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# Unlikely trio leads boys hockey teams into D1 tournament
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/unlikely-trio-leads-boys-hockey-teams-into-d1-tournament/
- Published: 2014-03-08T16:25:48.000Z
- Updated: 2014-03-08T16:25:48.000Z
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Winter Sports, boys hockey, Division I, playoffs, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

![Salem is looking for its first title since 2004.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/jmsalhockey012714-s8-1.jpg)

Salem is looking for its first title since 2004.

A wide-open field turned into a three-team race toward the end of the season, and Saturday begins the final push to reach the Division I boys hockey championship game.

When Londonderry defeated Salem to end the regular season, it allowed St. Thomas to slip into the No. 1 spot for the tournament. Manchester Central and Bishop Guertin were two of the hottest teams to end the regular season, and both could easily take a spot in the semifinals. Londonderry, Trinity and Nashua North all ended the season going in the wrong direction.

The top three teams are all looking to rewrite some history. Salem hasn't been to the championship game since 2005 and hasn't won since the year before. The last title game appearance for St. Thomas came in 2002, while Londonderry has never played in a championship game.

Here's a look at the quarterfinal matchups.

### Quarterfinals: Saturday, March 8

- **No. 8 Nashua North (9-8-1) at No. 1 St. Thomas (15-2-1), 6:30 p.m. at Dover Arena:** North picked up a 5-1 win over No. 9 Manchester Memorial in the preliminary round, after the Crusaders beat the Titans twice during the regular season. North start the year 5-0 and faltered down the stretch, with the first-round win just the fourth for the Titans since their hot start. St. Thomas won the lone regular-season meeting between the teams, 7-2, back on Jan. 15\. The Saints have the division's top scorer in Glenn Wiswell, who had 30 goals and 47 points during the regular season.
- **No. 5 Trinity (10-8) at No. 4 Manchester Central (11-7), 5 p.m. at JFK Coliseum:** This is a matchup of teams who finished the year going in opposite directions. Central won its final five games of the regular season, while Trinity lost its last five. The Pioneers did win the lone meeting between the two Manchester schools, 3-2, on Jan. 29.
- **No. 7 Pinkerton (8-8-2) at No. 2 Salem (15-2-1), 9 p.m. at Salem ICEnter:** Pinkerton reached the quarterfinals with a 5-2 win over No. 10 Hanover in the preliminary round. Salem swept two regular season games against the Astros, including a 2-1 win on Feb. 26\. The Blue Devils are led by Cody Soucy, who despite missing a few games midseason, has 13 goals and 24 points.
- **No. 6 Bishop Guertin (8-8-2) at No. 3 Londonderry (14-4), 9:20 p.m. at Salem ICEnter:** No team had a bigger turnaround midseason than the Cardinals, who were 1-7-1 before winning six of their last eight. That included two wins over Trinity and a 3-2 win over Londonderry in the Cardinals' last game of the regular season. The Lancers took a 7-5 win when the teams met back on Jan. 11\. Londonderry had put together a 12-game winning streak before losing two of its final three, but that one win knocked Salem out of the No. 1 spot.

**Most likely upset:** It's been 10 days since No. 6 Bishop Guertin handed No. 3 Londonderry its fourth loss of the season. The Cardinals have been stingy on defense in their last eight games, allowing more than one goal just twice. And after putting up a lot of goals all season, the Lancers have scored two in each of their last three games.

**Quarterfinal winners:** No. 1 St. Thomas, No. 4 Manchester Central, No. 2 Salem, No. 6 Bishop Guertin.

**Championship game:** Salem over St. Thomas.

**Tournament schedule**

- Saturday, March 8: quarterfinals, at home of higher seed
- Wednesday, March 12: semifinals, at JFK Coliseum
- Saturday, March 15: championship game, at Verizon Wireless Arena