This is the second installment of the 2025-26 Western Massachusetts Boys Hockey Top 10. Pope Francis, though, competes in the Independent Division. So they won’t be a part of this project. But the rankings will be updated weekly throughout the winter regular season.
Previous Rankings: Dec. 11
- Minnechaug (3-0, No. 7)
- Longmeadow (2-0, No. 6)
- East Longmeadow (1-1, No. 3)
- Westfield (0-1, No. 2)
- Greenfield (0-2, No. 1)
- West Springfield (1-2, No. 5)
- Ludlow (1-1, No. 4)
- Easthampton (2-0, No. 9)
- Amherst (1-1, No. 8)
- Chicopee (0-1-1, NR)
It has been an exciting start to the winter season, as most teams are still getting their skates under their feet after the loss of premier upperclassmen across the region.
But despite that situation, it has still been fun to watch different players grow into their new roles. And one team that has continued to impress throughout the area is East Longmeadow.
After being narrowly defeated in its season opener on the road against North Middlesex last weekend, the Spartans responded as they held on to defeat Greenfield in a back-and-forth battle for their first win.
East Longmeadow scored three of the four combined first-period goals before the Green Wave countered with two more in the second to cut their deficit to one as both teams entered the final period. It wasn’t enough, though, as Cody Shaw scored the eventual game-winning goal with fewer than four minutes left in regulation.
The Spartans improved their record to 1-1 behind the outcome. But earning their second-season victory won’t be easy, as East Longmeadow is scheduled to compete against crosstown rival Longmeadow on Saturday inside Olympia Rink at 6:30 p.m.
Another team fans should focus on is Minnechaug.
For the first time since 2022, the Falcons claimed their first three games of the season. And during that year, Minnechaug won its first four games en route to an impressive 13-8 record. Amidst the Falcons’ first three games, they have defeated Taconic, Ludlow, and West Springfield by a combined margin of 25-4.
“It’s just the depth,” Minnechaug coach Kyle Bousquet said. “We have depth this year, which is something that we haven’t always had, so it’s nice to be able to have four lines that can contribute… Today was a team effort all around. Everybody contributed; everybody who stepped on the ice did something positive.
“We know what we have in terms of guys who can produce, and I think it’s just every line competing. Every time we step on the ice is an opportunity for us to get better as a team.”
The Falcons’ schedule doesn’t get easier, though, as they are set to complete the weekend inside Olympia Rink against division rival Westfield on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. It will surely be a must-see game for fans, as the Bombers were narrowly defeated in their season opener by Longmeadow in a high-scoring match on Thursday.
Though Chicopee is still searching for its first-season win, it earned the No. 10 spot on our list this week. Under first-year coach Todd Diederich, the Pacers earned a 3-3 stalemate against Northbridge during their season-opener last week.
But after suffering their first loss against Oliver Ames on Wednesday, Chicopee will search for its first season win against Amherst inside Fitzpatrick Rink on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Other essential games to watch during the third week are a premier game between multiple Berry conference rivals in Westfield and East Longmeadow on Tuesday inside Cyr Arena at 2 p.m.
Pope Francis will then compete against Central Catholic on Friday at Essex Sports Center, with puck drop scheduled for 1:10 p.m., while Longmeadow and Ludlow will compete against each other inside Olympia Rink on the same date at 7:10 p.m.
And to complete the weekend, West Springfield is scheduled to host Greenfield at Olympia Rink on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., while there will also be a Battle of the Berkshires between Taconic and McCann Tech on the same date from Veterans Rink at 7 p.m.
