Central Bucks South defeated Bishop Canevin 5-2 to capture the state AA championship at Penn State University on Saturday. Photo provided by Dara N King Photography and CB South Ice Hockey.
By Ben Reese
STATE COLLEGE -- The key to any formula for winning a championship in ice hockey is to start out with a hot goalie.
Central Bucks South goalie Aaron King was on fire all through the Suburban High School Hockey League playoffs and the Flyers Cup. That blaze grew to conflagration proportions in the state championships at the Pegula Ice Arena on the Penn State University campus.
King and his teammates rolled past Penguins Cup winner Bishop Canevin of Pittsburgh 5-2. This is the first state championship for the Titans in ice hockey.
South coach Tom Coyne had to make a difficult decision midway through this season. He had to decide on a starting goalie after King returned from an injury.
"We have three guys who are capable of playing at the varsity level," the Titans' head coach said. "Heavy heart that you have to make the decision as the head coach.
"He was nicked up during the year. He had a concussion during the year from his club hockey.
"He started to get good; he started to get warmed up. As we grew (during the season), he got the nod. That's what we decided."
King proved his, worth especially when the Titans were down two players late in the first period. South killed off both penalties and also scored a short-handed goal.
"Obviously it starts with the net," he said. "They kept trying to go back door. We just did a good job of rotating our triangle."
For King, things turned in the right direction once he got healthy
"I was struggling through the middle of the year," he said, "Then our team picked it up and I picked it up when it counted at the end of the year.
"You had to get focused and put everything on the ice and leave nothing there. It definitely helps when you've got a good line of defense."
Senior captain Dom Bova heaped praise on his sophomore goalie.
"He played out of his mind," Bova said. "He stepped up and he took the reins as the starting goaltender for our team and he didn't let up."
South scored the first goal of the game in the first period. With 1:50 remaining in the opening stanza, Brendan Clements, with an assist from Thomas Liberta, beat Canevin goalie Nikita Meskin for a shorthanded goal.
With 10:21 remaining in the period, the Crusaders' Garrett Godlewski pushed the puck past King, but the goal was disallowed because Canevin's Brennen Adams had hit the puck with a high stick.
There were five penalties called in the first period alone, which could have been the reason it took so long for a goal to be scored.
"I think there were a lot of nerves going around," Leo Flick, who scored twice, said of the penalties. "You had to compose yourself and play through the nerves and the craziness.
"The first period you're a little anxious, a little jumpy. You've got to compose yourself."
The Titans did just that.
With 4:07 gone in the second period, South's John Pohl was called for slashing and was sent to the penalty box. Canevin took advantage of the man advantage.
Randy Unger, the Crusaders' leading scorer during the season, fired the puck past King and into the upper left corner of the net at the 5:52 mark to tie the score at 1-1.
It didn't stay tied very long. Thirteen seconds later, Michael Pilla untied it, with assists from Damon DeLaurentis and Flick, to put the Titans on top 2-1.
Things got a little wild in the third period. Four goals were scored, three of them by South.
Flick started things off with his first goal of the game only 55 seconds into the final period. Liberta assisted on the goal.
However, Canevin wasn't going to roll over and play dead. The Crusaders' Liam Walsh cut the South lead to one goal only 47 seconds later.
Then, with Canevin's Blaine Adams in the penalty box, Flick notched his second goal of the game. He deposited a rebound of a Brandon Spognardi shot past Meskin with 7:29 gone.
Michael Lucas applied the coup de gras at the 10:19 mark. He took a pass from Jake Kelinson, skated down the right side and blasted a shot past Meskin for the fifth and final goal of the game.
From that point on, the Titans just played keep-away with the puck. Even a penalty with 3:07 left in the game didn't slow them down.
"All year, I've been making that speech, putting it in the back of their heads that whenever everything is equal, talent and all that, it's the intangibles (that matter)," Coyne said. "It has to be those little intangibles.
"I think it was just the little things that were the difference between the two teams."
Bova couldn't agree more.
"They're a good team," he said. "They skate real well. We just met them at the front door.
"In games like these, everyone is equal. Everyone has talent; everyone cam move the puck. It's the little things that put you over the top and into a position like this."
Obviously, South players and coaching staff were very happy after the win.
"It's great," said Coyne. "I feel so great for the boys.
"It's just an awesome experience to see their faces. It's worth the ride and the headaches, too."
Bova couldn't stop smiling.
"It's unbelievable," he said. "This is just the best feeling I've had in my entire life.
"I can't really say any more. Going out on top - couldn't have asked for anything better.
"The Flyers Cup was definitely in sight (at the beginning of the season). States was just another thing on top. I knew we were special."
Couldn't agree more.
Central Bucks South 1 1 3 – 5
Bishop Canevin 0 1 1 – 2
First Period
1. Brendan Clements CBS (Thomas Liberta) 15:10. Penalties: Damon Delaurentis (CBS) interference 9:02; Kevin Casey (CBS) cross checking 10:03; Ross Langford (BC) hooking 13:02; Connor Matsinger (CBS) slashing 13:02; Michael Pilla (CBS) hooking 14:20.
Second Period
2. Randy Unger BC (Alec Bosnic, Garrett Godlewski) 5:52. 3. Pilla CBS (Damon Delaurentis, Leo Flick) 6:05. Penalties: John Pohl (CBS) slashing 4:07; Brennen Adams (BC) slashing 13:44.
Third Period
Flick CBS (Liberta) 0:55; 5. Liam Walsh BC (Jason Bilski) 1:42; 6. Flick CBS (Delaurentis, Brandon Spognardi) 7:29; 7. Michael Lucas CBS (Jake Kelinson) 10:19. Penalties: Matsinger (CBS) cross checking 2:53; Blaine Adams (BC) kneeing 6:24; Jake Bauer (CBS) slashing 12:53.
Shots: CBS 30; BC 23. Saves: Aaron King (C
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