Prestigious Lawrenceville Tournament scheduled to return this weekend

There are many highlight to the hockey season and the one that owns December is the Lawrenceville Invitational Tournament.

After a year hiatus the event, the 73rd, is scheduled to start on December 17 with games at the Big Red’s Loucks Ice Center and the Cure Insurance Arena.

This is and always has been the most prestigious prep school tournament in the Northeast at this time of the year.

“It’s always an unbelievable experience for our players, and community,” said Lawrenceville coach Keith Dupee. “To be hosting a tournament with 72 years of history is special. The number of players that have gone on to college and NHL success is impressive. It gives the current team an opportunity to see how this tournament can springboard them into opportunities at the next level while not losing focus on the present and competition they’ll face. “

There two-division, round robin event takes place on the 17th and the 18th with the final on Sunday the 19th.

The Bernard Division has Belmont Hill, Choate, Northfield Mount Hermon and Stanstead. The Schonheiter Division has Lawrenceville, Nichols, Taft and Upper Canada College.

The Big Red, which has made some impressive showings in the last several years will open with Upper Canada College following the Choate and Belmont Hill game, which is set for 1 p.m.

Lawrenceville, which is set to open the season on Saturday at Millbrook will have logged some ice time before the tourney.

Coming off a 5-4 win over Hun, the Big Red (2-2-1) is up to the challenge

“I do like our chances,” said Dupee. “We have a talented and deep group this year that has gotten better since the start of the season. We have had a nice road trip to New England, faced some adversity in games, and responded well to each challenge. They know that if they bring their best they have as good an opportunity as any other team here. That’s all that you can hope for as a coach when you put the final roster together in November.”

Dupee will look to defensemen Will Yee and Ken Baek to set the tempo and control the flow of play.

Senior forwards, AJ Maner, who has been very consistent in the early going, and Justin Solovey seems to be able to find the back of the net.

Eric Vivinetto, a junior, brings a lot of speed to the forward position.

Save The Date

One of Dan Bergan’s New Year’s Resolutions will be to snap a 10game losing streak to Princeton.

The veteran coach won’t have to wait long since the two face-off on Jan. 3 at the Mercer County Skating Center at 6 p.m.

The last Robbinsville/Allentown win was back in 2016 by a 3-1 scored. That games was followed by a pair of ties and then the Tigers went on a run.

Princeton is 6-1-1 and has won two straight since a 19-0 drubbing at the hands of Livingston.

Cooper Zullo and John Zammit have set the pace at Princeton with nine goals and 11 assists each.

JP Sferra has been on fire for the Ravens with 13 goals in five games for undefeated Robbinsville/Allentown (5-0).

There will be a lot settled that day in the CVC Colonial Division as Notre Dame (3-1) and Hopewell Valley/Montgomery (4-2) meet at 4 p.m.

ND has won three straight and is led by Will Celli with seven goals and Gavin Frith, a freshman, with seven tallies.

Hopewell Valley/Montgomery snapped a two-game losing skid with an impressive 9-3 win over Old Bridge.

HVM is led by Mike Boyer with six goals and Lucas Gaissert with nine points.