December 31, 2011, 4:00 PM ET
ESPNBoston.com's boys hockey Top 25
ESPNBoston.com Staff
| Team Name | Last year's record | Last year's ranking | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Malden Catholic | (3-1-1) | 1 | Oh, boy the Lancers were lucky to escape with a point against St. Mary's (and a tournament OT win). We're keeping the Blue Blades in the top spot until they lose in-state. The return of Ryan Fitzgerald certainly makes an already deep team that much deeper. |
| 2. St. Mary's of Lynn | (5-1-1) | 13 | OK, now we're sure that we started the Spartans too low in the preseason poll. This team is for real, particularly with the addition of Jarrod Fitzpatrick (5-2-7) to the top line along proven scorers like Tommy Braswell and Bobby Mullins. |
| 3. BC High | (2-0-0) | 3 | After a quiet start to the season, the Eagles get a big back-to-back against St. John's of Shrewsbury and Winchester on New Year's eve. |
| 4. Needham | (3-0-0) | 7 | The Rockets' unforgettable 2-1 last-minute triumph over CM showed that this team has some serious moxie. Not only was a it a marquee win, it sets the tone for the season to come. |
| 5. Catholic Memorial | (2-1-0) | 4 | The Knights have been on the upside (St. Seb's) and downside (Needham) of some instant classics in the early season. One thing's for certain, however, Shane Starrett can lead this team far, far into the postseason. |
| 6. Woburn | (2-1-1) | 6 | The Tanners hope they've found some momentum with the 3-2 victory over St. John's Prep after struggling a bit in the first week. Best news might be that Casey Shea popped in his first goal of the season against Prep. |
| 7. St. John's Prep | (3-1-0) | 2 | The Eagles might not have Colin Blackwell, but damn, Sam Kurker (8 G in 4 games) isn't that far off. |
| 8. Hingham | (3-2-0) | 9 | Coming off back-to-back losses, the Harbormen have rebounded nicely with a 6-2 win over Marshfield and 8-4 romp over rival Weymouth to claim the Ed Taylor Tournament championship. |
