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New format, same intensity. Here's what you need to know about the girls hockey semifinals

eric rueb, the providence journal
·6 min read

It’s a new day for the Rhode Island Interscholastic League hockey playoffs.

The boys and girls semifinals are to take place at Providence College’s Schneider Arena this weekend — the girls play Friday night and the Division I and II boys teams are to play on Sunday — in a format the league is trying for the first time.

Gone are the traditional best-of-three series for the semifinals and finals. Instead, the RIIL has adopted the NCAA Frozen Four format, where teams will play single-elimination games in the semifinals and finals to determine the champions.

Is it good? Is it bad? Rhode Islanders hate change more than anyone, so we won’t really have an answer until the games are finished. Either way, the pressure is going to be high and the intensity in the crowds at Schneider will be palpable.

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Smithfield's Kaylin O'Connor, left, and Keira Goffe hope to be celebrating this weekend during the girls hockey state tournament playoffs.
Smithfield's Kaylin O'Connor, left, and Keira Goffe hope to be celebrating this weekend during the girls hockey state tournament playoffs.

To get you caught up with what’s going on, The Providence Journal has preview capsules for the semifinal series with information you’ll want to know before the teams take the ice — and who we think will end up playing for a title next week.

No. 1 La Salle vs. No. 4 South County

WHEN: Friday, 5:30 p.m.

LEAGUE RECORD: La Salle 13-0-1, South County 9-4-1

PREVIOUS MATCHUPS: La Salle swept the season series, defeating South County, 3-1, on Jan. 22 and 4-3 on Feb. 1.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: La Salle earned a bye into the semifinals; South County swept No. 5 Mount St. Charles, 3-0 and 6-1, in the quarterfinals.

Can Adriana Dooley and the La Salle girls hockey team reclaim the title that was taken from them last season? The Rams will try to get a step closer Friday when they play No. 4 South County in the RIIL Girls Hockey State Tournament semifinals.
Can Adriana Dooley and the La Salle girls hockey team reclaim the title that was taken from them last season? The Rams will try to get a step closer Friday when they play No. 4 South County in the RIIL Girls Hockey State Tournament semifinals.

TOTAL TITLES: La Salle 9 (7 State, 1 Division I, 1 Division II), South County 1 (State).

LAST SEMIFINAL APPEARANCE: In 2022, No. 1 La Salle swept No. 4 East Bay (2-0, 5-1) in the state tournament; in 2022, No. 3 South County lost to No. 2 Burrillville in three games (2-1, 4-5, 4-3), in the state tournament.

LAST SEMIFINAL WIN: In 2022, No. 1 La Salle swept No. 4 East Bay (2-0, 5-1) in the state tournament; in 2017, No. 2 South County beat No. 3 East Bay in three games (2-4, 3-1, 5-4) in the state semifinals.

HEAD COACHES: La Salle — Sean McNamara, 12th season; South County — Tom McCarthy, first season

PROBABLE STARTERS: La Salle — Adriana Dooley, C, Sr.; Sofia Calabro, RW, Sr.; Taylor Philips, LW, Fr.; Maeve Kelly, D, So.; Julia LaForge, D, So.; Kate Grivers, G, Sr.; South County — Jade Shabo, South County, Sr.; Samantha Haun, LW, So.; Virginia Osgood, RW, Jr.; Michaela Bucci, D, Jr.; Anna-Katja Keegan, D, Jr.; Meredith Mason, G, Sr.

KEY RESERVES: La Salle — Eliza Barker, C, So.; Maddie Bradley, LW, So.; Ana Lamoriello, C, So.; Bridie Murphy, RW, Fr.; Shannon Shea, D, Fr.; Sophia Welch, D, Jr.; Ava Zoppo, G, So.; South County — Payton Abrams, LW, Fr.; Lauren Avedisian, D, So.; Eva Board, D, So.; Julianna Bucci, C, Jr.; Amelie Gregoire, RW, Sr.; Bailey Kent, D, Fr.

