Throughout its first run to the state Public B title in ice hockey and so far in its quest for another, Kinnelon has never had a close game.  That could very well change for the Colts in this year's final, when they take on Ramsey at the Prudential Center in Newark.

Last year as the #3 seed, Kinnelon dominated the Public B field, winning its four games by a combined score of 26-6.  No game was closer than four goals.  The Colts didn't have to face top seed Ramsey, which lost in the other semifinal to Jefferson.

In its first three games this year, Kinnelon has continued to impress, winning twice by 7-2 scores and then blanking Verona 4-0 in the semifinals.  The Colts have justified their top seed, while on the other side of the bracket, Ramsey has proved it is a worthy #2, winning its three games so far by a combined 12-2 score.

Both teams have dominated in the states, so who's got the edge in the final, set for Saturday at 1:00?  There's no obvious way to compare the hockey teams.  Not only have Kinnelon and Ramsey not played this year, they haven't met in recent history either.  What's more, the Colts and Rams don't even have any common opponents this season.

At first glance, the records would seem to favor Ramsey, as the Rams are 24-1-2 while Kinnelon is 18-4-3.  But the Colts play in the brutal Mennen Division of the Morris County league, which also includes a finalist (Randolph) and defeated semifinalist (Morris Knolls) in the larger-school Public A state tournament.  Ramsey's North Bergen Interscholastic League is far weaker; in fact, the Rams are the first public school from Bergen County ever to reach a state hockey final.

So perhaps Kinnelon's season of facing tough competition may prove to be a plus.  While Ramsey often won by five or six goals, the Colts played close, low-scoring contests like the final promises to be.

One would be tempted to say that if Kinnelon scores first, Ramsey might crumble under the pressure.  But the Rams faced that very scenario in their semifinal, and rallied with four quick goals to win 4-1.  Still, Kinnelon clearly has the experience edge, even though a majority of its team did not see ice time in last year's state final victory.

For these reasons, we rate the Colts as a slight favorite.  But don't be surprised if Kinnelon has to battle, for once, right up to the final buzzer.  -- Paul Mencher for Jersey Sports Now