Bishop Guertin goalie Scarlet Casey eyes the loose puck duirng a battle at the net with helpf from Jenna Lynch (20) and Riley Molongoski (2) against Hanover in last year's semis. All three are back this year as the Cards open the season Tuesday at Hudson's Cyclones Arena. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Two years ago they left the ice champions, a few days after a grueling overtime win over rival Hanover in the semis at Concord’s Everett Arena.

Last winter, the two met again at Everett in the semis, but this time the Bears had the upper hand in regulation, 4-2. And the Bishop Guertin High School girls hockey team had to say good-bye to yet more senior pieces of a foundation that’s existed the last few years and brought the Cards success.

While the Cards work to get back to that same point of a year ago, the area’s other girls team, Souhegan, will try to get back to where it was a few years ago as a consistent tournament team after a couple of lean seasons.

Here’s a look as the two teams open up on Tuesday; Souhegan hosts Manchester Central-Memorial while Bishop Guertin hosts Lebanon-Stevens-Kearsarge, both games at 4 p.m.

BISHOP GUERTIN

The Cards may have suffered graduation losses, but mainstay forward Jenna Lynch – the Player of the Year two years ago – is still here, set to make the most of her senior season before heading on to a college career at Western New England. She had a good off-season, winning a USA Hockey Girld Tier 2 19U national championship.

She’ll be joined up front with fellow senior forwards Tessa Wilkie and Jill Scanlon. The other senior is returning defenseman Riley Molongoski.

Other key forwards include junior Jasmine Shattuck, plus four sophomores. Defensively, junior Grace Menicci will lead the way with Molongoski and two sophs. The Cards also some freshmen who second-year head coach (longtime assistant before that) Phil DeVita will work in. Goaltenders Scarlet Casey and Clara Fallon are both sophomores.

“We’re looking to build off last season,” DeVita said. “We have a good mix of veteran and younger players … We know it will take a total team effort in the offense and defensive zones but I think we’re ready for the challenge.”

SOUHEGAN

The Sabers have senior forwards Ella Barrett and Annika Madeja to lead the way, along with defensemen Allison Jordan (junior) and Lyla Hawkes.

And, the Sabers have goaie Maeve McNamara, a sophomore.

“Our expectations for the season are simple,” Sabers coach Kelli Braley said. “Be better than we were the day before ad use the incredible game of hockey to build skills to help everyone grow and develop skills that will help everyone grow on and off the ice.”

OVERALL

Hanover should be strong once again, as the Bears ended a title drought of a couple of years with a win in the finals last March vs. St. Thomas-Winnacunet-Dover. Eight of the 17 teams in NHIAA girls hockey are co-ops.