Surprise, surprise. The top team in Michigan high school hockey also leads the state in goals scored. Eight games into the ‘25-26 season, and no team has found the back of the net more than No. 1-ranked Detroit Catholic Central. I know everyone’s ready to write this team off after losing 2-1 to Hartland two weeks ago, but the Shamrocks still have plenty of firepower, a potent offense and a rotation that goes four lines deep.

Jack Dorgan, Ryan Dye, Sam Masek, Matthew Naida and Lucas Szmagaj have all reached the 10-point plateau through the first month of the season. Eighteen different skaters have scored goals already as well. The Shamrocks are 7-1-0 thus far, coming off of a statement win over rival Brother Rice in which they mercied the Warriors 9-0 in just two periods of work.

Not only does CC have a top-10 offense in the state, it’s one of just two teams to have a top-10 defense as well. 

Maverick Markham’s torrent pace for Riverview-Cabrini

One goal off the pace from Catholic Central, Riverview-Cabrini hockey has scored 48 goals through its first eight games of the season. Senior Maverick Markham has factored in astonishingly on 44 of those goals, scoring 27 and assisting on 17 more. He is currently on pace to score more than 148 points this season, which if held true, would be the third-most points in a single season in MHSAA hockey history. 

Markham has recorded three or more points in all but one game this season; held to just one goal in the Pirates’ 9-1 mercy loss to Grosse Ile two weeks ago. Other performances include a nine-point night in a 12-0 win over Allen Park, an eight-point outing in a 9-6 win over Woodhaven and back-to-back seven-point games against Farmington United and Downriver Unified.

Riverview-Cabrini is 5-3-0, currently sitting in first place in the Metro League West division.

St. Mary’s Undefeated in November for third straight season

A 6-0-0 start to the ‘25-26 campaign with wins over out-of-state Culver Academy and St. Ignatius as well as No. 12 Brighton is significantly more impressive than last year’s 2-0-1 record in November. But the fact is, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s has found a way to really hit the ground running in recent memory. Going back the last three years, the Eaglets are a combined 13-0-1 in the month of November. 

This season’s version has been particularly impressive, scoring eight or more goals in each of their last four games and producing 45 total goals. Leading scorer Thad Raynish flashed his dominance with a four-point performance against Brighton last week. He has 11 goals and 14 points so far this season. 

Senior forward Charlie Roberts trails Raynish with nine goals and 13 points, and the Eaglets too, have 18 different skaters who have scored already this season.

Nathan Ligi leading the way for South Lyon 

If not for a three-goal third-period comeback from No. 22 Cranbrook, South Lyon hockey could easily be sitting with an undefeated record heading into December. Coach Dennis Gagnon’s squad is 6-1-0; the program’s best start to a season since 2023, when SLU finished with 17 wins.

Senior Nathan Ligi leads the team with 12 goals and 21 points despite not playing in the team’s 8-3 win over Fenton-Linden on Saturday. Defenseman Alex Kero picked up the slack in that game, recording three goals and an assist from the blue line, accounting for four of his five points so far this season.

Braden Hillebrand has played the role of facilitator, serving as Ligi’s running mate. Hillebrand has 17 assists, eight of which have resulted in goals scored by Ligi. 

A big month of December lies ahead for SLU, with games against the MIHL’s Grosse Pointe South, Plymouth from the KLAA, Birmingham Unified, Huron Valley and Marysville.