Whoever wins the Section VI Division I and II boys hockey championships will receive a reward no other Western New York Varsity Federation public school has ever experienced during the postseason.

They will enjoy the comforts of home for the duration of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association playoff tournament.

Section VI’s champions will host regional/quarterfinal round games during a doubleheader March 5 at Northtown Center at Amherst. Should one or both of the section’s representatives win that night, the reward is home-ice advantage for the state final four at HarborCenter March 12-13.

“I think it’ll help the local teams if there are any local teams that make it (that far),” Section VI hockey chairman and Federation President Mark DiFilippo said. “I think it’ll not only be a benefit to have fans who cheer for them but also having played in the facilities and being able to sleep in their own beds gives them an advantage.”

The road to the state tournament begins Thursday and continues Friday at Northtown Center with Section VI Division II prequarterfinal games.

Section VI Division I and II quarterfinals are Saturday and Sunday, respectively, at Northtown Center, with the semifinals Feb. 24 (Division I) and Feb. 25 (Division II).

The Section VI finals, along with the private schools’ Niagara Cup championship game, are part of the Super Monday tripleheader Feb. 29 at First Niagara Center. All champions advance to their respective state tournaments.

Top seeds for the playoff tournaments are Williamsville North (Division I), Kenmore East (Division II) and St. Joe’s (Niagara Cup). Defending champions include Niagara-Wheatfield (Division I), which will be seeded No. 3 during its quest toward winning a fifth straight title. Other defending champions are Williamsville East (Division II), a No. 2 seed, and Canisius (Niagara Cup), also a No. 2 seed.

Catholic school members of the Fed, whose Niagara Cup semifinals begin Monday at Dwyer Arena, have hosted state title games in the past. But the weekend of March 12-13 will be a first for the public-school counterparts.

HarborCenter submitted a bid last spring to host the state final four over the next three years, a proposal the NYSPHSAA executive committee approved over the objections of the state hockey committee – which was more than happy to extend its 28-year run in Utica. But money talks. The NYSPHSAA will not have to pay rent to use HarborCenter.

As part of the weekend, there will be for the first time a state hockey banquet − March 11 at the Statler Towers.

“I think it’s been met with some mixed reaction,” said Kenmore East coach Kyle Pray of the move. “But I think when some of those teams see the HarborCenter … I think once they’re here it’s going to be a nice change."