By Joshua Boyd
The Northern Cyclones won the New England Division Championship on April 12, propelling them into the Dineen Cup Championship series for the first time.
The Cyclones have been among the final four teams standing, as they were semifinalists in 2019, and they’re excited to be among the same number of teams all in one place – the Ice Vault in Wayne, N.J. – all with an equal chance at the Dineen Cup.
“We are excited for the Dineen Cup. It’s the goal for every team at the beginning of the season and we are looking forward to it,” said Cyclones General Manager and Assistant Coach Bill Weiand. “Making it to the Dineen Cup says that we continue to do things the right way and continue to be successful.”
The Cyclones have not changed their practice or preparation, because as the old saying goes, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”
“The schedule has been normal. We have been doing exactly what has always worked for us,” said Weiand. “We skate and practice each day and we have kept the normal schedule that we have had all year. We haven’t changed anything the last two weeks since clinching a spot at the Dineen Cup.”
The Cyclones drew the No. 2 seed as the New England Champions, and as the division champion with the second best winning percentage during the season (after the No. 1 seed Idaho Falls Spud Kings). They are coming off of a 37-11-4-2 record, and a pair of playoff series wins against the Utica Jr. Comets and South Shore Kings.
The Cyclones will be going up against the Mercer Chiefs, who won the Atlantic Division Championship, after coming back from being down 2-0, and claimed the No. 3 seed in the Dineen Cup Championships. The Cyclones and Chiefs did not see each other this year, after they split a pair of showcase games in 2023-24. Mercer and the Cyclones will see a Friday night puck drop of 7:30 p.m.
“They are a strong team that plays at a good pace and they skate very well. They have proven they are a resilient team with them coming back in their last series,” said Weiand. “They are playing with a lot of confidence this time a year and we will need to be ready for everything.”
The Cyclones were led offensively this past year by Michael Markowski (52 points) and Ian Duffy (50 points), while getting terrific goaltender performances all year from both Paul Dalessio and Logan Abric. In the playoffs, Keenan Schneider has led with nine points in eight games, followed by Markowski, Aidan Petroff and Alex LoGuercio, with eight points apiece.
“We have seen contributions from everyone so far this playoffs. All of our D have stepped up at different times and every line has had their impactful moments,” said Weiand. “Our depth is something that has really helped us this year especially in the playoffs. Both goalies have been playing great for us this playoffs as well.”
