High school hockey not on your radar in early August? Here's a tease:

The 2nd annual Garrett Reagan Hockey Summit, presented by the State Hockey Coaches Association, is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 6 at the New England Sport Center's five-sheet facility in Marlborough, kicking off the high school season in the Bay State.

The event, a smashing success a year ago, will feature 60 boys' and girls' teams, over 1,200 players, mini-games, educational workshops and seminars.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli headlines an impressive list of speakers that will be featured in a stadium-style presentation at mid-day in Rink 1. Chiarelli will be joined by legendary Boston University coach Jack Parker, UMass-Dartmouth coach John Rolli, Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna and former US Olympic women's coach Ben Smith.

"There were a lot of positives coming out of last year's inaugural event," said Waltham High boys' coach John Maguire, the president of the State Hockey Coaches Association. "We've gone through it once, we'll tweak a few things. It was certainly a learning curve.

"Our goal this year is to really turn back some money to the Garrett Reagan Scholarship Fund; last year, we broke even."

Reagan, the longtime boys' hockey coach at Hingham High, passed away in June 28, just months after ending his 26-year career on the Harbormen bench.

If you're looking for a way to cool off this summer while getting your fill of great school sports action, then head to the Valley Forum in Haverhill and Lawrence for the 35th annual Hockey Night in Boston Summer Showcase. Play began Sunday with 16 teams competing in the Major Showcase, divided into East and West divisions, and six teams competing in the Elite Division.

The Elite Division is for under-20 players and includes teams from Sweden and Finland, along with Massachusetts, New England, Northeast, and Wisconsin/Midwest. Playoffs start Thursday, July 30, with the title game Friday at 9 p.m.

The East Division of the Major Showcase (ages 16-19) is comprised of Boston area teams such as North Shore, Middlesex/Merrimack, and Northeast. The West has a more national look with two teams from Florida, as well as Great Lakes, Rocky Mountain, and Philadelphia. Major Showcase playoffs start Saturday, Aug. 1, with the title game Sunday at 3 p.m.

For more information call (978) 682-2425 or go to www.hockeynightinbostoninc.com.

Heads have been popping in and out of Ashland High’s athletic offices this morning, and you might say that excitement is justified.

After looking over a dozen applications, the school has decided to go in-house in hiring a new boys’ ice hockey coach. Current assistant coach Mike Roman was officially promoted to head coach yesterday afternoon.

Roman, a history teacher at the school and a captain of Suffolk University’s hockey squad in 2002, takes over for Steve O’Neill, whose Clockers team went 18-0-2 before suffering a first-round upset in the Division 3 South tournament.

In five years under O’Neill, the team went 55-38-4. O’Neill officially resigned from the team on March 15, for personal reasons.

““I felt like this was the most progressive step,” said Athletic Director Naomi Martin. “I think that in reality, Mike has the entire package for us, in that he is a great hockey mind, but alo a person with great priorities in life. He understands the whole school, families, hockey and how they fit into a priority list.”

Globe correspondent Brendan Hall relays the following:

The O’Neill era with the Ashland High boys’ hockey program has come to a close.

After five seasons behind the Clocker bench, including a sensational 18-1-2 run this winter, coach Steve O’Neill officially submitted his resignation last month.

O’Neill, who finished 55-38-4 overall with the Clockers, said he was concerned with the overall focus direction of the program.

‘‘It had nothing to do with the talent, it was the overall attitude of the team as a whole,’’ he said. ‘‘The obligation wasn’t what it should be. It’s gotta be about school, being a student-athlete. We struggled with getting that point across, and I think we need to move in a different direction.’’

His son, Barrett, who as a junior was named Most Valuable Player of the Tri-Valley League after registering 22 goals and 28 assists this winter, has decided to transfer to the Dexter School in Brookline. Also a promising right-handed pitcher, he will be reclassified as a junior, and expects to play both hockey and baseball at the private school.

The Clockers finished the regular season 18-0-2 before losing to Scituate, 2-1, in the first round of the Division 3 South sectional tournament .

Ashland High athletic director Naomi Martin said she expects to have a new coach in place by Friday, after holding final interviews tomorrow.

O’Neill, who guided the Ashland girls’ softball team to the Division 2 state title last season and has the Clockers off to a 7-0 start this spring, said he intends to return to coach on the diamond next spring.

Wayne Simpson of Lawrence Academy, right, and Jillian Dempsey of The Rivers School, left, flank Bruins great Cam Neely.

A pair of Independent School League senior standouts, Wayne Simpson of Lawrence Academy in Groton and Jillian Dempsey of The Rivers School in Weston, were the recipients of the 2009 John Carlton Award at last night's Bruins' game against the Lightning.

A 5-foot-11 forward from Boxborough who has committed to Union College, Simpson powered Lawrence to a 27-6-0 record this season and the quarterfinals of the Division 1 New England Prep Tournament.

A four-time all-ISL selection from Winthrop headed to Harvard, Dempsey had 43 goals and 20 assists this season, capping off a prolific career in which she totaled 98 goals and 80 assists. This year the ISL MVP helped lead Rivers to a 17-5-3 record as well as a top seed seed at the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) tournament.

The Carlton Award, named in honor of the late Bruins scout and administrator, is presented annually to the outstanding male and female student-athlete in Eastern Massachusetts who combine exceptional hockey skills with academic excellence.

Fontbonne poses with the Division 2 title Sunday. (Matthew J. Lee / Globe Staff)

While you're browsing all the stories from yesterday's hockey action at the TD Banknorth Garden over at High School Sports Central, don't forget to take a look at our photo galleries from the Super 8 title game and the rest of Sunday's action.

Fontbonne celebrates its win in the girls' Division 2 title game.

We were live at the TD Banknorth Garden for four state final hockey games, including the Super 8 final that featured Catholic Memorial toppling Burlington. Here's a rundown of the action:

• Division 1A: Catholic Memorial 5, Burlington 1 -- Video Highlights
• Division 1 boys: Cathedral 2, Arlington Catholic 1 (OT) -- Video Highlights
• Division 3 boys: Shrewsbury 3, Shawsheen 2 -- Video Highlights
• Division 2 girls: Fontbonne 3, Whitman-Hanson/Pembroke 0 -- Video Highlights

Comcast SportsNet will broadcast Sunday's Super 8 final between Catholic Memorial and Burlington live from the TD Banknorth Garden at 7 p.m.

Check out the action on TV, but be sure to join our live blog from the Garden. For more on the Division 1A tournament, check out our Super 8 Central.

LOWELL -- We were live in Lowell bringing you updates from the two Super 8 crossover semifinals at Tsongas Arena. For video highlights, click the "full entry" link at the end of this entry. Here were the results:

• Catholic Memorial 6, Malden Catholic 4 -- Video Highlights
• Burlington 1, Winchester 0 -- Video Highlights

Catholic Memorial will skate against Burlington in Sunday's Super 8 championship game at the TD Banknorth Garden.

Need to get caught up on the Division 1A tournament? Hop over to Super 8 Central for photos, video, box scores, and much more.

Did you check out our Super 8 third-round blog today? But you still wanted more hockey? Check out our live blog from Saturday's state finals at the Garden that featured St. Mary's taking down Woburn, 1-0, in the girls' Division 1 title game and Newburyport clipping Canton in overtime, 4-3, in the boys' Division 2 championship.

Apologies for the internet troubles that limited our in-game chat during the boys' game.

We were live from today's third round of the Super 8 tournament with updates, video, and more. Check out a replay below.

For those looking for scores:

Malden Catholic 3, Needham 0
Winchester 2, Central Catholic 1
Catholic Memorial 3, Hingham 2
Burlington 2, Xaverian 1 (OT)

For more on the Division 1A tournament, visit Super 8 Central.

LOWELL -- We were live in Lowell for tonight's Super 8 second-round action as Malden Catholic topped Burlington, 5-1, and Needham defeated Xaverian, 3-1, at Tsongas Arena. Watch the replay below to relive all the action.

For more on this year's Division 1A tournament, visit Super 8 Central.

LOWELL -- Check out highlights from the exciting Super 8 shootout between Catholic Memorial and Central Catholic at Tsongas Arena.

CM prevailed with a 3-1 advantage in the shootout to win the game.

And what's your take on the controversial goal waived off against Central Catholic's Steve Balsamo? Was it a goal? Good decision to overturn by the officials?

