EJEPL Midget Playoff Preview
The EJEPL will begin its’ playoff season with an exciting weekend of 15 - 18U Diamond and Futures Division Playoff Championship matchups January 27-28, 2024. With a ‘one and done’ format in each of the divisions, this weekend is poised to be full of intense and emotional playoff hockey that will crown Champions in 8 different divisions. Teams have competed hard all season, playing a 20 game regular season to earn the right to make it to the playoffs to compete for the coveted EJEPL Championship Banner.
At Atlantic City Skate Zone in Atlantic City, NJ, there will be 3 Championships awarded. The 15 Diamond and both 16U Diamond 1 and 2 divisions will skate in hopes of capturing the ‘ship. In the 15 Diamond division, the Mid Hudson Polar Bears come in as the top seed and will face off against the Saugerties Mustangs. This division will also see the Long Island Gulls play the Wilmington (DE) Nighthawks in the other semi final. 16U Diamond Division 1 will feature the Reston Raiders, New York Stars, Snider Youth Hockey, and Long Beach Lightning. The Nassau County Lions, Red Bank Generals, Genesis Youth Hockey, and Wilmington (DE) Nighthawks will compete for the 16U Diamond Division 2 title.
The rest of the weekend’s title hopes will be competed for at IceWorks in Aston, PA. In the 16U Futures 1 Division the South Westchester Blackhawks lead the way as the number one seed. The New York City Cyclones, New York Stars, and Loudoun Knights round out the top 4. 16U Futures 2 will see the Long Beach Lightning and Peconic Wildcats - Martins receive a first round bye. Genesis Youth Hockey, Long Island Mustangs, Pelham Pelicans, and Delaware Blue Hens will finalize the Elite 6 playoff field.
In the 18U divisions, a total of 14 teams will continue their title chase this coming weekend. In the 18U Diamond Division 1 the Reston Raiders, Red Bank Generals, Mid Hudson Polar Bears, and Long Island Gulls will all vie for the title. In the 18U Diamond Division 1A, Genesis Youth Hockey - Tye and Long Island Edge will automatically make the semi finals, earning a first round bye, while Cutting Edge King Cobras, Quakers Youth Hockey, Woodbridge Wolfpack, and Snider Youth Hockey will face off for the two remaining semi final spots. The contenders for the 18U Diamond Division 2 crown will be Red Bank Generals, Central Penn Panthers, New York City Cyclones, and Wilmington (DE) Nighthawks.
The fields are set, the stakes are high, and the teams will be competing at their top level to see who will be crowned EJEPL Champion for the 2023-2024 season.