Wildcats One Win From Third Straight State Title Berth

A Middlesex League battle is on the docket Monday in Lowell, with the winner advancing to play at TD Garden on Sunday for the state championship. Here are five pieces of information to get you ready for the North Division 1 title game between Wilmington and Reading.

1. Who, What, Where and When: Wilmington High School takes on Reading Memorial High School at 8 p.m. on Monday in Lowell on the ice of the Tsongas Center. The winner will take home hardware as the North Division 1 champion, advancing to face Braintree for the state title.

2. We Meet Again: This is the second time Reading and Wilmington have seen each other this season. On December 14 the teams opened their regular season schedule as the Rockets thumped the Wildcats by a 6-3 margin.

3. Scouting Reading: The Rockets had a regular season record of 12-8-2 on the season and are the No. 12 team in the bracket. But don't let that fool you. Reading won the Middlesex League Liberty Division regular season title, and many of their losses came against powerhouse teams, three of which were selected to the Super 8 tournament.

4. Wilmington's Quest for Three: The Wildcats won the Division 2 state title the last two years before being forced to move up to Division 1. They notched a 12-3-7 record despite a difficult schedule of their own, earning the No. 3 seed in North Division 1. After a 3-2 win over Matignon in the first round, Wilmington needed overtime to beat Medford and Arlington and set up the date with Reading in the final.

5. Tsongas Tickets: If you're looking to be in the stands at the Tsongas Center for the game, you can buy tickets at the door and not online in advance. Adult tickets cost $12 while students and seniors will pay $7. You will also likely need to bring a few extra dollars for parking, as there is a garage not far from the arena.