket, Region Three and Four top seeds are Pinkerton and, yes, Hanover, respectively.
The semifinals are at Concord’s Everett Arena on Tuesday, March 9 (4:15 and 8) p.m.) while the finals are at Dover Ice Arena on Saturday, March 13 at 1:30 p.m.