Leave your thoughts in the comments section.

LOWELL -- We're live from Tsongas Arena for the opening night of Round 2 of the Super 8 tournament. Join us for updates and highlights as Hingham meets Winchester (6 p.m.) and Catholic Memorial jousts with Central Catholic (8 p.m.)

Check out the bottom of this post for the third-round schedule. Visit Super 8 Central for more tournament info.

Third round -- Sat., March 7
at Tsongas Arena, Lowell

• Hingham vs. Catholic Memorial, noon; Central Catholic vs. Winchester, 2:15.

at Merrimack College, Andover

• Xaverian vs. Burlington, 12:30; Needham vs. Malden Catholic, 2:30.

One other note: We've uploaded a new scoring highlight clip from Burlington vs. Needham, that features the first goal that some were interested in seeing. Enjoy!

The Scituate boys basketball team advanced to the Division 3 South finals for the third straight year after a thrilling 84-79 win over No. 1 seed Wareham Tuesday night in Brockton.

The game was a rematch of last year's sectional final, also won by Scituate.

Junior guard Rodney Belbo poured in 38 points to lead the Sailors.

LOWELL -- Four games, four sets of Super 8 scoring highlights.

Follow the full entry link below to check out the videos. For more on the Division 1A tournament, including full schedule and box scores from previous rounds, visit Super 8 Central.

LOWELL -- Here's the schedule for the Super 8 second-round action, all games at Tsongas Arena in Lowell:

Wednesday, March 4
Hingham vs. Winchester, 6 p.m.
CM vs. Central Catholic, 8 p.m.

Thursday, March 5
Xaverian vs. Needham, 6 p.m.
Malden Catholic vs. Burlington, 8 p.m.

LOWELL -- We provided live updates, video highlights, and much more during Sunday's quadrupleheader of Super 8 first-round action from Tsongas Arena. Click the replay button to relive all the fun.

For more on the Division 1A tournament, including full schedule and box scores from previous rounds, visit Super 8 Central.

Needham is known for its rowdy cheering section at hockey games, but when the Rockets take to the ice for the first round of tomorrow's Super 8 tournament, school officials will be looking to crack down on student behavior.

From the Globe's Needham blog:

Needham High School Principal Paul Richards told parents and students Friday that school officials will use a breathalyzer to enforce anti-drinking rules at upcoming tournament hockey and basketball games.

School officials will privately screen students who appear to be intoxicated as part of the school’s ongoing effort to curb rowdy student-fan behavior at sporting events, Richards said in an email to the high school community.

“The school will continue its supervisory approaches into the playoffs and we hope to see both new fans and the die-hards in the stands. The administration will also bring a breathalyzer to the games and privately screen any students suspected of being under the influence (hopefully, we won't have to administer the test),” Richards wrote.

The principal also cited a state high school rule that bans face painting and other behavior at games. "The MIAA does not permit face painting, signs, noise makers, hat throwing, bare midriffs, and other behaviors or items that may distract the players or referees,'' Richards wrote.

Click HERE to read more.

T.J. Hickey (24) celebrates the first goal of the game for Winchester. (Justine Hunt / Globe Photo)

• No. 8 Winchester 3, No. 9 Springfield Cathedral 2 (OT)
• No. 7 Burlington 6, No. 10 Arlington Catholic 1

One nail-biter and one laugher highlighted the 2009 Super 8 play-in games as Burlington and Winchester did the Middlesex League proud by toppling their opponents to cement their berth in the Division 1A tournament with triumphs tonight at the Chelmsford Forum in North Billerica.

Check back tomorrow for full recaps from our correspondents on site. Meanwhile, we'll be updating Super 8 Central with the finalized tournament bracket. A reminder that your humble servant will be back in the region for Sunday's start of round-robin play and we'll have much more in this space and at the Super 8 page. Stay tuned.

Catholic Memorial vs. Xaverian. Is a rematch in the cards? (Jay Connor / Globe Photo)

The Super 8 tournament kicks off tonight with a pair of play-in games at the Chelmsford Forum in North Billerica. We've updated Super 8 Central in advance of this year's tournament and we hope you drop by throughout the next three weeks for all the latest news, photos, and much more.

Your humble servant is about as far away from the ice rinks as you can get right now (assisting with Sox spring training coverage in Florida), but we'll be back in the region before the start of round robin play and we're hoping to bring you as comprehensive coverage as we have in the past once we're back in the Bay State.

The MIAA announced the field for the 2009 Super 8 boys hockey tournament Saturday. The 10 teams with seeds are:

1. Catholic Memorial,
2. Needham
3. Malden Catholic
4. Hingham
5. Central Catholic
6. Xaverian
7. Burlington
8. Winchester
9. Springfield Cathedral
10. Arlington Catholic

Burlington will play Arlington Catholic and Winchester will face Springfield Cathedral in the play-in games.

The City League hockey semifinal game between South Boston and East Boston scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday was cancelled by city athletic officials. According to city officials, South Boston withdrew from the game citing a lack of players. As a result of the forfeit, East Boston will advance to face Latin Academy in the championship game Friday at noon at Matthews Arena on the campus of Northeastern University.

The Boston City hockey championships will take place Thursday and Friday at Matthews Arena on the campus of Northeastern University. The action kicks off Thursday at 10 a.m. when South Boston (7-6-1) and East Boston (3-11-3) meet in the semifinal round.
The tournament culminates on Friday at noon when the winner of the semifinal will face off with Latin Academy (9-7-2) back at Matthews Arena for the title of best hockey team in the city of Boston.

For those looking to attend this winter's City Championships, here's a list of dates for this year's festivities:

• Indoor track: Feb. 9-10, 3 p.m. at the Reggie Lewis Center
• Swimming: Feb. 10, 3 p.m.
• Girls' basketball: Semifinals on Feb. 18, 4 and 5:30 p.m. at Madison Park; Final on Feb. 20, 5 p.m.
• Boys' basketball: Semifinals on Feb. 19, 4 and 5:30 p.m. at Madison Park; Final on Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m.
• Boys' hockey: Semifinal on Feb. 19, 10 a.m. at Matthews Arena; Final on Feb. 20, noon.

We'll pass along the matchups for basketball and hockey when they are released.

Trevor Leahy, a senior goalie at Pingree School, is trying to patent the goalie pad design he created. (Lisa Poole / Globe Photos)

Athletes at Pingree School are Highlanders. But senior Trevor Leahy seems to fancy himself as more of a chameleon as the backstop of the school's varsity hockey team.

gallery Check out Leahy's pads

Leahy, who has helped Pingree to an 8-8-1 start this winter, is attempting to patent some creative pads he invented that look like the net twine to opposing shooters.

Call it pad-ent pending.

From Sunday's Globe:

While daydreaming in his high school chemistry class, hockey goaltender Trevor Leahy began to think about the opposing forwards who buzz around him when Pingree School hits the ice.

What are they looking for, he asked himself.

Open net.

But why does he wear dark blue pads that let shooters zero in on a target?

Using computer skills he learned in a graphic design class at the private school in South Hamilton, Leahy sketched out new leg pads that blend into the goal netting behind him. He wanted pads, a trapper, and a blocker that are white with a raised double-stitched design, just like the goal. He applied for a design patent and had them custom-made by a Canada-based pad maker.

"When the shooter comes down and only has a split second to shoot the puck, they're looking for net," said Leahy, a senior from Hampton, N.H., who grew up in Byfield. "If you put the net on the pad, they'll shoot at the pad instead of the goal."

Since the days when Boston Bruins' goaltender Gerry Cheevers started inking stitches onto his mask each time the equipment protected his face, many goalies have expressed their individuality with designs and paintings on their mask or other pieces of equipment. But Leahy's design - essentially a camouflage for a goal that is 4 feet high and 6 feet wide - has hockey players and coaches amazed and impressed.

Darren Stomp, the custom pad maker from Kingsville, Ontario, who designed Leahy's equipment, has had other goaltenders ask him to add orange and black tiger stripes and other designs. But those changes were cosmetic. "It might be the most clever idea," Stomp said. "I don't think there's any question it will work, although to what degree depends on the shooter and the situation."

Click HERE to read more.

Your thoughts? A good idea for netminders or just another goalie gimmick? Sound off in the comments.

