Here's your daily dose of 4-1-1 to get you going this morning, with a focus on New England hockey and connections to it.
1. Coaches poll takes a turn
What was most dramatic about this week's NEHJ Prep School Coaches Poll was not at the top, but rather who had suddenly charged into the middle of the rankings. Two previously unheralded teams -- Loomis Chaffee and Berkshire -- burst onto the scene and were ranked Nos. 5 and 6, respectively, among prep school coaches who voted. Neither team had been in the top 10 previously this season. Loomis has been chipping away at wins under coach J.R. Zavizsa, the Pelicans sneakily working their way up until all of a sudden they are 6-0 and more than worthy. Berkshire, for its part, has done the same thing with a bit of a different flair, using balanced goaltending contributions to start the season 4-0. Bottom line, this season is shaping up to be one to keep a close eye on in the prep space.
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2. Mid Fairfield showcase attracts top talent
As NEHJ's Jeff Cox reported from over the weekend, the Mid Fairfield Junior Rangers Showcase attracted top college hockey program coaches, NHLPA agents and USA Hockey personnel, among others. And they weren't disappointed. The host Rangers went 5-0 over the weekend to come away with top honors. Among the players impressing Cox during his viewings on Friday were Will Smith, Ryan Fine and Will Vote, three 2005 forwards who have previously turned heads. Aram Minnetian and Nick Fascia were among the D-men who impressed Cox. Ryan Sanborn stood out among the goalies. Check out the full rankings of the top prospects from the weekend.
3. Carpenter leads Team USA
Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) continued her dominant play against Team Canada in the Rivalry Series, scoring a goal to help lead Team USA to a 2-1 win on Tuesday. Current Northeastern goalie Aerin Frankel posted the win in her U.S. Women’s National Team debut, making 27 saves. The continually rising star of women's hockey was Hockey East Goaltender of the Year last season, and has been piling up accolades since her debut with Northeastern for the 2017-18 season. Team USA now leads the five-game series 2-0. The next game is Feb. 3 in Victoria, British Columbia.
Paul Grant is an editor and a writer for HockeyJournal.com and Seamans Media. He previously oversaw hockey content at ESPN.com and Sporting News. You can connect with him at [email protected].
