No. 7 Arlington vs. No. 10 Pope Francis
Division 1A Play-in Game
Feb. 26, 2018, 6 p.m., Chelmsford Forum
Previous meeting: Pope Francis 3, Arlington 1 on Dec. 11 at Ed Burns Arena (season opener for both teams. In 2016-17 season, teams split a home-and-home series. Cardinals won 7-3 on Dec. 10, 2016 at Olympia, Spy Ponders won 2-1 on Jan. 23, 2017 at Ed Burns.
• Winner faces No. 2 BC High (15-4-1) in Super Eight first round
Arlington Spy Ponders (12-5-4, 11-2-2 Middlesex League)
• Defending Super Eight Champions
o Won quarterfinal series vs. Hingham, 2-0
o Won semifinal vs. Malden Catholic, 2-1 (OT)
o Won Championship Game vs. Central Catholic, 2-1 (OT)
• Third straight Super Eight appearance after 13-year drought
• Last play-in game appearance: 2016 (Lost vs. Hingham, 4-2)
• Won Middlesex League – Liberty Division
• Voted into field by MIAA Ice Hockey Committee, 6-1
• Goal differential: plus-25 (60-35) | Nonleague differential: minus-6 (6-12)
• Four wins via shutout, two losses via shutout
• Streak: Won 1 | Last game: Won 4-0 at Woburn, Feb. 22
• Record vs. teams in Super Eight field: 0-4-1 (losses vs. Pope Francis, BC High, Burlington and Andover; tie vs. Hingham)
• Roster breakdown: Seniors-6 Juniors-8 Sophomores-10 Freshmen-1
• Biggest win: 10-1 at Wilmington, Jan. 27
• Worst loss: 3-0 vs. BC High and 3-0 vs. Burlington
Pope Francis Cardinals (16-3-3, 4-0-0 Catholic West)
• Last postseason: No. 3 seed in Super Eight
o Lost quarterfinal series vs. Central Catholic, 2-0
• 10th straight Super Eight appearance
• Last play-in game appearance: 2011 (Lost vs. Woburn, 5-2)
• Automatically placed at No. 10 in Super Eight field due to MIAA rule 29.3; was unanimously voted into the field by MIAA Ice Hockey Committee, 7-0
• Won Catholic West
• Goal differential: plus-54 (101-47) | Nonleague differential: plus-30 (69-39)
• Three wins via shutout, no losses via shutout
• Streak: Won 1 | Last game: Won 3-2 vs. St. Mary’s Lynn, Feb. 22
• Record vs. teams in Super Eight field: 6-3-2 (wins vs. Arlington, SJS, St. Mary’s and Andover; losses vs. BC High, Central Catholic; ties vs. BC High, Hingham)
• Roster breakdown: Seniors-6 Juniors-13 Sophomores-5 Freshmen-5
• Biggest win: 11-0 vs. St. Peter-Marian, Jan. 15
• Worst loss: 4-1 at BC High, Feb. 4
• Last state championship: 2009 (Division 1)
No. 8 St. Mary’s Lynn vs. No. 9 St. John’s (Shrewsbury)
Division 1A Play-in Game
Feb. 26, 2018, 8 p.m., Chelmsford Forum
Previous meeting: St. Mary’s 2, St. John’s 1 on Feb. 25, 2010 (Division 1 North First Round)
St. Mary’s Lynn Spartans (12-6-4, 7-2-1 Catholic Central 1)
• First Super Eight appearance since 2012
o Lost in Game 3 of pool play vs. St. John’s Prep, 3-1, to be eliminated
• Last play-in game appearance: 2011 (Lost vs. Central Catholic, 3-1)
• Last postseason: Won Division 1 State Championship
o Won first round vs. Reading, 2-1 (2OT)
o Won quarterfinals vs. Triton, 5-1
o Won semifinals vs. Arlington Catholic, 4-2
o Won Division 1 North final vs. Andover, 2-0
o Won Division 1 State Championship Game vs. Framingham, 4-2
• Finished second in Catholic Central 1 League, 15 points (Austin Prep won with 18)
• Goal differential: plus-15 (66-51) | Nonleague differential: plus-5 (34-29)
• One win via shutout, no losses via shutout
• Streak: Lost 2 | Last game: Lost 3-2 at Pope Francis, Feb. 22
• Record vs. teams in Super Eight field: 2-1-1 (wins vs. Hingham and BC High, loss vs. Pope Francis, tie vs. Hingham)
• Roster breakdown: Seniors-7 Juniors-5 Sophomores-5 Freshmen-8 8th graders-3
• Biggest win: 7-0 at Arlington Catholic, Jan. 23
• Worst loss: 6-1 vs. Austin Prep, Feb. 14
St. John’s Shrewsbury Pioneers (13-6-3, 2-2-0 Catholic West)
• First Super Eight appearance since 2012
o Lost all three games in pool play by one goal each
• Last play-in game appearance: 2012 (Won vs. Needham, 5-4)
• Last postseason appearance: 2014
• Finished second in Catholic West, 4 points (Pope Francis won with 8)
• Goal differential: plus-39 (89-50) | Nonleague goal differential: plus-25 (64-39)
• Four wins via shutout, two losses vs. shutout
• Streak: Won 1 | Last game: Won 5-1 at St. Peter Marian, Feb. 23
• Record vs. teams in Super Eight field: 0-6-0 (losses vs. Pope Francis, BC High, Hingham, St. John’s Prep, Andover)
• Roster breakdown: Seniors-8 Juniors-6 Sophomores-10 Frsehmen-2
• Biggest win: 12-0 at St. Peter-Marian, Dec. 20
• Worst loss: 4-0 at Hingham, Feb. 10
• Last state championship: 2004 (Division 1)