Check out some very nice user-submitted highlights from the Braintree boys' hockey team's recent 3-2 triumph over Weymouth in a Bay State Carey battle. And remember, you can submit your team's highlights any time.

Check out these user-submitted highlights featuring Brian Talbot's hat trick in leading BC High past St. John's of Shrewsbury, 7-2, on Wednesday evening.

A docile group of Needham hockey fans cheer for their team during Saturday's game. (Patricia McDonnell / Globe Photo)

After a one-game banishment, Needham hockey fans trickled back to the local ice arena Saturday evening as the Rockets toppled Natick, 4-1, at the Babson Ice Center.

From Boston.com's Needham blog:

More than 50 Needham students cheered the boys’ varsity hockey team to their eighth victory of the season against Natick at the Babson Ice Center Saturday.

The smaller and quieter-than-usual group of students turned out to support the Rockets after fans received a one-game suspension last week for rowdy behavior at a game against archrival Wellesley.

But on Saturday night, instead of heckling and jeering, students stood on the bleachers chanting in unison, “Hey baby! I want to know, will you be my girl,” each time a Needham Rocket scored.

The students, chatting and munching on candy between goals, were watched closely by crowd monitors in easily identifiable gold and navy jackets.

Needham parents, also sitting nearby, said that the group was missing some of the louder and more unruly fans from previous games.

“It’s not the usual crowd,” said Blair Merriman, a Needham resident and self-described hockey fan. “It’s usually jam-packed all the way to the glass.”

Click HERE to read the full report.

As you may have noticed when you picked up your Boston Globe this morning, all of our high school sports standings are moving online here at Boston.com starting today.

Hop over to High School Sports Central for all of today's content, which includes:

• Notebooks for boys' and girls' basketball and boys' hockey
• Standings for all winter sports
• Players of the week and leading scorers

If you don't see the standings for your favorite team or league, please get in touch with your coach, athletic director, or league representative and remind them to contact the Globe on Sundays to report the latest information.

Missing in action: Needham's fans

Despite the fact that school administrators told its fans to stay home, the Needham boys' hockey team continued to roll with a 4-1 triumph over Framingham in a Bay State Conference battle last night at the Boston Ice Center in Dedham.

Our friends over at Fox 25 have some video from last night's contest.

(Greg M. Cooper / Globe Photo)

If Mother Nature allows the Needham and Framingham boys' hockey teams to joust on the ice tonight, one side of the arena should be more empty than the other.

From today's Globe:

Needham High School principal Paul Richards told parents yesterday that students will not be allowed to attend the boys' varsity hockey game against Framingham today because of rowdiness by spectators at a game over the weekend.

In the latest crackdown on bad behavior at area school sports events, Richards said in an e-mail that Needham fans at Saturday's game against Wellesley yelled chants and heckled representatives from the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association who were there to observe fans because of an earlier incident.

"Needham's student section chanted, 'Wellesley . . . Wellesley . . . you [suck]' several times," Richards said in an e-mail to parents. "In addition, they chanted, 'Put your clipboards away,' to the MIAA reps who were there to observe our fan behavior."

"Not a good scene, to say the least," Richards wrote.

The Needham boys' hockey team is defending the state Division 1 championship and is 6-0 this year. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association criticized Needham fans last year for poor sportsmanship at varsity hockey games, prompting school officials to add more crowd monitors at games and amend the student handbook.

In his e-mail yesterday, Richards said fans had improved their behavior at recent games, but "unfortunately, we took a step backward at last Saturday's game against Wellesley."

He ordered what essentially is a one-day suspension for students who want to attend boys' hockey games: They are banned from tonight's game in Dedham, though Framingham students can attend. He indicated students will be able to attend the game against Natick on Saturday.

Last night, Needham coach Bill Giusti said the school wants to avoid getting into trouble with the MIAA.

"They're a great group of fans, and occasionally they cross over the line a little bit, but you know, it's high school hockey," he said. "Personally, I don't see them not being able to attend our games. But the people in charge - my athletic director, my principal - are preventing them from attending this game so that maybe it will keep them marching a little more in line so that this doesn't happen again."

Needham isn't the only school in the area to crack down on unruly student behavior at games.

In September, Lincoln-Sudbury's principal required students to bring a guardian to football games after underage drinking was reported at an earlier game.

Looking for winter schedules and results? We've got you covered.

Hop over to High School Sports Central to find all our schedules. In the upper right-hand corner of the page, you'll find a link for our latest scores (updated with daily results as they are reported to the Globe). Beneath that is a drop-down menu to find the schedules and results for all of your favorite schools.

For winter sports, only basketball and hockey (for both boys and girls) are online now. If you spot an error on your schedule (or would like to submit a missing result) use the link at the bottom of each schedule page. Remember that only scores reported nightly to the Globe are listed. If you don't see your team's results, encourage your coach or scorekeeper to call in to our sports desk at (617) 929-2860 after every game.

It's always nice to read about local athletes making good. So with a new high school hockey season set to begin (previews should run in the Globe soon), we figured we'd scan the wires and relay the whereabouts of a few of last season's standouts. Here's a list of players who made the jump to college, junior or prep school programs:

Andover
John Hyslip, PG, Tilton School

Archbishop Williams
Anthony Chighisola, Fr., Franklin Pierce

BC High
Rob Dongara, Springfield Jr. Blues (NAHL)
John Heffernan, Bridgewater Bandits (EJHL)

The first busload of high school hockey players arrived at the doorstep of New England Sports Center in Marlborough at 10:15 Sunday morning. The last bus departed at 8:45 that evening. (Click here for photos from the event).

In the hours between, 62 boys' and girls' teams from across the state hit the ice for the inaugural Garrett Reagan High School Hockey Summit, an ambitious undertaking for the State Hockey Coaches Association and its new president, John Maguire, the longtime boys' coach at Waltham High.

"I just thought the whole event was amazing," said Wes Tuttle, general manager at NESC, whose facility in the past has hosted the World Junior Hockey Championships (1996) and the World Sledge Hockey Championships (this past April), among other notable events.

"It becomes part of functionality. No team was tied up for more than three hours, at the most, like a normal game day. There were 2,000 to 3,000 spectators. Forty to fifty buses in and out. No anxious moments the entire day. And if you look at the scores, there was only one game where the differential was more than four goals."

(Robert E. Klein / Globe Photo)

Hungry for some hockey? Check out our photo gallery from today's inaugural Reagan Hockey Summit at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough.

At right, Wachusett Regional forward Arthur Rovezzi (17) looks to control the rebound in front of Holliston goaltender Tommy Donovan (30).

Check out more photos.

Hockey season already?

Yes, one day after the winter sports season culminated with the high school football Super Bowls (some of which are still scheduled today at Worcester State College), the high school hockey season drops the puck at the Reagan Hockey Summit at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough.

From today's Globe:

Starting at 11 a.m., roughly 1,200 players from 62 boys' and girls' teams from across the state will be lacing up their skates and taking to the ice on one of the five sheets at New England Sports Center. The teams will arrive in at least 40 buses, equipped with 1,200 hockey bags, and 2,400 sticks.

Duxbury High and St. John's Prep will square off at 11:40. Nearly eight hours later, Billerica and Walpole will play the final "minigame" (two 12-minute periods) of what promises to be an exciting showcase for high school hockey in the state.

Players and coaches will also participate in educational workshops and seminars, along with a midday stadium-style presentation in the 2,000-seat Rink 1, with the featured speakers including Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli, Boston College men's and women's coaches Jerry York and Katie King, respectively, and Babson College men's coach Jamie Rice.

For a complete list of today's games, check out the pairings.

If plunging temperatures are not enough of a sign that winter is right around the corner, here's another: The Globe's Craig Larson checks in with details on the Garrett Reagan High School Hockey Summit scheduled for Sunday., Dec. 7.

Click the "full entry" link below to see the full pairings for the event.

The MIAA Board of Directors voted, 8-1, yesterday to continue allowing the losers of the Super 8's play-in hockey games to participate in their divisional tournaments. The ruling overturns a 2007 ruling by the MIAA's Tournament Managing Committee that would have eliminated those losing teams from tournament play starting in the 2008-09 season.

Colleague Michael Grossi has the full story in today's Globe.

The Telegram & Gazette's Jim Wilson writes today on potential changes to the Central Mass. hockey format.

