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SALEM | The timing couldn't have been any more perfect. Just as St. John's Prep hockey coach Kristian Hanson was asked the question that has befuddled hundreds of coaches and thousands of players over the last 20-plus years | just how do you beat Catholic Memorial? | two CM players passed by him in the hallway under the bowels of the Rockett Arena last night.

For the first time in two decades, the ultimate in high school hockey royalty invades the North Shore tonight. Catholic Memorial | which has won as many hockey state championships (16) over the last 22 years as the Boston Celtics have won NBA titles in their entire history | make their first visit to the area since the late 1980s tonight when they take on St. John's Prep at the Richard J. Rockett Arena (8 p.m.) on the campus of Salem State College.

Where do you start?

Just which superlative was the St. John's Prep hockey team's best on Saturday afternoon, when they completed a two-game season sweep of the defending state champions from B.C. High with a satisfying 3-2 victory at the Ristuccia Arena?

First half analysis: The goaltending tandem of Kyle Pettoruto and Eric Clifford has been terrific, allowing just two goals a game. The top line of Dan Haugh, Christian Cowles and Colin Prior has also stepped it up for new head coach Kristian Hanson, and defenseman Nick Riccio is taking the mantle of being the team leader of a young defense. Inability to start out of the gate strong in certain games has hurt.

No matter what the sport is, when you don't score, you don't win.

The St. John's Prep hockey team found that out the hard way last night, dropping their Catholic Conference tilt at Xaverian, 3-0.

The Eagles (5-4-3) had 16 shots in the first period and had 34 for the contest, but couldn't dent the net once as Hawks' keeper Kyle MacDonald stopped everything fired his way. St. John's trailed, 1-0, with 5:40 remaining when host Xaverian doubled its lead on a Bill Scannell tally. The hosts added an empty netter from Matt Morin in the final minute.

The St. John's Prep hockey team got off to a very fast start last night | but in the end, that was evened out by an equally strong finish by Malden Catholic.

The end result was a hard-fought 3-3 tie between the two Catholic Conference rivals before a large crowd at the Ristuccia Memorial Arena.

St. John's Prep goaltender Kyle Pettoruto's frustration boiled over late in the second period of Saturday afternoon's showdown with Catholic Memorial.

After barely being beaten on a breakaway that put the Eagles behind by three goals against the state's top ranked team, the erstwhile senior took it out on the cage, subtly knocking the net from its moorings with a strike from his blocker.

Kristian Hanson didn't have to state the obvious, but he wanted to let the Massachusetts high school hockey world know just the same.

"This is without a doubt our biggest win of the year," said the first-year Eagles' coach, after his team went on the road and slayed the undefeated defending state champions from B.C. High, 3-1, in Dorchester.

WILMINGTON | Do you need to put your hand directly over a flame to know that it's hot? Of course not.

So why does the St. John's Prep hockey team feel the need to let their opponents take the initiative with a big hit or a goal before raising their own level of play?

WILMINGTON | Some considered last night's battle between the St. John's Prep and visiting Central Catholic hockey teams as a possible preview of a Super 8 match this spring.

If that proves to be true, Cenral Catholic will certainly remember Christian Cowles' name.