One of the most exciting times of every high school hockey season is the time right around the holidays, when a host of annual Christmas and memorial tournaments take place across the state.
It all gets started Monday evening, when the St. Mary’s boys hockey team travels to Valley Forum in Medford for the return of the annual Christie Serino Christmas Tournament. The Spartans took home the title the last time the event was held in 2019, when they shut out Malden Catholic behind a stellar performance in net from Sal Caruso and a two-goal, one-assist performance from then-freshman Brady Bullock. St. Mary’s, which has started the young season off at 3-0-1 to this point, will start things off with an opening-round game against Austin Prep Monday evening (5).
Swampscott, which won its first game in 661 days last Thursday, is also looking to repeat as tournament champion when it heads to Connery Rink in Lynn for the annual Lynn Christmas Tournament. The Big Blue knocked off Amesbury to take the crown last time, but this year Swampscott will have to get through the Lynn Jets and then either Hamilton-Wenham or Rockport to make it back-to-back titles.
The Lynn Jets are also coming off of their first win in more than two years a week ago, and they’re hoping that the momentum from that will help carry the Jets to a win over the Big Blue.
Swampscott and Lynn will start things off with a battle Monday evening (6).
Saugus isn’t in the hunt to repeat, but nevertheless the Sachems will be back in action Monday night at Veterans Memorial Rink in Haverhill for the Hillies Christmas Tournament. Saugus will be playing an unfamiliar foe in Winnacunnet — a public school from Hampton, N.H. — in the first round Monday night (7), while the other side of the bracket will feature defending champion Wilmington against North Andover.
Bishop Fenwick doesn’t get its tournament play started until Tuesday, but it will be an exciting start. The Crusaders will travel into Boston for a game at Warrior Ice Arena for the opening round of the Catholic Memorial Christmas Tournament against Bishop Feehan Tuesday afternoon (2).
One team that already hit the ice was the Marblehead boys hockey team, which dropped the puck on the first round of the Cape Ann Savings Bank Tournament Sunday night at Talbot Rink in Gloucester. Marblehead fell to the Fishermen 5-2, meaning that it will play against Beverly in the consolation game of the tournament Monday evening (6).
But unfortunately, not all teams were able to get in their tournament play this holiday season. For the Lynnfield boys hockey team, which was set to play in the annual Michael “Gio” Giordano Christmas Classic at Murphy Rink in South Boston starting Sunday, COVID once again reared its ugly head. The public schools of Boston shut down all athletics until after Jan. 1, ending the tournament before it could even begin.