New York high school hockey

Ice hockey is a popular and growing sport in the state of New York. 151 high schools field sanctioned varsity teams competing in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association. 76 club and non-sanctioned New York High School Hockey teams compete in New York State Amateur Hockey Association.

The sanctioned teams compete from end of November till Mid-March with maximum number of practices and games. These teams are divided into two divisions, I and II. Each based on strength of program and considered "rolling" divisions allowing teams to switch divisions each year. The sanctioned Varsity teams are divided into sections used by every sport under NYSPHSAA; Sections I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, IX, and X. Each section has different sets of rules for eligibility of Catholic teams to participate in the State Tournament. Sections I and VI do not allow Catholic schools to compete for the Public State Tournament.

NYSAHA is the New York state affiliate of USA Hockey. The "club" teams are divided into two divisions, large school and small school. Each section is divided into four regions East, West, Central, and North who all follow the NYSAHA Guidebook for state bound eligibility. The majority of the teams come from Long Island, Broome County, Hudson Valley, and Western New York. The non-sanctioned Club teams are divided into sections used by all amateur hockey teams under the NYSAHA umbrella. NYSAHA has set guidelines on the state bound teams and depending on the number of teams' from each section that are state bound determine how many teams' from each section will attend the three-day state tournament for large and small school tournament. Eight teams participate in three-day state tournament at host-city in a point system to determine the top four teams to compete in semi-finals and then eventually the State championship.

The non-sanctioned teams have no official start and stop date and no limit on the minimum and maximum of games. West Section begins league play around the end of November and end the season in March. East, Central, and North sections compete from September till the end of March.

NYSPHSAA, each section has different sets of rules for eligibility of Catholic teams to participate in the State Tournament. Section I and VI do not allow Catholic schools to compete for the Public State Tournament. The Catholic schools from Section I and VI meet in Catholic High School State Athletic Association one game championship. NYSPHSAA has pre-determined state tournament brackets with each section sending one team per section and at-large teams in one-game elimination. The Final Four for Divisions I, and II were played in Utica, New York's Memorial Auditorium for many years until recently when they have been held at the HarborCenter in Buffalo, New York.

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