The State Hockey Committee approved a proposal from the District E Committee yesterday that will split the Central Mass. postseason into Division 3 and Division 3A and create a new playoff system with Western Mass. to crown a Central/Western champion.

The plan calls for the four leagues to be split into two divisions. The leagues, which are already aligned according to factors like strength of program and size, will have the Roy and Quinn conferences play in the Division 3 bracket, while the Coughlin and Russell conferences compete in Division 3A.

“I think it’s going to be a great thing for those two bottom-division teams,” said Auburn High athletic director Bill Garneau, one of the heads of District E hockey. “It will give them an opportunity to play for a championship and actually have a legitimate shot at winning something.”

The plan will go to the Tournament Management Committee for final approval, which could happen as soon as next month but definitely by the end of the school year.

The Division 3 teams will still play Western Mass. in the state semifinals and move on to face Eastern Mass. in the state final. The Division 3A teams will play the Western Mass. Division 3A champion for the Central/West championship.

Click HERE to read more.

St. Mary's ice hockey standout Abby Gauthier is featured in the pages of Sports Illustrated this week as one of the magazine's Faces in the Crowd.

Her online bio reads: "Abby, a senior forward at St. Mary's High, is the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's all-time leading scorer (girls or boys) with 358 points (179 goals, 179 assists). She had 42 goals and 48 assists this year to lead the Spartans to the Division 1 title."

The final Top 20 polls for the winter season are now online.

Hop HERE to read about the final polls, or jump HERE to find all the rankings at High School Sports Central.

A reminder that the winter All-Scholastic teams will be unveiled on March 30. You can check out a sneak peek at what we have in store online for the section HERE. We'll give you a glimpse of what we did with some of our hoopsters this coming week.

After that we'll be shifting gears to the spring, where we have a bunch of new features planned, including daily and team schedules for baseball, softball, lacrosse, and other spring sports. We've also got some exciting rankings news that our lacrosse friends will be quite familiar with.

But more on that later. A huge thank you to everyone who made the winter season such an enjoyable experience. Happy Easter!

There's a lot of new video online from the past few days, so here's a rundown of what to look for:

Hoops

• Click HERE to watch the Championship Roundup

The clip above is a 15-minute highlight reel featuring clips from all six of the state championship games at the DCU Center in Worcester.

Hockey

• Click HERE to watch the Championship Roundup
• Click HERE to watch the Super 8 title game

The Championship Roundup is a 10-minute highlight reel featuring clips from the Divisions 1-3 championships at the TD Banknorth Garden, where Needham, Sandwich, and Westfield claimed state titles. The Super 8 title game shows Reading's 3-0 win over Malden Catholic.

Plenty more Super 8 video has been uploaded, including full-length highlight reels from many of the third round and semifinal games. Hop over to Super 8 Central and browse the video player there for the latest.

We'll passed along Play of the Game highlights from each of Sunday's four state championship battles at the TD Banknorth Garden. A longer highlight reel from the day will be available later.

• Click HERE to see Reading vs. Malden Catholic
• Click HERE to see Needham vs. Westford Academy
• Click HERE to see Sandwich vs. Wilmington
• Click HERE to see Westfield vs. Scituate

super 8 championship game
Reading 3, Malden Catholic 0

Fifth-seeded Reading capped a remarkable 26-1 season by blanking Malden Catholic, 3-0, in Sunday's Super 8 championship game at the TD Banknorth Garden.

The Rockets, who put together a 21-1 regular-season record, but likely earned a low seeding after a poor performance in the Division 1A tournament last season, won five consecutive games, beating four Catholic Conference juggernauts (Catholic Memorial, BC High, Xaverian and MC) along the way to becoming the first public school to win the state's biggest prize in 30 years (Hudson, 1978).

What's more, Reading did it in dominating fashion. It outscored opponents, 19-6, in those five victories, and its top line of seniors Pat Kiley, Rob Toczylowski, and Mike Lozzi absolutely shined in tournament play. Goaltender Jeff Wyer, who endured struggles in last year's tournament, was showered with cheers of "MVP" from the Reading faithful as he collected his championship medal following Sunday's win.

Reading broke on top with 3:19 to play in the first period when Kiley made a phenomenal individual effort to get around a defender, then snapped a quick shot off the mask of MC netminder John Carbonneau that trickled over the goal line for a 1-0 advantage.

Rob Toczylowski added a fluky, but possibly pivotal goal just 12 seconds into the second period when his haphazard flip from the neutral zone hopped through Carbonneau for a 2-0 lead.

Wyer made some unbelievable saves in the second period to keep the Rockets out front and Toczylowski swooped in for a third score -- his second of the game -- with 8:27 to play. The goal essentially ensured the Rockets would be leaving Causeway St. with the championship trophy.

Sixth-seeded Malden Catholic enjoyed a phenomenal run to the Super 8 finals, outlasting all four of its leaguemates while posting four consecutive wins to start the tournament. But the Lancers were no match for Reading on Sunday.

***

3rd period

Reading fans are chanting, "Public school." Yep, it looks look we might see a public school win the state's top prize for the first time in three decades tonight.

Malden Catholic fans responded with, "You need Jesus" and "Jesus loves us" chants. The game of chants is more entertaining than the game now.

Reading, 3-0 (8:47, 3rd)

Reading is putting a heftier focus on its defense, bottling up Malden Catholic in the offensive end and clearly trying to sit on this three-goal lead.

You get the feeling the Lancers need to score quick to get some life back in them (and the crowd) before time starts to slip away.

***

Don't Stop Believing

The second intermission featured a nice little 80s rock couplet with Whitesnake's, "Here I Go Again," and Journey's, "Don't Stop Believing." It merely served as the soundtrack for Jumbotron tomfoolery, but the moral here is that if Steve Perry's wailing can't inspire Malden Catholic, nothing can.

***

2nd period

Reading skates into the second intermission with a commanding 3-0 lead over Malden Catholic in the Super 8 title game.

Reading skated 5-on-3 for almost a minute late in the frame, but Malden Catholic was able to kill off its infractions. But it simply doesn't seem like the Lancers' night.

Malden Catholic's Zack Sheppard had what appeared to be an easy goal as he tried to backhand home a rebound near the left post with 1:51 to play in the second stanza. Reading netminder Jeff Wyer somehow kicked out his right leg and turned it booted it aside (a play he had no business making) to keep MC scoreless. Just an unbelievable stop that words can't do justice to.

Reading, 3-0 (4:28, 2nd)

Malden Catholic's Andrew Cerretani had a golden opportunity with a free look in the slot, but his blast ricocheted hard of the crossbar keeping Reading out front, 3-0.

Cerretani got another shot off from in front of the crease a short time after, but Reading netminder Jeff Wyer made the save with his chest protector to keep the Lancers scoreless.

Reading, 3-0 (8:27, 2nd)

Rob Toczylowski flicks one in skating through the left circle and the Rockets extend their lead to 3-0 with 8:27 to play in the second period.

Reading, 2-0 (10:59, 2nd)

Pat Kiley just missed adding to the lead when his shot from the slot sailed just wide of its mark. Reading remains on top, 2-0, thanks to his two goals.

Reading, 2-0 (14:48, 2nd)

Wow, a fluky goal for Reading to start the second period.

Rob Toczylowski nets the game's second game by flicking a seemingly harmless lob from near midice that ate its way through goaltender John Carbonneau to put the Rockets out front, 2-0.

***

1st period

Pat Kiley muscles in a goal off Malden Catholic netminder John Carbonneau at 11:41 of the first period and the Rockets carry a 1-0 advantage into the first intermission.

Hard-skated first period with opportunities for both teams, but only Reading cashed in.

Malden Catholic put a good flurry around the net late in the frame, but Jason Yeomelakis couldn't put a stick to a loose puck at the right post with Jeff Wyer struggling to recover.

Kiley went through defender Evan Yanovitch before snapping a hard shot that seemed to rattle off the mask of Carbonneau before trickling just over the line.

Reading, 1-0 (3:19, 1st)

Reading's Pat Kiley swims around a defender, keeps the puck with his foot and snaps a wrister off John Carbonneau's mask for a 1-0 advantage at 11:41 of the first period.

Scoreless (7:36, 1st)

Best chance during Malden Catholic's power play might have actually been for Reading as RobToczylowski streaked in alone, only to be denied on the doorstep.

