RI High School Hockey: Final Power Pack 2014
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Jack Andrade, GoLocalProv Sports Reporter
With the season in the books, here's the final Power Pack of the high school hockey season. The playoffs have passed, and champions have been crowned. Here are the Top 10 teams in the state at season's end.
Related Slideshow: RI High School Hockey: Final Power Pack 2014
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East Providence
Division Record: 13-5 (Division 3)
Overall Record: 13-5
Postseason: Defeated West Warwick in the Division 3 Semifinals; Defeated Narragansett in the Division 3 Finals.
As the #3 seed in the Division 3 Tournament, East Providence upset West Warwick and Narragansett en route to winning the Division 3 Finals. Winning close hockey games was a staple of the Townies' success all season (they were 3-0 in regular season games decided by 1 goal) and that success continued in the postseason. EP was 3-1 in goals decided by 1 goal, including 2 overtime victories. When the games were tight and the pressure reached its peak, the Townies played like champions time and time again.
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North Kingstown
Division Record: 14-4 (Division 2 South)
Overall Record: 14-4-2
Postseason: Defeated Rogers/Tiverton/Rocky Co-op in the Division 2 Quarterfinals; Lost to PCD/Wheeler/SRA Co-op in the Division 2 Semifinals.
North Kingstown was the cream of the crop in Division 2 South this year, and the Skippers scored 99 goals (5.5 per game) in league play, good for 2nd in the league. The Skippers lost to a red-hot PCD/Wheeler/St. Ray's team in the Division 2 Semifinals, but NK proved week in and week out that they deserved to be called a Top 10 team.
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PCD/Wheeler/SRA Co-op
Division Record: 11-7 (Division 2 North)
Overall Record: 11-7-1
Postseason: Defeated Prout in the Division 2 Quarterfinals; Defeated North Kingstown in the Division 2 Semifinals; Lost to Cumberland in the Division 2 Finals.
PCD/Wheeler/St. Raphael Co-op saved their best hockey for the postseason, upsetting #3 seed Prout and #2 seed North Kingstown in the Division 2 playoffs before ultimately losing in the Finals to Cumberland. It was an impressive run for PCD/Wheeler/SRA to make it to the Finals after being the 4th place team in Division 2 North during the regular season.
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Cranston Co-op
Division Record: 8-8-2 (Division 1 Eccleston)
Overall Record: 9-9-2
Postseason: Defeated Coventry in the Division 1 Semifinals; Defeated Burrillville in the Division 1 Finals.
Cranston Co-op hovered right around .500 all season, but the record wasn't a great indicator of Cranston as a team. The Cimini Division teams are a tough task for any of the Eccleston Division teams and as such even the top Eccleston Division teams had modest records. Cranston Co-op proved how good they were by winning the Division 1 Champsionship, defeating Burrillville in a 3 game series to win the title.
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Smithfield
Division Record: 10-8 (Division 1 Eccleston)
Overall Record: 12-8
Postseason: Lost to Hendricken in the State Championship Semifinals.
Smithfield was the top team in the Eccleston Division and earned the right to compete in the State Champiosnhip Tournament with the 3 Cimini Division schools. Smithfield was the only team to beat Hendricken during the regular season and the Sentinels were a tough out in the postseason as well, losing 5-3 and 2-1 to the top seeded Hawks.
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Lincoln
Division Record: 16-2 (Division 2 North)
Overall Record: 16-2
Postseason: Defeated North Smithfield in the Division 2 Quarterfinals; Lost to Cumberland in the Division 2 Semifinals.
Lincoln was a Top 5 team in the Power Pack for much of the season, and the Lions finish in the #5 spot after the conclusion of tournament play. Lincoln had a tough bracket in Division 2 because the top 3 seeds are guaranteed to division winners, so even though Lincoln was the clear 2nd best team in D2 they had to play Cumberland in the Semifinals. The Lions became the only team in the state to beat the rival Clippers this season, but ultimately lost the series 2 games to 1.
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La Salle
Division Record: 8-6-4 (Division 1 Eccleston)
Overall Record: 10-8-4
Postseason: Lost to Mount St. Charles in the State Championship Semifinals
La Salle was the weakest of the 3 Cimini Division schools this season, but the Rams overcame a bounty of injuries to put together a solid season and a Top 4 team in the state. The high point of the season for La Salle was an impressive showing and 3rd place finish in the prestigious Holiday Face-Off Tournament.
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Cumberland
Division Record: 18-0 (Division 2 North)
Overall Record: 19-0
Postseason: Defeated Middltown in the Division 2 Quarterfinals; Defeated Lincoln in the Division 2 Semifinals; Defeated PCD/Wheeler/SRA Co-op in the Division 2 Finals.
After completing a perfect regular season and rolling through the Division 2 Tournament for a state championship, the Clippers swipe the last spot in the Top 3 for their incredible season. Cumberland did lose 1 game in the playoffs (Game 2 of the D2 Semifinal Series with Lincoln) but won that series in 3 games and proceeded to cruise to the title.
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Hendricken
Division Record: 14-2-2 (Division 1 Eccleston)
Overall Record: 17-3-2
Postseason: Defeated Smithfield in the State Championship Semifinals; Lost to Mount St. Charles in the State Championship Finals.
Hendricken was the #1 team in the Power Pack all season, and the Hawks were 1 period away from winning the State Championship in Game 2 of the Finals before an incredible comeback by MSC forced a Game 3 that the Mounties went on to win. It was a heartbreaking finish for the Hawks, but it doesn't take away from the season they were able to put together. Hendricken and Mount left fans wishing for a much longer series than 3 games, because the quality of play on display in the State Finals was simply outstanding.
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Mount St. Charles
Division Record: 14-4 (Division 1 Eccleston)
Overall Record: 16-7
Postseason: Defeated La Salle in the State Championship Semifinals; Defeated Hendricken in the State Championship Finals.
Just when it looked like Hendricken had the state championship in the bag, Mount St. Charles tapped into the aura of the Mounties and found a way to win Games 2 and 3 of the Finals. After losing the first 4 head to head meetings with the Hawks this season, MSC won the last 2- clinching yet another state championship in the process. Their dramatic finals win was the exclamation point and a fantastic season for RIIL Hockey.
