The SCHSHL JV Quarterfinals Preview

Oh, you didn’t think we were done did you? The varsity season may be over, but there’s a lot of hockey heading your way on the LI Sports Network. If you have seen our varsity playoff previews, you already know the drill. If you haven’t, here’s a quick run down. 

Our coverage begins with a breakdown of the top eight seeds including key players, team statistics and storylines to watch. Then I try to predict who will win each matchup, and I typically end up being wrong. So without further ado, let’s dive right in. 

The Contenders   

The #1 Seed Smithtown Hauppauge Bulls

W: 20 | L: 0 | T: 0 | GF: 159 | GA: 34 | DIFF: +125 | PPG: 14  | PPGA: 12 | SHG: 12 | PIM: 172 |

Another year, another Landrigan. Before leading the Bulls varsity squad to a championship, Brendan Landrigan scored 26 goals and tallied 50 points in 16 regular season games at the JV level as a sophomore. This season, Aidan Landrigan scored 28 goals en route to 50 points in 16 games as a freshman. Not bad kid. Something is telling me that by the time Aidan Landrigan enters his senior year, there will be a petition to ban the entire Landrigan family from the SCHSHL for collecting titles like trading cards. There’s a lot of other names to watch on this Bulls squad though. 

Christian Semetsis isn’t far behind Aidan Landrigan with 19 goals and 25 assists through 15 games. Marcus D’Errico, whose older brother Victor centered Brendan Landrigan’s line during the Varsity Finals, was the Bulls JV squad’s third leading scorer with 20 goals and 37 points through 18 games. Brayden Beltrani and Dean Falcone each broke the 20 point mark. The JV Bulls captain, Michael Wagner, finished the season with exactly 20 points. Falcone and Wagner both played in two Varsity games this season with the former finding the back of the net in his first game as a call-up. 

The Bulls are solid in net too. Jack Pring and Jacob Caradonna have allowed fewer goals against than any other tandem at the JV level. Smithtown Hauppauge has allowed as many power play goals against (12) as they have scored shorthanded goals (12). 

The #2 Seed PatMed Raiders  

W: 17 | L: 2 | T: 1 | GF: 118 | GA: 43 | DIFF: +75 | PPG: 12 | PPGA: 6 | SHG: 7 | PIM: 221 |

The Raiders like to score and don’t give opponents much of an opportunity to do the same. Luke Tannenbaum has posted four shutouts in eighteen games this season with a 15-2-1 record on the campaign. Jake Strong has scored 28 goals and 41 points through 14 games for the Raiders. Strong has five hat-tricks on the season, and has found the back of the net every time he draws into the lineup. The always reliable Michael Marturiello has lit the lamp 13 times and had 28 points on the season. Jake Raineri and Rocco Azzara have also broken the twenty-point plateau, while defenseman Alexander Gapanoff has 15 points in 14 contests to date. 

The Raiders are among the most consistent teams in the JV division. Their +75 goal differential is the 3rd best mark in the league, but their ability to shutdown opponents in tight games has proven huge. 

The #3 Seed Sachem 

W: 16 | L: 3 | T:0 | OTL: 1 | GF: 154 | GA: 64 | DIFF: +90 | PPG: 16 | SHG: 9 | SHG: 11 | PIM: 207 | 

Chase Saunders scored 30 goals and tallied 50 points in his second JV season. Defenseman Matt Bispo isn’t far behind him with 23 goals and 41 points on the campaign. Two other Sachem skaters, Caiden Marcus and Logan Stoltenberg, hit the 30 point mark or higher and eleven total players have broken the ten point plateau. Anthony Mare and Michael Walsh are ranked in the top ten in GAA among all goaltenders who have played eight games or more. Sachem has all the components necessary to make a deep run and one way or another, multiple members of this squad will get a chance to prove that at the Varsity level next season.   

Sachem scored just five less goals than Smithtown Hauppauge in the regular season which is a testament to their offensive capabilities. There is no doubt this squad has what it takes to make a deep run, but they will have to breakthrough against their long time rivals in Smithtown Hauppauge as well as a PatMed program that has beaten Sachem twice this season.

The #4 Seed East Islip Chiefs

W: 14 | L: 5 | T: 1 | GF: 93 | GA: 63 | DIFF: +30 | PPG: 13 | PPGA: 5 | SHG: 7 | PIM: 132 |

Four members of this EI JV squad made their varsity debut this season, and all of them will most likely be full-timers by next fall. Tierney Recenello is East Islip’s leading scorer in all major categories with 25 goals, 14 assists and 39 points on the season. Peter Marrazzito is averaging a point per game while playing significant minutes on the blue line. Marazzito scored his first career varsity goal as a call-up this season with Recenello picking up the primary assist.  Peter’s older brother Anthony is a key member of East Islip’s Saugerties bound Varsity team. 

Niko Stravropoulos and Emmet Gilliar are really solid defenseman who have already seen varsity action. Logan Barton is averaging half a point per game while slotting in at all five positions this season. James Walsh is a dynamic puck handler with 17 points in 18 games this season. Patrick O’Shea and Dario Baerga are both quality netminders with a chance to make the jump to the varsity level next season. 

The Chiefs are ranked in the top five in terms of goals against, but haven’t blown their opponents away the same as the rest of the top six. Most of that can be attributed to the fact that EI has had so many players recalled to the Varsity squad over the regular season.

