Sports
Tigers Vying for Third Straight Section Title
They plan on playing like two-time defending champs and see if someone can knock them off, the coach said.
Mamaroneck may have lost all six starters from last year's Division I state finalist team, but that doesn't mean they don't take their position as reigning sectional champions seriously.
"Chap [Coach Mike Chiapparelli] tells us all the time we are the sectional champs and someone has to take that from us," defenseman Sam Christiansen said. "We just have to fight hard and protect that championship."
The Tigers (17-3) will be the No. 2 seed in the Division I playoffs as they go for a third straight sectional title. They will have a first-round bye, and will face either the No. 7 or No. 10 seed Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. at Hommocks Ice Rink in the quarterfinals.
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"We plan on playing like the two-time defending champs and see if someone can knock us off," Chiapparelli said.
Despite leading scorer Joe Naclerio suffering a concussion, Mamaroneck finished the season with wins over Section 10 powers Salmon River (4-1) and Massena (5-1), who the Tigers have faced in the state quarterfinals each of the past two seasons.
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"We had a good weekend upstate, things started to click a little better, and we're definitely going into the playoffs with a positive view," Christiansen said.
The Tigers are known for their depth, and this year is no exception. With players returning from injury, Mamaroneck has three solid forward lines and six defensemen to start the playoff run.
The top line features big-time scorers Naclerio (48 points) and Matt Connor (43 points), along with top passer Dean Chiapparelli (25 assists). The second line has three forwards standing at least 6-foot-2, including 20-goal scorer Scott Hagen and juniors Michael Wojciechowski and David Dansky. The third line is centered by senior Conner Ferguson, with juniors Sean Donaghy and Craig Schiff on the wing.
On defense, the Tigers send out veterans Christiansen and Tim Taussig, backed up by Nick Plett, Luke Schanz, Josh Kriss and Jake Danahy.
Alex Harwood, who has given up exactly one goal in five of his last six games, starts in net.
Despite losing so much talent from last year, Mamaroneck opened the season with 10 straight wins.
"I thought a lot of people stepped up and I'm proud of that," Christiansen said.
The Tigers lost two straight games in overtime at home to Suffern and White Plains, and then won another four in a row before losing at Suffern 10-0.
Suffern is ranked third in the state (Mamaroneck is fifth) and will be the top seed, so it seems a third straight sectional title will go through them. But despite getting swept in the season series, including the blowout loss in the second game, the Tigers expect a different result when it really counts.
"I think we're playing well as a team; we're pretty focused," Chiapparelli said. "We tell the kids the first 20 games is a preseason. The season starts in the playoffs-that's the only thing people will remember anyway."