Scoreless (9:08, 1st)

Malden Catholic an early edge and the Lancers will go on the power play now with 9:08 to play in the period.

***

This place is packed. Somewhere the Bruins have to be wondering how they can draw these sort of numbers. The lower bowl is just about full and they've started seating people in the balconies (with much of the first few rows of the 300 sections filled, too.

***

Here are tonight's anticipated starting lineups:

MALDEN CATHOLIC

LW - 17 - Zack Sheppard
C - 9 - Craig Carbonneau
RW - 5 - Andrew Cerretani
D - 7 - Greg Crovo
D - 6 - Jared Tringale

Goalie: 30 - John Carbonneau

READING

LW - 20 - Rob Toczylowski
C - 12 - Mike Lozzi
RW - 19 - Pat Kiley
D - 7 - Travis Busch
D - 9 - Garrett Collins

Goalie: 35 - Jeff Wyer

***

Well, the undercard didn't disappoint as Westfield (Division 3), Sandwich (Division 2), and Needham (Division 1) skated to state title victories on the ice at the TD Banknorth Garden.

Now it's time for the main event as Reading jousts with Malden Catholic in the Super 8 final.

For more on tonight's game, check out this preview. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m.

division 1 boys' hockey state championship
Needham 4, Westford Academy 1

Needham's Cody Sharib scored twice over about a five-minute span between the first and second period to help the Rockets build an early cushion and skate to a breezy 4-1 triumph over Westford Academy in the Division 1 title game at the TD Banknorth Garden.

Needham's Mark Joyce added an open-netter with 26.7 seconds to play to seal the triumph. Westford got its lone goal from Tyler Harrington on the power play with 4:10 remaining.

***

3rd period

Westford fans get a little something to cheer about as Tyler Harrington pots a power-play goal with 4:10 to play, pulling the Grey Ghosts within a pair of Needham at 3-1.

Harrington crashed hard from above the left circle and pounded home a feed from behind the net on the opposite side.

Needham, 3-0 (7:30, 3rd)

Midway through the third period and not much to remark about.

Westford Academy picked up an early power-play opportunity and, potentially, a chance to give themselves a spark (and a chance) in the third period. But nothing came out of it for the Ghosts.

Needham is just keeping them at arm's length with a comfortable three-goal cushion.

***

2nd period

Cody Sharib and Sam Kane registered second-period goals and Needham has stretched its lead over Westford Academy to 3-0 at the second intermission.

Sharib, who scored with 2:29 to play in the first period, got his second of the game with a rebound effort just 3:42 into the second period. Kane added a power-play tally with 1:53 to play in the frame to add to the Rockets' cushion.

Needham, 3-0 (1:53, 2nd)

Needham's Sam Kane fired home a power-play goal from the end line, sneaking his blast under the crossbar with Westford Academy netminder Curtis Serafini prone near the opposite post as the Rockets now lead, 3-0, with 1:53 to play in the second stanza.

Needham, 2-0 (3:14, 2nd)

Needham is carrying play and doesn't seem to be taking its foot off the accelerator, even with a two-goal advantage.

Westford isn't helping its cause as the Ghosts just picked up a penalty and will skate shorthanded for 90 seconds.

Needham, 2-0 (11:18, 2nd)

Cody Sharib pots his second of the game by flicking a rebound over the shoulder of prone Westford netminder Curtis Serafini at 3:42 of the third period and the Rockets lead, 2-0, with 11:18 to play in the frame.

***

1st period

Cody Sharib pots the period's lone goal with a snap shot from the bottom of the left circle at 12:31 and the Rockets lead Westford Academy, 1-0, at the first intermission.

Westford controlled the first part of the stanza, but it was all Needham late. The Rockets put some quality shots on Serafini, who was equal to the task, before leaving a bit too much space between his blocker and the post on Sharib's goal.

Needham, 1-0 (2:29, 1st)

Needham's Cody Sharib outraces a defender through the left circle and sneaked a blast between Westford netminder Curtis Serafini and the left post to put the Rockets out front, 1-0, with 2:29 to play in the frame.

Scoreless (9:55, 1st)

Westford's Paul Burns had a puck hop his way in the slot and he put a crisp blast on Sam Gifford, but the Needham netminder made the stop to keep this game scoreless.

Scoreless (12:35, 1st)

Westford kills off an early Needham power play thanks to a couple of big stops by Curtis Serafini, who turned aside a few lasers the Rockets sent from the blue line.

***

It's a battle of Super 8 play-in losers as Needham and Westford meet in the Division 1 championship game. The teams are on the ice warming up, back with updates all game long.

***

Starting lineups

Starting lineups are not being announced here today. Instead, much like the high school football Super Bowls, a member of each team is featured on the Jumbotron introducing his school (and, of course, thanking the MIAA and the Boston Bruins organization for letting them play here), before the team skates in unison to their own blue line.

division 2 boys' hockey state championship
Sandwich 1, Wilmington 0

A second-period goal by Craig Brubaker holds up as the game's lone score and Sandwich skates away with a 1-0 triumph over Wilmington in the Division 2 state championship at the TD Banknorth Garden.

***

3rd period

Sandwich, 1-0 (44.9, 3rd)

Ice, ice baby.

Every time Wilmington starts putting some rubber around the cage, Sandwich is quick to clear (or cover up).

Wilmington is putting some pressure on trying to net that equalizer. Eric Siegel sent a bullet at the cage, but the rebound was quickly iced by the Knights.

Sandwich, 1-0 (6:41, 3rd)

Sandwich's Matt Cassissta broke in alone with a chance to extend his team's lead, but Wilmington's Michael Cabral made a huge save to keep this a one-goal game.

Sandwich, 1-0 (11:40, 3rd)

Couple of quality opportunities in the early going for Sandwich.

Kevin Flanagan skated in 1-on-1 with a defender, but had his bid denied at 13:24. Ernie Mello got off a big slapper with space in the slot, but couldn't light the lamp at 11:40.

***

2nd period

Sandwich's Craig Brubaker potted a goal 4:28 into the second period and the Knights skate into the second intermission with a 1-0 advantage over Wilmington.

Sandwich continues to be the aggressor, boasting a 15-11 advantage in shots overall.

The Knights nearly extended their lead late in the frame when Darryl Lawrie's tip attempt sneaked wide. Wilmington had a few opportunities to dent the scoreboard, the best being a breakaway attempt by Sean Tavares that Sandwich netminder Pat Farrington ate up. Just 30 seconds later, Eric Siegel had a chance at the right post, but Farrington came up big again.

Sandwich, 1-0 (10:32, 2nd)

Sandwich sophomore forward Craig Brubaker cleaned up a loose puck with a big swipe in the slot as the Knights take a 1-0 advantage at 4:28 of the second stanza.

***

1st period

Sandwich carried play against Wilmington for the majority of the first stanza, but neither team generated many quality opportunities and the two teams skate into the first intermission scoreless.

Sandwich was banging on the door about midway through the period when Wilmington netminder Michael Cabral made a couple stops on Jon Kincaid. The Wildcats best scoring opportunity likely came when Eric Siegel just missed connecting with Patrick Boudreau on a cross-crease feed.

Wilmington held a 6-2 advantage on shots.

Scoreless (7:21, 1st)

Sandwich and Wilmington are scoreless halfway through the first period here at the TD Banknorth Garden.

***

Starting lineups

Starting lineups are not being announced here today. Instead, much like the high school football Super Bowls, a member of each team is featured on the Jumbotron introducing his school (and, of course, thanking the MIAA and the Boston Bruins organization for letting them play here), before the team skates in unison to their own blue line.

division 3 boys' hockey state championship
Westfield 3, Scituate 2

Ryan Leonard scored with 50.8 seconds remaining to help Westfield skate away with a 3-2 triumph over Scituate in the Division 3 boys' hockey state final at the TD Banknorth Garden.

After breaking up a rush by the Sailors, Westfield broke out the other way with Sean Frere leading the charge. The senior forward lost control near the right circle, but made a crucial diving effort to poke the puck back towards the net where a charging Leonard tipped it under Scituate goalie Jamie Murray.

Westfield, 3-2 (50.8, 3rd)

Westfield's Ryan Leonard knocked home the go-ahead goal at the right post with 50.8 seconds to play and the Bombers are back on top, 3-2.

