FITCHBURG, Mass.- Players for the New England Junior Huskies ice hockey organization have waited long enough to suit up and take the ice for live game action.

 

Christmas break is now officially over and it’s time to get back to competing in league play.

 

The New England Huskies (4-19-4) of the Eastern Junior Hockey League return with back-to-back games against Syracuse (13-9-2) at noon at the New England Sports Center (NESC) on Saturday and Sunday.

 

“It was tough at the beginning (of the season) because we feel there were some games that were in our grasp,” New England Huskies EJ coach Paul Jenkins said. “But we’ve re-tooled a little bit, and I’m looking forward to the second half of the season. We’re going to be a tough out. I think we can make a run at the playoffs. It’s going to be exciting.”

 

The Fitchburg Huskies (10-14-1) of the Empire League battle Springfield on Friday at 1 p.m. at the NESC. Fitchburg then turns around and plays Springfield (10-13-1) again on Saturday at 11:40 a.m. at the NESC.

 

“The break came at the right time as we were struggling a little bit and will give us a fresh start and to really focus on peaking at the right time and to get into a playoff position,” Fitchburg Huskies coach Tim Pelletier said. “We start Friday and Saturday with Springfield, who we played very close the last two times we played them.”