The New Year has turned. Holiday tournaments are in the rearview. Long layoffs are pretty much done across the board until the final week of the regular season, and league play is rolling in fast alongside premier measuring-stick matchups.

Now is the time identities start to settle in. So, these next two weeks are big road maps for what high school hockey teams around the state need in order to make a deep state tournament run.

With all that in mind, we’re here to show some of the matchups that intrigue us this week.

It’s almost embarrassing to say, but the crystal ball is in rare territory. Never before has it started with three strong weeks to float above a .750 win percentage. It’s always been a goal to finish above .700, but it’s always felt unrealistic, given the parity among top teams — and those are the games previewed in every crystal ball.

But here we are, with nine or more wins in each of our first three weeks. The average goal margin in the games we’re highlighting needs to improve (that figure is headed in the wrong direction), and unpredictability is only going to spike.

So far, we’re in a good spot. A host of dangerous teams will look to change that.

As a reminder, the crystal ball predicts games to watch for the week for the boys and the girls, along with the winner. Schools can only get one of their games picked in the same week, barring special exceptions. We DON’T have one of those exceptions this week.

Let’s get to it:

LAST WEEK’S RECORD: 9-4-3

OVERALL RECORD: 31-8-5 (.761)

AVERAGE MARGIN: 2.34 goals

**WINNERS in ALL-CAPS**

BOYS

MONDAY

HINGHAM at Catholic Memorial, 7 p.m. – Yet another edition of public versus private in a powerhouse matchup. First game for the defending Div. 1 state champion Knights (5-1-1) since dropping their first game of the year, allowing a season-high three goals to St. John’s of Shrewsbury. They again have one of the state’s top defenses, but Hingham’s (4-1-1) potent attack – with 6.6 goals per game – could be their toughest challenge yet.

WEDNESDAY

ST. JOHN’S PREP at St. John’s (S), 6 p.m. – St. John’s (5-2) started its Catholic Conference schedule with a 3-2 comeback win over Catholic Memorial, a statement that the Pioneers have the makeup to beat anyone. Handing the Eagles (4-0-2) their first loss, too, would be quite the early exclamation point. St. John’s Prep has been hard to outplay in the third period, though, and that’s when many of these Catholic Conference games are won.

Whitman-Hanson at KING PHILIP, 6 p.m. – A bit of a measuring stick for both in the Div. 2 field. Whitman-Hanson (4-3) entered the year with high expectations and has hit a groove on a three-game win streak. It’s now tested by a King Philip group (6-1) that’s had its foot on the gas from the start.

Arlington Catholic at ARCHBISHOP WILLIAMS, 7:10 p.m. — Arlington Catholic (5-2) is on a roll since a 1-2 start, gets its first Catholic Central League matchup since the opener. Archbishop Williams (4-3) has been up and down to start, but looks to continue its unbeaten mark in league play.

SATURDAY

Reading at ARLINGTON, 12:40 p.m. – Hard not to get excited about action in the cutthroat Middlesex League Liberty, and these two have been atop the league title race in each of the last couple years. Yet another top-10 matchup between the Div. 1 contending Spy Ponders (5-2) and Rockets (4-0-1) that could go either way. Flip a coin.

Wakefield at BURLINGTON, 2:15 p.m. – Wakefield (4-2) has something cooking early in its best start in the power rankings era, including a win over Woburn and an overtime loss to Div. 1 standout Winchester. It starts its Middlesex League Freedom schedule with major tests against Stoneham and Burlington (5-1). Opportunity for Wakefield to snowball its momentum, or for the Red Devils to further establish themselves as the early Freedom favorite.

Marlboro at HUDSON, 4 p.m. – We’d say consistency is the only thing missing for Hudson (3-2-1) as it works to at least return to the Div. 4 Final Four, but recent 100-point scorers Jordan Sousa and Timmy O’Malley have paced an attack with three-plus goals in every game since the opener. Good chance for the Hawks to build a streak against Oakmont and rival Marlboro (5-1-1), though the Panthers have allowed more than one goal just twice so far.