Tied, 2-2 (2:14, 3rd)

Scituate just took a penalty with 2:14 to play. The Sailors will be short for much of the final time in regulation.

Tied, 2-2 (4:08, 3rd)

Scituate's Danny Galvin nets the equalizer on a goal from the slot with 4:08 to play in regulation.

Shortly after Dan Ross's go-ahead goal, Westfield appeared to strike again, but the tally was quickly waved off.

One note from earlier, too, Pat Mahoney returned to the ice for Scituate in the second period after initially leaving with what looked like a leg injury.

Westfield, 2-1 (11:08, 3rd)

Dan Ross tips home a Anthony Howard blast at 3:52 of the third period and Westfield regains the lead, 2-1, with 11:08 to play.

***

2nd period

Scituate's Pat Duggan snapped home the game-tying goal from the slot after a dragged-down Jamie Pratt managed to feed it to him with 36.7 seconds remaining in the second period and the Sailors head to the second intermission knotted with Westfield at 1.

Pratt wasn't the only one making big plays from the ice. Mac Luciani kick started the whole play by diving to knock the puck from the Westfield offense zone. He continued to pursue and sprang to his feet to feed Pratt near the opposite blue line.

Scituate owns a 20-11 advantage on shots through two periods.

Tied, 1-1 (36.7, 2nd)

Scituate's Jamie Pratt made an unbelievable play to keep a puck alive while being dragged down near the right circle and he was able to feed Pat Duggan for a goal with 36.7 seconds to play in the second period that tied this game at 1.

Westfield, 1-0 (5:03, 2nd)

The chances? At a minimum. The hitting? At a maximum.

Good, rough and tumble game so far. That quick goal looms large.

Westfield, 1-0 (12:36, 2nd)

Westfield was knocking on the door during a power-play opportunity early in the second period, but Jamie Murray kicked aside a couple of close-range opportunities.

Senior defenseman Pat Mahoney just left the game after what appeared to be a leg injury sustained after getting tripped up by a Westfield skater near mid-ice.

***

1st period

Westfield's Rich Asselin took a behind-the-net feed from teammate Josh Gearing and tipped home the lone goal of the first period just 29 seconds in and the Bombers lead Scituate, 1-0, at the first intermission.

Scituate carried play -- aided by three power-play opportunities -- after giving up the early goal and finished with a 7-4 advantage on shots.

But it's the Bombers, who are featuring a rugged defense, who have the lead. Westfield had one power-play opportunity late in the frame, but also could not cash in.

Westfield, 1-0 (2:15, 1st)

Scituate has been unable to cash in on three power-play opportunities (though Jamie Pratt nearly lit the lamp with a bid near the cage) and Westfield is set to go on its first man advantage of the game.

Westfield, 1-0 (5:45, 1st)

Scituate couldn't capitalize on a power-play opportunity, but is about to get another chance. The Sailors have carried play since that opening sequence where Westfield scored the game's lone goal.

Westfield, 1-0 (14:31, 1st)

Westfield jumps out on top here, 1-0, on a goal just 29 seconds in by Rich Asselin with the assist going to Josh Gearing (a beautiful feed from behind the net to the slot).

***

Starting lineups

Starting lineups are not being announced here today. Instead, much like the high school football Super Bowls, a member of each team is featured on the Jumbotron introducing his school (and, of course, thanking the MIAA and the Boston Bruins organization for letting them play here), before the team skates in unison to their own blue line.

Welcome to the TD Banknorth Garden. Here is today's schedule for the hockey championships:

• division 3 Scituate vs. Westfield, 12:30 p.m.
• division 2 Wilmington vs. Sandwich, 2:45 p.m.
• division 1 Westford Academy vs. Needham, 5 p.m.
• division 1A Reading vs. Malden Catholic, 7:30 p.m.

We're started to get caught up on our longer highlight reels, particularly with the Super 8 video. Here are some recent additions to the high school sports video player and we'll continue to update this with more titles as they become available:

Hockey

Super 8 Semifinals:

• Malden Catholic 3, Catholic Memorial 2
• Reading 5, Xaverian 2

Super 8 Third Round:

• Catholic Memorial 3, BC High 2 (OT)
• Third-round roundup (highlights from three other games)

boys' hockey > division 3 state semifinal
Scituate 8, Marblehead 2

WORCESTER -- Scituate makes their return to the Garden, romping over Marblehead, 8-2, tonight at the DCU Center.

The Sailors will skate against Westfield -- a 3-2 winner over Gardner in tonight's other semifinal -- on Sunday at the TD Banknorth Garden. It'll be a rematch of last year's state championship game, which Scituate won, 1-0.

***

THIRD PERIOD

Marblehead took three penalties in the first 1:20, and they were able to kill a lengthy 5-on-3.

But that didn't matter, because Duggan potted his second past Reny (back in net after a second-period hiatus).

It's 7-2, Scituate.

Galvin just added to the lead, his third goal of the game. A single hat came from the seats, leading to a friendly announcement from the PA guy (hope they're paying him extra for this) reminding fans that throwing objects onto the ice may result in a delay-of-game penalty.

Marblehead's Tony Cuzner has returned to the Headers' cage.

8-2, Sailors.

***

SECOND PERIOD

Marblehead came out a little stronger to start the second, leading to a hooking call on Scituate's Jamie Pratt. Soon after, Dan Glavin was sent to the box for Scituate's fifth penalty of the game.

The Headers capitalized on the 5-on-3, with Ben Koopman firing home a pass from Andrew Bates.

Then, Marblehead's Eric Fader was whistled off for cross-checking, and Luciani put home Scituate's third shot of the period for a 5-2 lead at 7:26. He beat Marblehead freshman Tony Cuzner, who came in for Aron Reny. Reny allowed four goals on ten shots in the first.

The hits just keep on coming. Scituate's Pat Duggan just broke into the Headers' zone with a nifty move, then went backhand up top for a 6-2 lead.

***

FIRST PERIOD

Wow. Defending champ Scituate didn't waste any time here at the DCU Center, making it a quick rout. But Marblehead just tacked on one on the powerplay, showing its first signs of life.

First, the Scituate scoring. Forward Brad Stenbeck pounced on a rebound for the Sailors' first goal at 3:39. A minute and a half later, Dan Galvin came in from the right side and went five hole - the puck slowly trickled over the line. Then, Galvin struck again at 7:54, followed by Mac Luciani at 8:17.

Then, Marblehead's Anders Gundersen's powerplay strike made it a three-goal game.

Just ... wow. Wild times here in Worcester.

The Sailors then went two men down, courtesy of a tripping call on Luciani and a crosschecking call against Pat Mahoney, but they were able to escape without incident.

End of the first period here at the DCU Center. With all the action, it seemed to last about five minutes. Five goals, three penalties (all on Scituate) and one public address announcer we've heard a lot from so far.

Should be interesting to see how the Headers respond. With the way this game is going, you'd think pretty much anything can happen.

Shots are 10-3 Scituate.

Back with more from the second in a minute.

***

Welcome to Worcester, where Scituate is set to take on Marblehead in a Division 3 state semifinal. We'll be updating this blog entry consistently, so stay tuned.

***

Starting lineups:

MARBLEHEAD

C - Jackson Barber
LW - Eric Fader
RW - Andrew Bates
D - Anders Gundersen
D - Mike Cohn

Goalie: Aron Reny

SCITUATE

C - Pat Duggan
LW - Dan Galvin
RW - Jamie Pratt
D - Pat Mahoney
D - Tim Mahoney*

Goalie: Jamie Murray

*Announcing Mahoney in the starting lineup is a symbolic gesture by the Sailors' coaching staff. Mahoney died Feb. 2 in an auto accident.

We uploaded video clips from tonight's Super 8 doubleheader in Lowell. Full highlight reels will be available later.

• Click HERE to see Serino, Vecchione talk about CM win
• Click HERE to see Vecchione's winner for MC
• Click HERE to see CM's first-period goals
• Click HERE to see Reading vs. Xaverian

super 8 crossover semifinal
Malden Catholic 3, Catholic Memorial 2

LOWELL -- Freshmen Mike Vecchione and Alex Minter were late-season call-ups to the Malden Catholic boys' hockey team when injuries struck. They didn't look like freshmen on the season's biggest stage.

