Billy Vizzo, a New Haven Register All-State and All-Area hockey selection season as a Notre Dame-West Haven junior forward, will be leaving the area to play for the Bay State Breakers (Rockland, Mass.) of the United States Premier Hockey League. The USPHL, an Under-20 league, replaces the Eastern Junior Hockey League.
"I'm looking forward to it," Vizzo said. "I'll be leaving at the end of the month and finish my senior year in high school at one of the local high schools near Boston. The Connecticut Yankees will have a team in the league based out of Stamford so I'll get to play in Connecticut a few times during the season."

SCC DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 1 Fairfield Prep (19-1) vs. No. 2 Notre Dame-West Haven (15-4-1)

WHEN: Wednesday, 8 p.m.

WHERE: Quinnipiac’s High Solutions Arena, Hamden

ON THE AIR: The game will be broadcast live at CPTV Sports and on WELI-960, 960WELI.com, iheart radio.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The two best teams in the state face off for the third time this season. Both teams are strong in every phase of the game.

The Jesuits have depth at goalie with Matt Beck, Chris Gutierrez and Jack Taubl with Beck likely to start tonight. The on-ice defense is led by Sean Henry, Kevin Brown and Andrew Hatton. There is a long list of quick, high-scoring forwards led by David White (19 goals, 24 assists), Connor Henry (15 goals, 18 assists), Nick Bargiello (eight goals, 19 assists), Matt Wikman (14 goals, 10 assists) and Dean Lockery of New Haven (11 goals, 11 assists). Notre Dame-West Haven is led between the pipes by Luc Amatruda of North Haven and Paul Sliwinski of Guilford with Amatruda the likely starter tonight. Darren Capobianco of Branford, Cameron Hotchkiss of West Haven and Lou Iannotti of Durham are among the deeply talented defensemen. The fast-paced balanced offense is led by Bill Vizzo of Shelton (24 goals, 26 assists), Greg Zullo of Branford (11 goals, 22 assists), Ryan Lynch of Milford (seven goals, 13 assists), Kyle Thibault of Guilford (nine goals, seven assists) and Kyle Lynch of Milford (eight goals, eight assists).

CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES: Notre Dame makes its fourth SCC Division I championship appearance and Fairfield Prep makes its third appearance. Notre Dame won a title in 1999 and Prep won in 1997. The SCC Division I tournament was held from 1997-99 and discontinued until this season.

YOU SHOULD KNOW: Fairfield Prep defeated Notre Dame 3-1 and 1-0 in the regular season.

— Dan Nowak

The CIAC Ice Hockey Committee's plan to restructure the boys' hockey divisions in an effort to save the sport's third division has become a hot topic among the state's coaches, players and parents.
Yours truly has been invited by George "Coach" DeMaio to appear on his Saturday morning radio sports talk show at 7:35 a.m. on 960 WELI to discuss the new plan that calls for an elite 12-team Division I format. The show is also streamlined at 960WELI.com.
You can read my update story with reaction from coaches plus my own personal analysis of the issue at the links below:

http://bit.ly/X3pJXg

http://bit.ly/14RNhlw

Harbor Yard Sports and Entertainment made it official today (Friday) and announced the top-ranked Fairfield Prep boys’ hockey team will play No. 7 Hamden at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport on Feb. 2 at 1 p.m.

The venue has hosted several boys' basketball and boys' hockey games in recent years. Hamden coach Bill Verneris always looks forward to giving his team the opportunity to play at a high-profile site like Webster Bank Arena.
"Playing at a rink like Webster Bank Arena is great for high school hockey," Verneris said. "It's exciting for the fans and it's exciting for the players."
In a prepared statement, Howard Saffan, president of Harbor Yard Sports and Entertainment, which manages Webster Bank Arena, said, "Fans have been enjoying our high school sporting events this season. This game will surely be one of the most exciting."
The Jesuits are 11-0 and the Green Dragons are 5-5-1.
Tickets for the event are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and children age 12 and under. Tickets are available at the Webster Bank Arena Click It Or Ticket Box Office on gameday.



HOCKEY STANDINGS
SCC DIVISION I
School Conf. Overall
Hamden 2-0-1 5-5-1
Xavier 1-0-1 7-4-1
West Haven 2-1 4-7
East Haven 2-1 5-2-1
Fairfield Prep 0-0 11-0
Notre Dame-WH 0-0 8-2
North Haven 0-2 3-6-2
Cheshire 0-3 1-10

From staff reports
Hand boys’ hockey coach Mark Andreucci has resigned from coaching and former coach Brian Courtmanche has taken over for the rest of the season.
According to Courtmanche, Andreucci was suspended from coaching for using non-student players in a junior varsity game and he decided to resign on Thursday (Feb. 2).
Courtmanche, who coached Hand prior to Andreucci, returned to coaching on Wednesday and earned an 8-2 win over Lyman Hall.

Quinnipiac University's TD Bank Sports Center will host "Neighborhood Night" on Wednesday (Jan. 4) with a boys' and girls' hockey tripleheader. The Cheshire boys' hockey team will face SCC foe No. 3 Notre Dame-West Haven at 3 p.m., followed by the Hamden girls' hockey team against SCC foe Guilford at 5 p.m. The No. 2 Hamden boys' hockey team concludes the event with a game against No. 1 Fairfield Prep at 7 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the TD Bank Sports Center ticket office at 203-582-3905 or by visiting the arena at 305 Sherman Ave., Hamden, CT.