MIAA girls hockey teams ready to go

The 2014 MIAA Division 1 Girls Ice Hockey state tournament pairings were revealed this past weekend, and there will be no shortage of story lines amongst the three local teams that cracked the field of 24.A year after earning the four-seed before embarking on a state-championship run, St. Mary?s will attack the postseason from the other end of the spectrum.The Spartans (10-6-6) will be the No. 15 seed, and meet Hingham, a very familiar opponent, in the preliminary round on Wednesday at Connery Rink.?We always seem to find each other in the tournament,” said St. Mary?s coach Frank Pagliuca of the No. 18 Harborwomen. “We have seen them about 16 times in the past six or seven years and are very evenly matched.”The teams have met twice this season, the first a 2-1 home win for the Spartans in early January before a 2-2 tie in Hingham last Thursday that saw the hosts stage a late rally.Although Pagliuca refuses to look past Wednesday, the Spartans? would-be consolation prize for a victory would be a meeting with No. 2 Beverly/Danvers.The Panthers finished the season at 17-2-2 and earned a much-deserved opening round bye. Coach Brian Seabury and Co. won?t open tournament play until Saturday, March 1, at Salem State (Time: TBA).?We?re in a tough section of the bracket so it?s nice getting the bye and some time to rest up,” explained Seabury. “The pairings are what they are, though. You?ll have to play the good teams at some point so we?ll just have to come ready to play.”Whichever team prevails from the aforementioned scrum will face the winner of the first-round meeting between No. 7 Reading (bye) and whoever prevails from the No. 10 Austin Prep vs. No. 23 Masconomet preliminary on Tuesday.In the bottom half of the same side of the bracket is No. 6 Winthrop/Lynn, who also played its way to an opening round pass after a 13-3-2 season.When the Bulldogs do take to the ice at Larsen Arena on Saturday, it will be against the victor of the No. 11 Braintree and No. 22 Chelmsford game.Coach Anthony Martucci is happy with the bye, which will allow him and his coaching staff to evaluate both of their potential opponents on Tuesday night.?We?re definitely planning on getting to the game and seeing how it unfolds,” said Martucci. “That?s just one of the advantages of having the first round off. It?s always great to open up with a home game.”The Bulldogs went 9-1-2 on home ice this season.A victory would propel Winthrop/Lynn to the quarterfinals, where it would play either No. 3 Arlington Catholic or the winner of the No. 14 Westford vs. No. 19 Needham preliminary on Tuesday.