New Canaan Stays Near Top of Latest Ice Hockey Poll

NEW CANAAN, CT — A crazy week which saw the top seven ranked teams lose at least one game created a total shuffle in the latest state ice hockey poll of media and coaches.

Ridgefield High School jumped from eighth to first after defeating a pair of top 10 opponents, while two other teams entered the top 10 this week.

New Canaan claimed the number three ranking, up from seventh, by opening the season with four victories in five outings.

The top 10 rankings with records through Jan. 3:

1. Ridgefield (3-1)

2. Xavier (4-1)

3. New Canaan (4-1)

4. Northwest Catholic (6-0)

5. Fairfield Prep (3-2)

6. Suffield-Granby-Windsor Locks (6-0)

7. Hamden (3-2)

8. Darien (1-4)

9. (tie) East Haven (4-0)

9. (tie) Notre Dame-West Haven (1-4)

Also receiving votes: Simsbury (2-2), Glastonbury (3-3), Notre Dame-Fairfield (1-2-1), West Haven (2-1), Greenwich (1-3), Woodstock Academy (4-0).

Media voters: Dan Nowak, New Haven Register; Tim Jensen, Patch.com; Mike Fornabaio, Connecticut Post; Matt Conyers, Hartford Courant; Sean Patrick Bowley, GameTimeCT.com; Dan Nowak, New Haven Register; Don Boyle, SportingNewsCt.com; Greg Lederer, Cheshire Herald; Mike Madera, Elm City Newspapers; Peter Vander Veer, HAN Network; Jim Stout, MaxPreps.com Northeast Regional writer-editor.
Coaches: Matt Sather, Fairfield Prep; Nick Boorman, SGWL; Ken Barse, Glastonbury; Tim Belcher, Notre Dame-West Haven; Shaun Gallagher, Ridgefield; Larry Vieira, New Fairfield/Immaculate.

Patch file photo