Will the Summit Hilltoppers make it four straight?
Or will the Westfield Blue Devils be the first team other than Summit to win the title for the first time since 2009?
The Union County Ice Hockey League playoffs commence Monday at Warinanco Ice Rink in Roselle with first round games Monday, continue with the semifinals Wednesday and conclude with the championship game Feb. 23.
Summit, a state champion a year ago, has won the last three playoff championships.
As of Monday, Summit and Westfield stood tied for first for the regular season championship, both owners of 10-1-0 league marks for 21 points.
Westfield beat Summit 4-3 and then lost to Summit 5-4.
Both teams had their final league games scheduled this week to determine which team would win the regular season title and gain the top seed for next week’s UCIHL playoffs, which is the quest for the Union County Cup. Westfield was scheduled to play Scotch Plains Wednesday night at Warinanco, while Summit is scheduled to play Johnson Thursday at Warinanco.
Also as of Monday, Westfield’s overall record stood at 14-4-2 and Summit’s at 13-2-3.