Eastern Junior Hockey League

Boston, MA- The Eastern Junior Hockey League closed out September with three teams still undefeated but multiple surprising results.

The Boston Bandits had an excellent weekend, bagging two wins starting with a 2-1 win over South Shore on Wednesday. The Bandits hit a bump in the road on Friday when they fell 3-2 to the Islanders, but rebounded for a 5-1 win over Bay State on Sunday.

Bay State picked up a split in their other two games over the weekend, downing the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs 6-3 before bowing 2-1 to the Junior Bruins.

The Connecticut Oilers picked up their first two EJHL wins over the weekend. The Oilers began the weekend on Long Island with a 2-1 win over Apple Core.  The team traveled home and received a rude welcome from the South Shore Kings on Saturday but turned the tables on Sunday for a 5-4 win.

Up in Rochester, the Stars and the Monarchs played to a split. The Monarchs arrived on Saturday and promptly skated to a 4-3 win, but the Stars took game two of the series 4-1.

The Valley Jr. Warriors continued their undefeated season with a sweep of New York Apple Core. Despite missing Ryan Fitzgerald and Devin Tringale, Valley opened with a 7-4 win on Saturday. The duo returned on Sunday and powered their teammates to a 6-2 victory.

The Springfield Pics traveled to Philadelphia for a two game set. On Saturday, the Pics stormed off to an early lead en route to a 5-2 win. Sunday’s tilt was nearly a mirror-image of the previous contest, as Philly struck first and ended on top 5-2.

The Jersey Hitmen invaded Portland and swept the Pirates, winning 5-2 on Saturday and 6-1 on Sunday.

WEEKEND PREVIEW: The Monarchs and the Bruins kick things off on Wednesday in Marlboro. The Bruins then travel to meet Oilers on Saturday, the Hitmen on Sunday, and Apple Core on Monday. The Hitmen and the Oilers play in Norwalk, CT, on Thursday. The South Shore Kings visit Apple Core for a weekend series. Springfield plays a pair in Kingston, MA, against Bay State. The Islanders travel to Philadelphia for two games against the Revolution. Valley will play a pair in Rochester against the Stars. The Boston Bandits visit Portland for two games against the Pirates and then stop in New Hampshire on Wednesday for a tilt with the Monarchs. The Hitmen host the Philadelphia Revolution on Wednesday night. All games will be broadcast on FastHockey.com.

COLLEGE COMMITMENTS: Chris Leblanc of the South Shore Kings has committed to Merrimack College for next year. The New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs’ Derek Freeman will play at Colgate University in the fall.

PROSPECTS UPDATE: Valley Jr. Warriors forward Ryan Fitzgerald was named the Most Valuable Player of the All-American Prospects Game on Saturday. Teammate Devin Tringale, Apple Core alum Steve Santini, and Junior Bruin Frank Vatrano also played in the game.
-Mike Klein, 3 October 2012