WEYMOUTH at Framingham, 6 p.m. – It’s been a bit up-and-down for Framingham (3-4) so far, but wins over Natick and Marshfield stick out. It could be a toughie for Weymouth (4-2), though the Wildcats’ only two losses are to Div. 1 and Div. 2 contenders Hingham and Milton, respectively, and they are in a scoring groove over their last three games with 18 goals. Potentially a big moment for the Flyers.

Hanover at NAUSET, 7:10 p.m. – Potentially a Div. 3 state final preview, or at least a matchup of two teams capable of reaching TD Garden. Aside from an overtime loss to Barnstable, Nauset (6-1) has scored at least four goals every game and won by at least three. Hanover’s (7-0) attack is equally potent thus far with at least five goals in six straight games. Hawks can establish their force in their new division here, but the edge goes to the defending champs until it’s taken.

GIRLS

WEDNESDAY

NOTRE DAME (H) at Malden Catholic, 5 p.m. – Young NDA (4-0-3) has made it through a rigorous schedule thus far without a loss – outside of a double overtime defeat to Duxbury in the Tenney Cup that officially counts as a tie. Malden Catholic (4-2) is one of several premier contenders in the wide-open Div. 1 title race, so this is a great measuring stick for both.

Haverhill/Pentucket/North Andover at METHUEN/TEWKSBURY, 7 p.m. – First matchup between these two unbeaten MVC/DCL Large juggernauts, who both have started the year on a fury coming off their trips to the Div. 1 Final Four last year. HPNA (6-0-1) will be as tough as any to beat, but edge goes to the defending conference champs and star goalie Lydia Barnes, who have allowed just two goals so far this year.

Natick at MILTON, 7 p.m. – Just one loss apiece for these Bay State Conference stalwarts. Natick’s (6-1) standout defense will be challenged plenty by Milton’s (6-1) speed, and the Wildcats’ top line of Sabrina Stone, Mia Cataruzolo and Nayeli Thayer hasn’t been limited much this year.

SATURDAY

WOBURN at Belmont, 1 p.m. – The Middlesex League Liberty title race feels especially tight this year, and Woburn is thrown in the thick of it this week against Winchester and Belmont. The Tanners (4-2) have been right there in two losses against Div. 1 contenders; a win here would be signature. Marauders (2-2-2) have limited attacks since a big loss in the opener, but need to rediscover their scoring touch.

KING PHILIP at Medfield, 5:10 p.m. – It’s a big week for defending Div. 2 state champion Medfield (5-1), which gets the Westwood group it upset in the Final Four last year on Wednesday before this one. Battle of standout goalies here. King Philip’s (5-0) Kiki Lynch has yet to allow a goal this season, while a high-powered attack looks to make a statement as a contender.

DUXBURY at Westwood, 5:10 p.m. – Two of the best in Div. 2 square off in what could be a Final Four preview. Dragons (6-1-1) have shown their merit as arguably the state’s top team after taking the prestigious Tenney Cup over the break. Westwood (5-1) is right there in the conversation, though, with at least five goals in five of its first six games.

DENNIS-YARMOUTH at Nauset, 5:10 p.m. – It’s already rematch time between these two Cape and Island League foes. D-Y (4-2-1) narrowly took Round 1, 2-1, to pair with a big win over Sandwich in an unbeaten start in league play. Nauset (2-5) has hung tough against every team in a challenging schedule, looks to continue momentum from a win on Saturday. Dolphins could take a major lead in the league title race over one of their fiercest competitors, though.

BISHOP FEEHAN at Archbishop Williams, 5:40 p.m. – Perhaps nobody is more battle-tested than Bishop Feehan (2-5) so far, having faced top-15 teams in each of its first seven games. That includes a 2-1 loss to Archbishop Williams (4-3). Bishops are one of the most dynamic teams in the state, but the Shamrocks could find the winning formula after narrowly losing before.

Arlington Catholic at ST. MARY’S (L), 6 p.m. – St. Mary’s (5-0) has shown its back in the mix of contenders and is a nightly threat. Arlington Catholic (2-3-1) played it to a 1-0 loss in the first matchup against one another. The rematch should be just as tough.