SHP Faces A Daunting Task
Vs. Bosco In Gordon Playoffs

Seton Hall Prep has played a solid brand of hockey, including a noteworthy stretch of late-season victories; however, the Pirates face a daunting task when the Gordon Cup playoffs get underway 7:15 p.m. Monday (Feb. 9) vs. No. 2 ranked Don Bosco Prep at Ice Vault in Wayne.

The Ironmen (16-3-1) defeated SHP, 4-1, in late regular season action on Wednesday, Feb. 4, after jumping off to a 2-0 first period lead.

The New Jersey Interscholastic Ice Hockey League seeded all seven of its playoff brackets on Friday (Feb. 6) for the Gordon, McInnis, Kelly and McMullen divisions for the boys, and the Annis, Cohen and Librera divisions for the girls. All Cup finals will be played at the Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange.

Coach Brian Monteverdi’s SHP icemen (9-9, 6-2) are the No. 7 seed in a very formidable Gordon Cup playoff field headed by top-ranked and No. 1 seeded Delbarton.

The Pirates have been led by its top two scorers, junior forwards Dylan Mesler (15 goals, 13 assists) and Christian Jaworski (11 goals, 15 assists) along with steady sophomore goaltender Cayden Hoyler, who had 30 saves.

SHP has notched late, regular season wins, including Jan. 19 vs. a strong St. Augustine tean, which is the No. 4 seed in the Gordon Cup playoffs, along with a 3-2 victory over Malvern (Pa.) Prep on Jan. 29, and a 9-3 triumph vs. St. Peter's Prep on Feb. 2.

Looking at the Gordon Cup playoffs, in the other quarterfinal in the lower side of the bracket it will be sixth-seeded Princeton Day School at third-seeded St. Joseph of Montvale (4:55 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Sport-O-Rama in Monsey N.Y.

The Gordon Cup semifinals are set for Wednesday, Feb. 11, with the final, 8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Codey Arena.

Top-seeded and defending champion Westfield is the team to beat in the McInnis Cup playoffs where second-seeded Livingston should be the prime challenger despite dropping two regular season games to the Blue Devils.

The Lancers will meet the survivor of Monday’s quarterfinal between 6-Cranford and 3-Governor Livingston/New Providence at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Codey Arena.

Fifth-seeded Summit meets fourth-seeded West Essex/Caldwell, 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 9, in their quarterfinal contest with the winner then meeting top-seeded Westfield, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Warinanco Ice Skaing Center in Roselle.

The McInnis Cup final is set for 5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Codey Arena.

In the Kelly Cup playoffs fifth-seeded Montclair Kimberley Academy is at fourth-seeded Glen Rock, Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the Ice House, while sixth-seeded Nutley/Bloomfield/Columbia takes on third-seeded, 8 p.m., Monday (Feb. 9) at Codey Arena. Seventh-seeded Montclair faces the second-seeded Frisch School, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10, at MacKay Ice Rink in Englewood.

Top-seeded and defending champion Scotch Plains will meet the MKA-Glen Rock winner in the semifinals, 3 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Warinanco rink.

The Kelly Cup final is 8 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Codey Arena.

In the McMullen Cup, fifth-seeded Bayonne takes on fourth-seeded Millburn, 4 p.m., Monday (Feb. 9) at Codey Arena, while sixth-seeded Hoboken takes on third-seeded Johnson, 6 p.m., Monday, at the the Warinanco rink.

Oratory Prep is the No. 1 seed and West Orange is the No. 2 seed. The Mountaineers will meet the Hoboken-Johnson survivor, 4 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Codey Arena which is also where the 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17, McMullen Cup final will be held.

In the Annis Cup playoffs Hoboken is the No. 1 seed and Morristown is No. 2. Newark East Side is the No. 6 seed and meets third-seeded Cranford, 3 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the Warinanco rink with the winner facing Morristown, 3:45 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Mennen Arena in Morris Township.

The Annis Cup final is scheduled for 7:30 p.m, Thursday, Feb. 19, at Codey Arena.

Trinity Hall is the No. 1 seed in the Cohen Cup playoffs with Chatham No. 2.

The Cohen Cup final is set for 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19, at Codey Arena, while the Librera Cup playoffs, with No. 1 seeded Morristown-Beard and No. 2 Princeton Day School, at the top of the field, have their playoff final slated for 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19, at Codey Arena.   

NJIHL 2026 Cup Dates:
Quarterfinals: by Tuesday, Feb. 10; semifinals: by Thursday, Feb. 12

Finals, all at Codey Arena:
Tuesday, Feb. 17: McMullen 5:30 p.m.; Kelly, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 18: McInnis, 5:30 p.m.; Gordon, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 19:., Cohen, 4:30 p.m.; Librera, 6 p.m.; Annis, 7:30 p.m