After Catholic Memorial turned the puck over in its own zone, Minter fed Vecchione alone in the slot. The freshman forward, who already boasted a couple of points on his Super 8 resume this winter, calmly wheeled and slipped the game-winning goal through the 5-hole of netminder Tom Conlin with 2:37 remaining as the Lancers upset the tournament's top seed with a 3-2 triumph at Tsongas Arena.

Malden Catholic is off to its first Super 8 final where it will meet public-school power Reading Sunday evening at the TD Banknorth Garden.

The Lancers, who fell to Catholic Memorial twice during the regular season, overcame a two-goal, first-period deficit to improve to 4-0 in postseason play. This one year after a more veteran squad labored through a dismal 0-3 showing in the state's most prestigious tournament.

In a fast-moving third period, MC never took its foot off the accelerator. They played with an edge -- something Catholic Memorial lacked -- but also didn't make any mental mistakes.

That's what cost CM. The Knights got tripped up around their own blue line and Minter grabbed the puck above the left circle and carried to the high slot before feeding Vecchione. Wearing his now familiar No. 61 (he wore Tony Serino's No. 15 for one game during the tournament), Vecchione spun to his right and watched Conlin drop to the ice before slipping the winner under the prone netminder.

2nd period

Malden Catholic received second-period goals from Greg Crovo (power-play tally at 5:42) and Jason Yeomelakis (1:23) and the Lancers skate into the second intermission knotted at 2 with rival Catholic Memorial.

Yeomelakis gave the Lancers a spark early on as he potted his goal with assists going to Joe White and Craig Carbonneau. MC enjoyed a man advantage a short time later and Crovo evened the game with a quick snapper from near the top of the left circle that buzzed in under the crossbar.

CM wasn't quite as lucky with the pipes. The Knights hit two posts in the period, including Derek Colucci's zap with 6:33 to go (off a pretty cross-ice feed from Mike Collins). The puck slammed hard off the crossbard keeping the game knotted.

Check out Catholic Memorial's two first-period goals in the video highlight entry below.

***

1st period

Catholic Memorial received first-period goals from Derek Colucci (2:54) and Troy Starrett (8:25) to carry a 2-0 advantage over rival Malden Catholic into the first intermission.

Catholic Memorial's Troy Starrett scored with the assists going to Mike Collins and Shane Walsh as the Knights lead, 2-0, with 6:35 to play in the frame.

Catholic Memorial's Derek Colucci pounced on a loose puck in the right circle and pots

Malden Catholic's Christian Roberto skated in alone on CM netminder Tom Conlin a short time after the first goal, but Conlin made a nice stop on a backhander near the left post.

Colucci appeared to skate off the ice injured with about eight minutes to play in the stanza. He was replaced on the top line by Starrett. Colucci returned with about three minutes to play.

***

Starting lineups

Here are the starting lineups for Game 2 of our Super 8 crossover doubleheader:

CATHOLIC MEMORIAL

LW - 5 - Mike Collins
C - 9 - Derek Colucci
RW - 19 - Shane Walsh
D - 4 - Peter Starrett
D - 22 - Garrett Noonan

Goalie: 30 - Tom Conlin

MALDEN CATHOLIC

LW - 17 - Zack Sheppard
C - 9 - Craig Carbonneau
RW - 5 - Andrew Cerretani
D - 7 - Greg Crovo
D - 6 - Jared Tringale

Goalie: 30 - John Carbonneau

super 8 crossover semifinal
Reading 5, Xaverian 2

Reading strikes for two goals early in the third period -- one shorthanded and the other just as the penalty expired -- and the Rockets skate away with a 5-2 triumph over Xaverian in a Super 8 crossover semifinal at Tsongas Arena in Lowell.

The fifth-seeded Rockets move on to Sunday's Super 8 final at the TD Banknorth Garden to skate against the winner of tonight's other semifinal between sixth-seeded Malden Catholic and top-seeded Catholic Memorial.

Just 16 seconds after Reading drew an infraction, Ryan Arsenault skated in alone through the right circle and flicked in a back-breaking goal that put the Rockets on top, 4-2, with 9:59 to play in the game.

Xaverian still had life, but not only could it not muster a goal with the man advantage, Reading's Rob Toczylowski added another goal for the Rockets with 8:45 to go (just as the penalty on the clock expired).

The Hawks again couldn't come up with a power-play tally with a man-advantage starting with 5:46 to go and Reading simply sat on its comfortable three-goal cushion. The game got a bit chippy late and Xaverian skated 5-on-3 for much of the final minutes, but it didn't matter at that point.

***

2nd period

Well, business sure picked up that period.

Reading and Xaverian combined for five goals (there nearly were two more in the late going) and the Rockets skate into the second intermission with a 3-2 advantage.

The Rockets nearly extended their lead with about a minute to play when a Pat Kiley rebound was stuffed home by Garrett Collins, but the referees waved the goal off saying the whistle had blown (though Xaverian netminder Kyle MacDonald never had full possession of the puck).

Xaverian's Andrew White nearly tied this game by blasting one into the net with 2:34 to play in the frame, but the Hawks were whistled for a penalty right as he wound up to shoot.

Reading's Quinlan Junta roofed a blue-line blast at 6:03 and the Rockets jumped back on top, 3-2.

Xaverian responded with two goals just 36 seconds apart to tie this game with 10:13 remaining. Goals go to John Sperzel and Jack Walsh, both rebound efforts.

Reading's Garrett Collins scored a power-play goal on a big blast from the blue line and the Rockets led, 2-0, less than three minutes into the second period.

Bizarre start to the second period as Pat Kiley chipped the puck in front of the net. It managed to hop under Xaverian netminder Kyle MacDonald and into the twine for an unassisted goal at 8 seconds.

***

1st period

A very even period of play without a whole lot of opportunities (though neither team was particularly guarded in its play).

Xaverian came close to drawing first blood when a little 2-on-1 developed with Matt Morin and Matt Hennessey after a Reading turnover at its own blue line, but Hennessey couldn't tuck the puck inside the left post on a return feed.

Reading nearly sneaked Mike Lozzi in 1-on-1 with Xaverian netminder Kyle MacDonald during a shorthanded situation, but MacDonald came out of net to play a loose puck in the high slot before Lozzi could get in.

Shots were even at 6.

***

Starting lineups

Here are the starting lineups for Game 1 of tonight's Super 8 crossover doubleheader:

XAVERIAN

LW - 21 - Mark MacDonald
C - 20 - John Sperzel
RW - 14 - Chris Wagner
D - 15 - Andrew White
D - 19 - Jameson Lee

Goalie: 29 - Kyle MacDonald

READING

LW - 20 - Rob Toczylowski
C - 12 - Mike Lozzi
RW - 19 - Pat Kiley
D - 7 - Travis Busch
D - 9 - Garrett Collins

Goalie: Jeff Wyer

***
Note: The blog is getting a little cluttered with all the live game blogs each night, so we're trying something a little different today and keeping all the posts in one entry. We'll update the headline each time to indicate the time and score at the latest update. We're open to your feedback, so if you'd like to see multiple entries instead of updating one post, let us know in the comments section.

Welcome back to the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, site of tonight's Super 8 semifinal crossovers. Reading meets Xaverian at 6 p.m, while Malden Catholic skates against Catholic Memorial at 8 p.m.

The winners move on to Sunday's championship game at the TD Banknorth Garden.

Back with much more throughout the night.

A friendly reminder that we'll be live from the Tsongas Arena in Lowell this evening, site of a pair of Super 8 semifinal crossover battles.

Reading jousts with Xaverian at 6 p.m., while Malden Catholic skates against Catholic Memorial at 8 p.m. The winners advance to Sunday's championship game at the TD Banknorth Garden.

We'll have live updates and video highlights throughout the night. To catch up on anything you've missed during the tournament, check out Super 8 Central.

Here are brief recaps from the girls' ice hockey state championships tonight at Harvard's Bright Arena. St. Mary's (Division 1) and Hingham (Division 2) polished off successful seasons at champions.

Click the link below to read more.

Okay, so this day belongs to the hoopsters, but as we kill a little time before the start here, we wanted to pass along this video from yesterday's third round of Super 8 play.

In the clip, Waltham's Kyle Thomas scores what ended up being the lone goal of the Hawks' Super 8 stay in a loss against Reading. The team had endured a 174-minute scoreless streak before Thomas's tally 1:46 into the third period.