The #5 Seed Kings Park Commack Knights

W: 13 | L: 5 | T: 2 | GF: 108 | GA: 65 | DIFF: +43 | PPG: 12 | PPGA: 11 | SHG: 8 | PIM: 204 |

This is going to be a fun team to watch. Gavin Boccard has 18 goals and 28 points through 15 games this season. Ryan Hoenigmann earned a varsity call-up after scoring 20 goals in 20 games for KPC. Joe Mezzasalma is a dynamic puck handler who had 8 Gino’s and 8 apples in 12 games. Defenseman Jack Franke saw action in two varsity games for KPC and Connor Cocco earned a one game audition at the varsity level. Corey Jacobs is a really good two-way defenseman. Matt Pascale has been really solid down the stretch. It also helps that Jackson Murray is one of the best netminders in the JV division. 

The Knights underlying numbers are very strong. KPC was ranked sixth in goals for as well as goals against, but part of that is due to two lopsided losses to Middle Country and Smithtown Hauppauge. The Knights were shorthanded in both those matchups, and so long as they are at full strength on Wednesday night there is no cause for concern. 

The #6 Seed St. Anthony’s Friars

W: 13 | L: 6 | Ties: 0 | OTL: 1 | GF: 110 | GA: 58 | DIFF: +52 | PPG: 13 | PPGA: 6 | SHG: 7 | PIM: 74 | 

The Friars have dealt with injuries and absences all season long, but this team is an absolute wagon. Nick Busa has scored a ridiculous 32 goals through 16 games this season with 42 points to date. John Iwankiw is a really strong center whose game is eerily reminiscent of Varsity center James Schendorf. Christian Buttacavoli is a point per game defenseman and Jeffrey Grasso, who has missed time due to injury, tallied an impressive 17 points in 9 games.

The Friars are among the most disciplined teams in the JV division having been assessed the fewest PIM in the entire division. They tend to win the special teams battle despite being shorthanded a good deal of the time, and Declan Heffernan is a really good goaltender. If the Friars are at full strength, they have what it takes to challenge the Bulls for a championship. Unfortunately, injuries may end up robbing them of that chance. 

The #7 Seed Longwood Lions 

W: 9 | L: 8 | T: 2 | OTL: 1 | GF: 80 | GA: 90 | DIFF: -10 | PPG: 4 | PPGA: 7 | SHG: 1 | PIM: 127 | 

The Longwood Lions have a plethora of talented young defenseman capable of pushing the pace and creating offense in transition. Chris Ballaro and Collin Kelly are averaging over a point per game from the blue line. Grayson Benoit is another strong puck carrier and Oleg Zhukovsky is a rangy, smooth skating defender who brings a physical element to the backend for Longwood. Michael Clemente, who has an impressive 18 Gino’s in 17 games, is going to be a key part of the Lions plan to generate offense up front. Andrew Congema, Alex D’Amico, Michael Gaudiello and Brandon Nicotri are going to be relied upon for secondary scoring. 

It’s no secret that I like an underdog, just take a look at our varsity coverage if you don’t believe me. The Lions negative goal differential is largely due to the fact they are often shorthanded. I don’t expect that to be a problem on Wednesday night. However the Lions are going to have to prove they can win the special teams battle in order to make a deep run in the playoffs and we haven’t seen them do that in the regular season. 

The #8 Seed Middle Country Cougars

W: 10 | L: 10 | T: 0 | GF: 137 | GA: 106 | DIFF: +31 | PPG: 23 | PPGA: 10 | SHG: 10 | PIM: 366 | 

Harold Stauffer is poised to lead Middle Country back to the varsity level next season. Stauffer was the league’s lone player to eclipse the 40 goal mark with 41 in 18 games as well as 60 total points. Brett Spiers has tallied 29 points with defenseman Declan Munkwitz tied with center Andrew Iannaccone for 4th among all Cougars with 24 points. Thomas Granahan, Lukas McDowell, and Ian McGee have the ability to create offense in transition. Bottom line is this. The Cougars road to the Semifinals may go through the Bulls, but don’t count them out just yet. The Cougars don’t know the meaning of the word quit, it’s just not in their DNA. 

The Cougars have one of the most dangerous power plays in the league with 23 tucks when up a man. Middle Country has scored as many shorthanded goals (10) as they have given up to opposing power plays (10), but they also lead the division in PIM with 366 on the season. That’s going to be something to keep an eye out for on Wednesday night. 

The Matchups

The #1 Seed Smithtown Hauppauge Bulls V The #8 Seed Middle Country Cougars 

My Pick: Smithtown Hauppauge Bulls 

Analysis

The Bulls lone meeting against the Cougars in the regular season was a barn burner that ended in a 10-7 win for Smithtown Hauppauge. I expect the Bulls to pull off another thrilling victory on Wednesday night.

The #2 Seed PatMed Raiders V The #7 Seed Longwood Lions

My Pick: PatMed Raiders

Analysis 

The Raiders defeated the Lions 5-4 in both of their regular season meetings with the second one coming in overtime. There is no doubt the Lions have what it takes to pull off an upset, but the Raiders know that better than anyone. I expect them to build a two goal cushion and hold onto it until the final horn sounds. 

The #3 Seed Sachem V The #6 Seed St. Anthony’s Friars

My Pick: Sachem

Analysis

The best ability is availability, and Sachem has been able to consistently rely on their top scorers for the majority of this season. It’s hard to imagine that changes in round one against a really good Friars squad that has had to deal with injuries all season long. 

The #4 Seed East Islip Chiefs V The #5 Seed Kings Park Commack Knights

My Pick: Kings Park Commack Knights

Analysis

The lone meeting between these two clubs ended in a 3-3 tie. Gavin Boccard is one of the most dynamic skaters I’ve seen at the JV level. Boccard’s numbers may not make your eyes pop the same way Logan Ferrara’s did last season, but I’m a big believer in his skill. I fully expect Boccard to lead the charge past the Chiefs in round one.