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2024 SCHSHL Top Ten Defenseman 

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Each week LISN runs the numbers through our AI Analytics program in order to analyze each team’s performance to date. Our model is designed to evaluate player performance based on the quality of competition, margin of victory, goal differential by period, high danger scoring chances and a multitude of other factors tracked by LISN.

1st Brody O’Doherty – St. Anthony’s 

GP: 13 | Goals: 5 | Assists: 5 | Points: 10

The first year Friar’s blue liner has tilted the ice in St. Anthony’s favor to a ludicrous degree in recent week. O’Doherty scored twice in a win over Sachem that saw him score his third and fourth goal in the last five games as St. Anthony’s extended their winning streak to four. 

2nd Ryan Collins – Northport Huntington

GP: 10 | Goals: 5 | Assists: 1 | Points: 6

Scored two goals in a comeback win against West Islip Lions tacking on a goal and an assist in a big win over Ward Melville. The Tigers are a different team when Collins draws into the lineup and it was evident in a 7-3 loss to St. Anthony’s.

3rd Liam Henshaw — West Islip

GP: 15 | Goals: 4 | Assists: 7 | Points: 11

The West Islip All-Star was a force to be reckoned with in tight losses to the Bulls, Tigers and T-Birds before dominating possession in an overtime win over Longwood in which WI was shorthanded.

4th Bryan Slattery — East Islip

GP: 15 | Goals: 4 | Assists: 7 | Points: 11

The EI defenseman has been a key puck carrier down the stretch for the Chiefs during a stretch in which East Islip has dealt with injuries up and down the lineup. 

5th Jack Mancini — St. Anthony’s 

GP: 6 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Points: 0

Jack Mancini made his season debut in a 4-2 loss to Kings Park Commack on November 27th after missing the start of the season due to injury. The Friars are 4-0-1 in their last five in large part due to the massive impact the All-Star blue liner has made during that stretch. 

6th David Wetzel – Smithtown Hauppauge 

GP: 12 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 7 | Points: 8

The Bulls All-Star is one of the most well rounded defenseman in the league. Wetzel rarely makes mistakes in the defensive zone while routinely forcing turnovers that lead to chances in transition for a Smithtown Hauppauge squad that knows how to put the puck in the back of the net. 

7th Connor Cohen — Kings Park Commack

GP: 14 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 1 | Points: 2

The KPC blue liner has done an excellent job of suppressing scoring chances in the defensive zone while also excelling as a puck carrier in transition.  

8th Joe Capece – Sachem

GP: 14 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 3 | Points: 4

The Sachem speedster does an excellent job of getting in the passing lanes, forcing turnovers, and moving the puck up ice on a team that prides itself for playing a hard-nosed, two-hundred foot game. 

9th Jack Mercado

GP: 14 | Goals: 2 | Assists: 5 | Points: 7

The dynamic defenseman uses speed and skill to push the pace in transition for a T-Birds team that is better at suppressing scoring opportunities than creating them. Expect opponents to try to key in on the blue liner as the playoff race heats up. 

10th R.J. Pfister— Smithtown Hauppauge 

GP: 12 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 5 | Points: 6

The Bulls blue liner plays with speed and snarl in all three zones for Smithtown Hauppauge. Pfister was among the Bulls top defenseman in a 3-1 victory over the Knights. 

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