GameTimeCT Top 10 Boys Hockey Poll Jan. 17, 2023

For a week where the order stayed pretty close to the status quo, there were some interesting things going on under the hood of the GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll. Most notably, Xavier, after a 1-2 week, dropped from sixth to eighth.

But we’ll get to that. For starters, the top five remained the same. Notre Dame-West Haven remains a unanimous No. 1. Darien is one vote short of a unanimous No. 2. New Canaan, which tied the Blue Wave to start the week, remained No. 3, picking up a bit of support. Fairfield Prep is fourth, and the Fairfield co-op is fifth.

(For those eagle-eyed readers: Yes, we’re one voter fewer than usual, at least temporarily.)

Here’s where things got interesting: Xavier last week was sixth and had capped off what had been a solid, top-six tier. There’d been a significant drop from there to the next four teams. While two of those teams continued to get similar support — with Northwest Catholic ranking seventh and Simsbury coming in eighth, both up a spot — Xavier lost almost half of its points and slipped to eighth after a 1-2 week.

A lot of votes went to No. 9 North Haven, which stayed unbeaten with a big Division-II win over Woodstock Academy. But even more votes went to Ridgefield, which had slipped out of the poll last week after a four-game losing streak, but jumped back to No. 10 after a three-game winning streak.

GameTimeCT Top 10 Boys Hockey Poll (Jan. 17)

TEAM

2022 REC

PTS

LAST

CLASS

1. NOTRE DAME-WH (11)

7-1-1

110

Results: def. Mount St. Charles (R.I) 4-1; def. Bishop Hendricken (R.I.) 5-3.

This Week: Thursday vs. Bergen Catholic (N.J.) at Martire Family Arena, Fairfield, 5 p.m.

The Bottom Line: Should be a fun experience for the defending champs, playing in Sacred Heart’s new barn in the first week it’s open.

2. DARIEN

6-0-3

Results: tied New Canaan 3-3; def. Westhill/Stamford 6-1; def. Xavier 4-2.

This Week: Saturday at Ridgefield (Winter Garden), 8 p.m.; Monday vs. St. Joseph (Darien Ice), 6 p.m.

The Bottom Line: A quick scan of CIAC records back to 2004-05 found 50 teams with three or more ties in a season. We had schedules for all but one and found only one other streak of three ties: Darien, 2008-09. Only 13 of those other 48 teams had even back-to-back ties.

3. NEW CANAAN

6-1-1

Results: tied Darien 3-3; def. St. Joseph 7-2; def. Barrington (R.I.) 6-1.

This Week: Wednesday vs. Hamden (Darien Ice), 6:10 p.m.; Saturday at Fairfield (Wonderland), 6 p.m.

The Bottom Line: The Rams ran their unbeaten streak to six, and not that there’s a lull in their schedule, but Fairfield is the only top-five team they’ll face over the next two weeks.

4. FAIRFIELD PREP

6-3-0

Results: def. LaSalle Academy (R.I.) 4-1.

This Week: Saturday vs. Hamden at Wonderland, 4 p.m.

The Bottom Line: The Jesuits on Saturday will be seeking their first winning streak since they were 3-0.

5. FAIRFIELD

8-0-2

Results: def. Ridgefield 2-0; tied Northwest Catholic 2-2; def. Trumbull 4-0.

This Week: Saturday vs. New Canaan (Wonderland), 6 p.m.; Tuesday at Greenwich (Hamill), 4:30 p.m.

The Bottom Line: The Mustangs are halfway home with just 12 goals against in 10 games.

6. NWC

5-3-2

Results: def. South Windsor 6-3; tied Fairfield 2-2; lost to Farmington Valley 2-1 (OT).

This Week: Saturday vs. Glastonbury (ISCC), 6:45 p.m.; Tuesday at South Windsor (South Windsor Arena), 7:50 p.m.

The Bottom Line: The Lions’ next three games are against teams they played in the past two weeks, going 2-1.

7. SIMSBURY

7-1-1

Results: def. Wethersfield 3-2; def. Barrington (R.I.) 4-2; tied Glastonbury 3-3.

This Week: Wednesday at East Catholic (Champions), 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at South Windsor (South Windsor Arena), 6 p.m.

The Bottom Line: The unbeaten streak has reached six, though the winning streak ended at five. The Trojans play their next three against Division II league foes before getting back to D-I on Jan. 28.

8. XAVIER

6-2-1

Results: lost to Ridgefield 6-3; def. Notre Dame-Fairfield 4-3; lost to Darien 4-2.

This Week: Friday at LaSalle Academy (R.I.), 8 p.m.; Saturday at Moses Brown (R.I.), TBA

The Bottom Line: The unbeaten start took a this week, and it won’t get particularly easy on the other side of the weekend's trip to Rhode Island.

9. NORTH HAVEN

8-0-0

Results: def. Woodstock Academy 5-1; def. Hamden 4-2. This Week: Wednesday at North Branford (Northford), 3:45 p.m.; Saturday vs. Cheshire (Northford), 7:30 p.m.

This Week: The Nighthawks passed the D-II Game of the First Half test with flying colors. There are a few intriguing matchups along the way, but the title-game rematch against Wethersfield is Feb. 25 at Northford.

The Bottom Line: Wednesday’s visitors have outscored opponents 54-7. The hosts, with two D-I opponents included, have outscored opponents 25-9. Let’s get it on.

10. RIDGEFIELD

4-6-0

Results: lost to Fairfield 2-0; def. Xavier 6-3; def. Greenwich 3-0; def. West Haven co-op 6-1.

This Week: Saturday vs. Darien (Winter Garden), 8 p.m.; Tuesday at Trumbull (Rinks at Shelton), 7:30 p.m.

The Bottom Line: After one week out of the top 10, three wins in a row has the Tigers back in.

Dropped Out: Greenwich (10).

Also receiving votes: Greenwich (2-6-0) 4; Woodstock Academy (9-1-0) 2.

Records Through Monday. Points compiled on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

The Following Voted: Media: Erik Dobratz, WTNH-8; Michael Fornabaio, Connecticut Post; Tim Jensen, Patch Media Corp.; Greg Lederer, Meriden Record Journal; Mike Madera, Elm City Newspapers; Dan Nowak, New Haven Register; Pete Paguaga, GameTimeCT; Dave Stewart, New Canaan Advertiser/Darien Times. Coaches: Mac Budd, Darien; Shaun Gallagher, Ridgefield; Dave Harackiewicz, Newington co-op; Larry Vieira, Notre Dame-West Haven.