1/8--The Preview

Divisional Championship Game: Howell Rebels (7-1-3) at Freehold Township Patriots (7-2-1)
Tomorrow, the Howell Rebels and Freehold Township Patriots will face-off in a one game, winner-takes-all Shore 'C' division championship game. Instead of the traditional X-Factors that I include, I will instead go in depth on the two most important match-ups in this championship game.
Matchup #1: Howell goalie vs Zach Roy. The reason I did no specify in Howell's goalie is because it is still uncertain. I am leaning towards Kyle Conrad to get the nod for the Rebels, who has looked impressive in his four starts since Zack Peras went down two weeks ago. Although Patriots goalie Zach Roy got nailed with a L vs Howell in the first game, he face upward of 40 shots, and was extremely sharp against the highly touted Rebels offense. The junior goalie will have to be spectacular again if he wants Freehold Township to have a chance to overtake Howell as the Shore 'C' Division champs.
Matchup #2: Brandon Hodes vs John Talamo. In the first game, Hodes shadowed #17 John Talamo all game, as the leading scorer for the Patriots was shut down, not able to register a point as he watched his Patriots fall 2-1 to the Rebels. Talamo will have to make an impact, whether it be a goal or an assist, in round two of this rivalry. Hodes is one of the best skaters on the Rebels and will need to duplicate his performance from the first game--even if that means throwing a Patriot into the crossbar again. This matchup will be fun to watch all night, and will play a major factor in the outcome of this game.
The Outcome: The Howell Rebels defeat Freehold Township Patriots 7-3 (Yes, you read that correctly). Motivated by the negative talk towards there play, Howell will come out ready and loaded and will score early and often on Freehold Township. The constant pressure will be too much for Zach Roy and the Pats defense to handle, and Howell will be crowned division champs for back-to-back seasons.