So, with nothing to lose, Waltham celebrated a bit. The Hawks emptied their bench and mobbed Thomas behind the net. They tried to play it off as a milestone goal, but the referees saw through the ploy and whistled Waltham for a bench minor.

After 174 scoreless minutes, 90 seconds seemed a small price to pay.

"We had a little fun emptying the bench,'" Maguire told the press following a 4-1 defeat. "We knew we were going to get a bench minor. The ref didn't buy that it was Kyle's 100th goal of the year.'"

• Click HERE to watch the video.

According to a post on the MIAA's website at 7:50 a.m. this morning: "The Division 1A hockey games will be played today as scheduled beginning at 12:30 pm at the DCU Center."

We'll be bringing your coverage throughout the day.

In this segment, the Globe's Matt Porter makes his picks for Saturday's first round Super 8 action at Worcester's DCU Center, and writes an introduction to said segment in the third person. Here we go...

No. 3 St. John's Prep vs. No. 6 Malden Catholic, 12:30 p.m. – (Cue bad impression of the late, great John Facenda: “And on this day, there was little room for error as the Catholic Conference rivals tangled for fleeting post...season...glory. The heralded Eagles and potent Lancers did battle on the frozen sheet to begin the first round of the vaunted Super 8. It was a struggle that saw two evenly-matched...” Okay, you get the idea. It's going to be a battle. Catholic Memorial aside, the rest of the Catholic Conference played tug-of-war all year. (And if that's the case, the Knights were like older kids throwing dodgeballs at the fray.) Want a telling stat? Both the Eagles and Lancers played eight games against Catholic Conference opponents. MC's goal differential in those games was 17-21. The Prep's was 17-22. Both teams are balanced, well-coached and solid in net, and have fought off inconsistent lapses. Their first match ended in a draw (3-3, Jan. 16) and the Prep slid by in their second (2-1, Feb. 2). What more is there to say? I predict ... the mighty Lancers will take their revenge, as the afternoon sun breaks over the rolling hills of Central Massachusetts – er, I mean, Malden Catholic 3, St. John's Prep 2.

No. 2 Hingham vs. No. 7 Xaverian, 2:45 – During football season, I was in Hingham quite a bit. Saw some good games, generally enjoyed myself, and had my first experience with Mary Lou's (an awesome cup of brew, and I'm not even a flavored-coffee guy). I like Hingham, and I wouldn't mind living there someday. It's a nice place. I say all this in a shameless attempt to distract you from the fact I haven't yet seen the Harbormen hockey team play live. It's disgraceful, quite frankly. I followed them from afar, and I regret missing Cam Spiro fill the net in the season's early going (five times in one game? No problem). I slept on one of the better netminders in the area, Nate Eagan. I missed seeing a team that finished 10-1-1, and was crowned the No. 2 team by the Mass. State Coaches Association and the Super 8 committee. It's my fault. I'll get my chance to see the H-Men's offense roll tomorrow, as will Xaverian, fresh off a solid win over Needham in the play-in round. The Hawks played solid postseason hockey in that one – work hard, stay cool, and cash in when the chances come. From what the X-Men have shown as of late, they can hang with anyone not wearing red, grey and white. Since I have to make a prediction, I'll take the favorite and say Hingham, 3, Xaverian 1.

No. 4 BC High vs. No. 5 Reading, 5 – Now this should be a good one. In one corner, with a record of 20-1, they are the Middlesex League champions. They outscored opponents by a 129-24 margin in their 21 games. Their top line, seniors Mike Lozzi, Pat Kiley and Rob Toczylowski, has dominated opponents all season long. I give you, the Reading Rockets. In the other corner, with a record of 11-4-5, they are the defending Super 8 champions. They have a roster of playoff-tested talent like John Heffernan, Tom Curran, Rob Dongara and P.J. Martina. They have the Catholic Conference's best goalie in Sam Marotta. And they dealt the Rockets their only loss of the season (3-1, Jan. 21). I give you, the BC High Eagles. Now let's get it on! Even though the Rockets have a lot to prove after being blown out of last year's Super 8, I'm picking the deeper team here. BC High, 4-2.

No. 1 Catholic Memorial vs. No. 8 Waltham, 7:15 – In the late game, we have Steve Hopkins. Have you heard of Steve Hopkins? If you were in Billerica on Monday, you left a believer in the Waltham goalie's talents. He was outstanding. He was sensational. He was...outstansational. (Ed.: Are the made-up words necessary?) Fine, but really, S. Hopkins was pretty ridiculous. He made save after save and went Ghostbustin' in the shootout: He stoned three Westford shooters, and it's possible the fourth missed the net due to sheer intimidation. Also, Hawks forward Kyle Thomas was nothing short of electrifying, using his wheels aggressively and his bullet shot liberally. But CM's Mike Collins and Derek Colucci know excitement, too. Watch them close, as they fire the puck across the rink at a pinball's pace, giving a young Hawks defense all it can handle - Waltham coach John Maguire dropped senior Don Hopkins back to help out for a few games late in the year; what will his assignment be against the Knights? Meanwhile, the CM defense is deep like Dostoevsky and tougher than a than a steel toothbrush, and they should be able to bottle up Waltham's scoring line for the most part. The Hawks are coming off that emotional win over Westford, and if Dan Rowland (wrist) is healthy, they have a better shot, but right now, I'm calling it CM 5, Waltham 1.

That just about does it. See you at the games. Fire back if you want to by leaving a comment at the top, or email matthew_porter@emerson.edu.

The Globe's Amanda Bruno checks in with a recap after Milton skated past Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) in tournament action this afternoon:

girls' hockey > division 2
Milton 6, Notre Dame (Hingham) 2

MILTON -- Junior Mary Carmody sent a floater from the blue line early in the game that somehow found its way into the net, setting the tone as top-seeded Milton ousted No. 16 Notre Dame of Hingham, 6-2, in a Division 2 girls’ hockey first-round contest at Max Ulin Rink Thursday.

The Wildcats (15-0-3) will face eighth-ranked Braintree in the quarterfinals Sunday at UMass-Boston.

“Pretty much the game plan remains the same," said Milton coach Christine Gurskis. “I always tell the girls... one game at a time, one period at a time, one shift at a time, and don’t look too far ahead. The thing with the tournament is everybody starts off 0-0 again, a clean record, and on any given night anyone can win so you know they just have to play their game and pretty much nothing changes.”

Milton's game plan was to come out shooting and the Wildcats put up three quick goals on the board (scored by Carmody (goal, assist) and sophomores Katie Higgins and Brianna Kelly (goal, 2 assists).

The MIAA has released the times for Saturday's Super 8 action at the DCU Center in Worcester:

• 12:30 p.m. -- No. 3 St. John's Prep vs. No. 6 Malden Catholic
• 2:45 p.m. -- No. 2 Hingham vs. No. 7 Xaverian
• 5 p.m. -- No. 4 BC High vs. No. 5 Reading
• 7:15 p.m. -- No. 1 Catholic Memorial vs. No. 8 Waltham

Keep an eye on Super 8 Central for more tournament coverage.

The Globe's Amanda Bruno checks in with a recap of Austin Prep's 3-2 win over Arlington Catholic in a Division 1 girls' ice hockey battle:

girls' hockey > division 1
Austin Prep 3, Arlington Catholic 2

STONEHAM -- Austin Prep goalie Meghan Grant dived to her left and fell hard on the ice, not knowing the puck was in the middle of the crease.

There was 2:21 left in the game, and with Grant down, it appeared that Arlington Catholic was easily going to tie the score. As the Stoneham Arena crowd roared, all of the skaters on the ice hacked away in front of Grant until she finally got control and the whistle blew.

It was the last big scare for Grant, as seventh-ranked Austin Prep (15-3-3) held on to beat 10th-seeded Arlington Catholic, 3-2, and advance to the quarterfinals of the Division 1 girls’ hockey tournament.

‘‘It was definitely a risky play, I mean, you have to go all out when it’s something like that,’’ said Grant, who finished with 30 saves. ‘‘The defense did amazing today and everybody was just great.’’

The Catholic Conference rivals met in last year’s state title game with Arlington Catholic getting the upper hand.

‘‘Arlington Catholic is an amazing team and they’re very classy and we love playing them,’’ said Grant. ‘‘It’s a great time.’’