PEMBROKE – The New England Future Stars is currently amidst their final bye week of the season, taking time off in celebration of this fine nation and our neighbors to the north. All team’s will return to the ice the week of July 6, marking the start of the season’s final leg, which means the league’s annual All-Star and Championship Weekends are right around the corner.
With the addition of the Girls Varsity Division, the league’s annual All-Star festivities will now be held over two days, July 11 and 12, at the Raynham IcePlex. As has become customary, each level will have an All-Star Game featuring two teams of 17 players each made up of some of the best talent the league has to offer, and an NHL-style Skills Challenge, in which teams of four players from each NEFS squad will face off to settle the debate of who has the most talent?
The Squirt, Peewee and Bantam Divisions will start the weekend with their respective events on Saturday, with the Girls U14, Girls Varsity and Varsity Divisions on Sunday as follows:
Squirt Division
Skills Challenge - 9 a.m.
All-Star Game - 10:10 a.m.
Peewee Division
Skills Challenge - 11:30 a.m.
All-Star Game - 12:40 p.m.
Bantam Division
Skills Challenge - 2 p.m.
All-Star Game - 3:10 p.m.
Girls U14 Division
Skills Challenge - 9 a.m.
All-Star Game - 10:10 a.m.
Girls Varsity Division
Skills Challenge - 11:30 a.m.
All-Star Game - 12:40 p.m.
Varsity Division
Skills Challenge - 2 p.m.
All-Star Game - 3:10 p.m.
Once the All-Star break is over, NEFS teams will be making a mad dash to the finish with just four games remaining in the regular season. There is plenty of jockeying to be done in the standings as teams across the league clamber to get into their division’s respective Gold Cup Championship, the field for which has expanded this season. At the Squirt, Peewee and Bantam levels, the top five teams will now be in the hunt for their division’s top prize.
Championship Weekend kicks off on August 14 with Play-In Friday and ends with the 2015 season on August 16. Various NEFS sites will be hosting games throughout the weekend, with specific times and matchups to be assigned as the weekend nears. Potential schedule as follows:
Play-In Friday
Squirt Match-ups
Gold Cup - 4 v 5 Silver Cup - 9 v 10
Peewee Match-ups
Gold Cup - 4 v 5 Silver Cup - 9 v 10
Bantam Match-ups
Gold Cup - 4 v 5 Silver Cup - 9 v 10
Girls U14 Match-ups
3 v 6 4 v 5
Girls Varsity Match-ups
3 v 6 4 v 5
Potential Locations:
Franklin, Taunton, Marlboro, Revere, Natick and Raynham
Semifinal Saturday
Squirt, Peewee and Bantam Match-ups
Gold Cup - 1 v (4v5) and 2 v 3
Silver Cup - 6 v (9v10) and 7 v 8
Varsity Match-ups
Gold Cup - 1 v 4 and 2 v 3
Silver Cup - 5 v 8 and 6 v 7
Girls U14 and Girls Varsity Match-ups
1 v lowest remaining seed
2 v highest remaining seed
Potential Locations:
Franklin, Taunton, Marlboro, Revere, Natick and Raynham
Championship Sunday
Raynham IcePlex, Raynham
Gold Cup Championships
Cronin Skating Rink, Revere
Silver Cup Championships