BREAKDOWN: Losing last year was exactly the fire La Salle needed because it has been a force for most of the season. The Rams were handed a 2-2 tie with Smithfield on Dec. 18 and since then have been lights out. La Salle tested itself in several out-of-state games against high-caliber opponents and since the tie, have dominated every team — except one. That team? South County, which lost a tough 3-1 matchup on Jan. 22 and nearly had the Rams in a 4-3 loss on Feb. 1. The Storm is one of the few teams with more experience than the Rams and, while La Salle’s depth might come into play, in a winner-take-all game, depth might not matter. South County won’t be the favorite in this one, but in a one-game series, anything can happen.

THE PICK: La Salle

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The Burrillville/Ponaganset/Bay View Co-op (BPB) girls hockey team looks to the stands to acknowledge their family and friends to help celebrate their Division 1 Girls hockey Championship win over La Salle Academy 3-2 at Providence College's Schneider Arena.
The Burrillville/Ponaganset/Bay View Co-op (BPB) girls hockey team looks to the stands to acknowledge their family and friends to help celebrate their Division 1 Girls hockey Championship win over La Salle Academy 3-2 at Providence College's Schneider Arena.

No. 2 Smithfield vs. No. 3 Burrillville

WHEN: Friday, 8 p.m.

LEAGUE RECORD: Smithfield 10-2-2, Burrillville 10-4-0

PREVIOUS MATCHUPS: The teams split their home games, with Burrillville defeating Smithfield, 3-0, on Jan. 20, and the Sentinels returning the favor against the Broncos, 4-1, on Feb. 2.

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Smithfield earned a bye into the semifinals; Burrillville swept Warwick, 5-0 and 5-0, in the quarterfinals.

TOTAL TITLES: Smithfield 1 (Division II), Burrillville 4 (the current Burrillville/Bay View/Ponaganset co-op won one state title; Bay View won three state titles before it joined the co-op).

LAST SEMIFINAL APPEARANCE: In 2022, No. 1 Smithfield swept No. 4 Cranston in the Division II semifinals; in 2022, No. 2 Burrillville defeated No. 3 South County in three games (2-1, 4-5, 4-3) in the State semifinals.

LAST SEMIFINAL WIN: In 2022, No. 1 Smithfield swept No. 4 Cranston in the Division II semifinals; in 2022, No. 1 Smithfield swept No. 4 Cranston in the Division II semifinals.

HEAD COACHES: Smithfield — Kerri Nadeau, sixth season; Burrillville — Cortney Lacey, ninth season.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Smithfield — Keira Goffe, C, So.; Suzanne LaFlamme, RW, So.; Kaylin O’Connor, LW, So.; Lauren Falls, D, Sr.; Quinn Faria, D, Jr.; Ava Porter, G, So.; Burrillville — Allie Trimble, C, Senior; Emily Allard, RW, Sr.; Maggie Buffery, LW, Fr.; Sarah Anderson, D, Jr.; Kayley Thibodeau, D, Sr.; Paige Almon, G, Sr.

KEY RESERVES: Smithfield — Ashley Brousseau, C, Fr.; Lila Stilley, C, Fr.; Alyssa DiMaria, LW, Jr.; Ginger Dow, LW, So.; Meghan Falls, D, So.; Ava Lourenco, C, Fr.; Ava Pomposelli, RW, Sr.; Camylle Ursillo, D, So.; Burrillville — Morgan Charette, F, Jr.; Hannah Nelson, F, Fr.; Katie Potter, D, Sr.; Victoria Steele, F, Fr.

OUTLOOK: Burrillville, last year’s state champion, takes on Smithfield, last year’s Division II champ whose players believed it was the best team in the state. It’s an intriguing matchup, for sure, especially in light of the Broncos trouncing the Sentinels, 3-0, on Jan. 20, only to have Smithfield return the favor 13 days later with a 4-1 win on Feb. 2. Smithfield is led by All-Stater Keira Goffe, one of the state’s most dangerous offensive weapons, and the co-op with Moses Brown (Coventry is also a part) sees several members of the Quakers’ state-championship field hockey team taking the ice, giving the Sentinels an understanding of how to play when the light’s shine their brightest. Allie Trimble dominated the state playoffs last year and Burrillville — which co-ops with Bay View and Ponaganset — will lean on her to do the same, but the Broncos’ experience and championship pedigree might be a difference-maker.

THE PICK: Smithfield

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Friday's RIIL girls hockey semifinals previews by Providence Journal