In the midst of a practice session Monday afternoon at Connery Rink in Lynn, Dante Maribito was making easy work of his teammates on the St. Mary’s of Lynn hockey team . . . forehand, backhand, back of the net.

The junior center from Georgetown carved his way through a crowd of navy blue-and-gold jerseys before lifting the puck over the right shoulder of goalie Andrew LoRusso.

His offensive prowess was on full display as the Spartans geared up for a Wednesday night matchup against undefeated BC High. With 11 goals and 9 assists, Maribito has contributed his fair share to St. Mary’s attack.

But his most impressive moment came toward the end of a full-ice 3-on-2 drill. When a defenseman intercepted a pass at the blue line and broke the other way down the ice, Maribito was the first to recover. His instant acceleration made up the gap; by the time the defenseman reached the opposing faceoff circles, Maribito had his teammate squared up and denied the counterattack.

Through 14 games, and an 12-2 start, the assistant captain has made his mark on the scoresheet. But his ability to cover the defensive zone makes him a multi-dimensional threat in any situation on a nightly basis.

And strong two-way play often is the difference between victory and defeat in the state tournament.

“At this level, we need to press in all three zones,’’ said St. Mary’s coach Mark Lee, whose squad has a plus-46 goal differential.

“If you don’t commit yourself as a player to hard work on offense and defense, you’ll run into a team that does and you become average.’’

As a freshman, Maribito showcased raw offensive ability, according to Lee. Since, Maribito has worked hard on developing his defensive skills.

“Everyone comes into the program with different skill sets,’’ Maribito said.

“The coaches have the ability to mold us into more well-rounded players so that we can contribute to every play on the ice.’’

Maribito is part of a first line that has combined for 60 total points. But he also is featured on the penalty kill.

“[Maribito] isn’t afraid to get into the corners and give or take hits,’’ Lee said of the two-time Catholic Central all-star and last year’s league MVP.

“He gets physical when he needs to be and then it’s back on the attack.’’

His versatility has the Spartans primed to make a run at a Super 8 berth.

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A senior right wing at Chelmsford High, Derek Adamson has embraced defense as his team’s top priority. In doing so, he has developed into a two-way force.

“Offense comes from defense,’’ Adamson said.

“When you get those key stops, you’re able to counter and generate scoring opportunities with high success.’’

Adamson practices what he preaches; he leads the Lions in blocked shots and points. No matter the zone, the captain has proven to lead by example, to the delight of coach Mike McGrath.

“Our play simply is predicated on him,’’ McGrath said.

“His leading the offense, the penalty kill — you name it. On top of that, he’s well-respected by his teammates on and off the ice.’’

From Adamson’s perspective, his play is a byproduct of his teammates’ ability to provide support, positionally, and execute.

“I know I can trust my linemates,’’ said Adamson, who has Chelmsford (9-2-2), off to one of its best starts in years.

“We know where each other are at all times so that we can still start up the offense quickly once we get the puck again.’’

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Kyle Hentosh , a junior left wing at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, is not the biggest player on the roster. Described by coach Kristian Hanson as tall and lean, he is in the right place at the right time more often than not.

“His hockey IQ is his biggest strength,’’ Hanson said.

“If you watch him enough you just appreciate how he always just knows where to be. You can try to teach kids positioning and anticipation but he just simply knows, and that’s why we can count on him to be a three-zone player.’’

Being on the top offensive line for the defending Super 8 champions, Hentosh is well aware of the level he must play at to sustain the recent level of achievement. He’s contributed four goals and 10 assists this season, but scoring is not his priority.

“You can score all the goals you want,’’ Hentosh said. “If you don’t get back and help out on defense, you won’t win games. You have to start with defense. Our whole team is dedicated to doing so and it shows.’’

With the state tournament roughly a month away, St. John’s (8-2-3) is focusing on making a run at repeating.

“From the beginning, we’ve said we want to get back to [TD Garden],’’ Hentosh said.

“It’s an addicting feeling, playing there. We have the players and the confidence to do it, so we want to make it happen.’’

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Maribito and St. Mary’s are chasing the same dream. With everyone pitching in on the effort, Lee is optimistic about his team’s chances.

“You’re not [(12-2] without an entire team,’’ Lee said.

“We’re a blue-collar team. Every kid gives everything they have and that’s why we’re off to such a great start.’’

Ethan Schroeder can be reached at ethan.schroeder@globe.com.