We finally reached the boys hockey playoffs.
The Division II tournament started on Monday with preliminary matchups. The D-I bracket starts on Friday, March 6 with the quarterfinals. And with the end of the regular season, we have some bragging rights to hand out.
Below are 10 players – one from each of the Top 5 seeds in the two divisions – up for Longplex MVP of the regular season honors. It’s up to the fans to decide who they think should be MVP.
Voting must be done via the ballot below – email submissions will not be accepted. Voting ends on Friday, March 6 at midnight. Vote now!
(Athletes listed in alphabetical order. Stats provided from Rhode Island High School Hockey).
The Rogers/Middletown/Tiverton/Mt. Hope/East Providence co-op doubled its win total this season to snag the fourth seed in D-II. The offense arrived in a big way this season as Agren’s 16 goals and 21 assists led the team. The senior finished second in scoring in the division.
Lincoln secured the No. 2 seed in the D-II tournament. And Almeida topped the forward line with 11 goals and 19 assists. His 30-point winter was fifth-best in the league this season.
The junior forward led Moses Brown in points (9G, 11A) this winter. The Quakers were consistently one of the top teams in D-I and are searching for their first title since 2011-12.
Bessette’s played in net every game this season. He had a 1.83 goals-against average with a 93% save percentage over a stunning 958 minutes. The senior netminder has certainly been a steady force for the fourth-ranked team in D-I this winter.
The defending D-II champions are back in contention for another title. Dufresne scored 14 goals in the regular season to pace the co-op’s balanced scoring attack.
Hendricken’s skaters get plenty of attention, so how about some appreciation for its goalie? Fontenault took over the reigns as the Hawks’ netminder this season and has been excellent. The junior has a 0.86 goals-against average mark in 15 games played with a 95% save percentage.
Prout graduated a lot of its scoring from last year’s runner-up squad. But Gaffney returned and paced the Crusaders’ forward line with 17 goals and five assists.
Gaudreau finished fifth in points and goals (14) in D-I. The Rams were the only in-state team to beat Hendricken this season and the junior delivered a goal in the victory.
Portsmouth has been blessed with consistent goalie play the last few years. And Humm continued that trend in his first season as the starter. The sophomore allowed just 18 goals with a 94% save percentage this season.
Pickering scored 18 goals this winter to help grab the Knights the fifth seed in D-II. He also handed out six assists over 16 games.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Vote for the high school boys hockey MVP of the regular season
