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 . 75 " club " non - sanctioned New York High School Hockey teams compete in New York State Amateur Hockey Association . NYSPHSAA . 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 , 1 and 2 . 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 , V , VI , VII , IX , and X . 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 . NYSAHA . 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 all follow the NYSAHA Guidebook for state bound eligibility . 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 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 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 around the end of March . East , Central , and North sections compete from September till the end of March . State Tournament . 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 both Division I , II have been played in Utica , New York ' s Memorial Auditorium . History . Though high school hockey in New York can be dated back to the mid 1940 ' s , the first league - - called the Northern New York Scholastic Hockey League - - was formed in 1948 and comprised teams from Massena , Norfolk , Potsdam and Saranac Lake . One of the League ' s founders , Don Spotswood , was a 1934 Clarkson College graduate who taught high school mathematics in the then Norfolk School District ( today Norwood - Norfolk ) . Clarkson College , along with St . Lawrence University , were significant influences in the birth of high school hockey in this region . Buffalo Explorer High School Club Hockey League was the first club hockey league in Western New York , starting in 1972 . Southtowns High School Club Hockey League began in 1974 and Western New York High School Club Hockey League in 1976 . NYSPHSAA recognized high school hockey starting in 1980 with official state tournament being held . Not every section started at the same time and not every team that was sanctioned was allowed to participate in the sanctioned State tournament . Section VI ( Western New York ) did not allow its champion to participate till 2001 . NYSAHA recognized high school hockey in 1982 but league championship were being held as early as 1972 in Buffalo . NYSAHA divided into two divisions in 2002 as prior to that year , only one championship was awarded . In 2008 - 09 , there was no club state championship . For the 2009 - 10 season , WNYHSCHL will join AAU . Alumni . Dustin Brown , Robert Esche , Todd Marchant , Lee Stempniak , Brian Gionta , Marty Reasoner , Craig Conroy , Rob Schremp , Guy Hebert , Brooks Orpik , Patrick Kane , and Erik Cole are among the many players that participated in New York high school hockey . Historical timeline . 1947 - Norfolk High School fields their first team ( today , Norwood - Norfolk ) < br > 1969 - Town of Oyster Bay High School Club Hockey League forms < br > 1972 - Buffalo Explorer High School Club Hockey League forms < br > 1973 - New York Islanders High School Club Hockey League forms < br > 1974 - Southtowns High School Club Hockey League forms < br > 1976 - Western New York High School Club Hockey League forms < br > 1980 - New York State Public High School Athletic Association crowns its first champion < br > 1982 - New York State Amateur Hockey Association crowns its first champion < br > 1990 - Section VI recognizes hockey as official sport < br > 2001 - Section VI sends its champion to state tournament < br > 2002 - NYSAHA crowns two champions - Large and Small School ^ Two championships were when Aquinas was a Division II team