Pennridge rode a hot goalie – Luke Stranick – to a shutout win over four-time defending SHSHL AA champion Central Bucks South. Photos courtesy of Kathy Leister Photography. Check back for a gallery of photos.
By Ben Reese
HATFIELD -- Luke Stranick's best came at exactly the right time.
The Pennridge goalie stopped all 40 shots that Central Bucks South threw at him in a stellar outing, leading the Rams to a 2-0 win and the AA Championship of the Suburban High School Hockey League on Thursday night at Hatfield Ice.
It is the first loss for the Titans after 16 consecutive victories in playoff action.
"Luke was incredible tonight," said Ram coach Jeff Montagna. "He was just incredible in net. He picked the best time for his best game of the year."
Stranick was overjoyed with the outcome.
"It's probably one of the greatest moments of my hockey career so far," he said. "I don't know the last time a team has shut out CB South let alone beat them so it feels super-special to me.
"It feels great. I think we've won this (championship) once in our school history and they were going for the five-peat, which is the league record, so it felt great."
Both Stranick and Montagna also gave a lot of the credit for the win to the Rams’ defensemen – Frankie Rota, Bryson Egan, Hayden Maltby, Conrad Frisch, Jeff Manto and Matthew Guinette.
"I don't know how many shots our defensemen blocked but it was a lot," said Montagna. "We were just trying to keep them out of the middle of the ice. We talked before the game about keeping them out of there.
"They were selling out on every chance we had to block shots. They're going to be sore tomorrow."
Stranick had nothing but praise for his defensive teammates.
"They did everything I could ask for," he said. "They kept them outside. They kept the screens out of my way.
"They were doing everything I needed. They were phenomenal."
The Rams scored in the first period and again in the second. Matthew Guinette tallied the first goal on a power play with an assist from Eric Slater, and Michael Eissler added an insurance goal in the second with an assist from Jeff Manto.
Those two tallies were all the Rams needed to capture the title. And, as Stranick said, it prevented the Titans from winning their fifth straight crown.
"We told them all year that you're not going to win games 7-6 this time of the year," said Montagna. "If you are able to play defense and you can do it against a team like this - they understand what they can do and they understand what they have to do (to win)."
Obviously, this is a big win for Pennridge. And no one knows it more than the Rams’ coach.
"To have that many seniors on the team, they wanted it so bad," Montagna said. "I wanted it so bad for them.
"To watch them hold them off that entire game and not panic. They could smell it. It better give them all the confidence in the world (going into the Flyers Cup).
Pennridge 2, CB South 0
Pennridge 1 1 0 – 2
CB South 0 0 0 – 0
First period: 1, Matthew Guinette P (Eric Slater) 8:18 PP.
Second period: 2, Michael Eissler P (Jeff Manto) 3:30.
Third period: No scoring.
Shots: P 35, CBS 40. Saves: Luke Stranick (P) 40; Oscar Levin (CBS) 33.
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