New York State Championship Preview - 14U Tier II Division

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Written on Wednesday, 06 March 2013

Written by Chris Grosso

(Youth1 Hockey) - The New York State Tournament will commence on March 8^th when the best teams in the state will battle it out for the right to play in at the 2013 USA Hockey Tier II National Championship, held in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Here is a preview of what to expect and which teams to look out for.

Division I Teams: Cheektowaga Warriors, Auburn Icehawks, Westchester Vipers, Massena/St. Lawrence

Cheektowaga - The Warriors come in hot having won four in a row. In those past four games, they’ve amassed 33 goals, and they’ll hope to get the same type of production this weekend.  The Warriors are also receiving solid play from their defense as of late. In the past 10 games, they have allowed more than three goals only once.

Auburn Icehawks - The Icehawks’ lost to Syracuse Blazers their last time out, but prior to that, they had been red hot.  The Hawks went 10-1 during an 11 game stretch, and scored at least five goals, five different times during that span.  When their offense is going, they are a very dangerous team.

Westchester Vipers - The Elmsford based squad is 7-1-2 in their last nine games, only allowing an average of 1.8 goals per game.  If that average holds true in the tournament, then the Vipers will be in good shape. This past weekend they defeated the Darien Wave, 4-2.

St.Lawrence Thunder - The Thunder are the No. 10 ranked sqaud in the country and they can dominate on both sides of the puck. This season they are averaging 4.5 goals per game while only allowing an average of 2.1 per game. In a three game stretch a couple weeks back the Thunder amassed an incredible 39 goals. They defeated the Cheektowaga Warriros in both their meetings this season.

Division II Teams: Syracuse Blazers, Nassau County Lions, Adirondack, and Rochester Grizzlies

Syracuse Blazers - The Blazers have won nine in a row, clicking on all cylinders. They’ve scored five goals in at least six of the games, and have allowed no more than two goals in any of those contests. They’ll have a familiar foe playing against the Adirondack Phantoms.  Back in October, both teams split a pair of games, both games being decided by two goals or less.

Nassau County Lions - The Lions enter the tournament as winners of five of their last six, so watch out, because they’re coming in hot.  During that streak, the defense has been superb.  In five of the six games, the Lions have allowed one goal or less. The Lions have not played any of their division opponents yet, so this will be a new experience for them.

Adirondack Phantoms - The Phantoms have been lighting up the scoreboard lately, which has translated into success on the ice.  In their past 10 games, they’ve scored 80 goals and sport a 9-0-1 record during the span.  The Phantoms game against the Syracuse Blazers will be a highly anticipated matchup.

Rochester Grizzlies - The Grizzlies are ranked No. 36 in the country, and for a reason. They have not lost since December 29^th, boasting a 14-0-2 record during the span.  They are 2-0 against the Syracuse Blazers and Adirondack Phantoms this season, and hope to carry that success into the tournament.  If the Grizzlies offense gets in to a good rhythm, they’ll be a tough team to beat.

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