Central Bucks West wrapped up its season with a 3-1 win over Central Bucks South in a classic battle.
By Ben Reese
WARWICK -- As rivalry games go, this one was a classic.
There was Central Bucks West, the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Suburban High School Hockey League season, facing Central Bucks South, the No. 2 seed and the defending PIAA champion. Everything was set up for a great game.
And this one didn't disappoint.
The Bucks got a pair of goals in the third period to hold off the Titans 3-1 at Revolution Ice Gardens and finish the season without a loss. The only blemish on West’s record is a 3-3 tie with Souderton earlier in the season.
"In the 14 years I've been coaching at West, I don't think we have beaten (South) twice in a season," said Bucks coach Dave Baun. "That's how good they've been for 14 years.
"Tonight, I think our team played well enough to earn that distinction. I was thrilled with our effort.
"If we are the best team (going into the playoffs), they are absolutely the second best team. If you think you're going to walk past a team like CB South, you're going to be disappointed."
West defenseman Brandon Savona, who scoring what proved to be the game-winning goal, was elated with the victory.
"Northing better than a win like that," Savona said. "There's no better feeling than that (scoring the game-winner)."
How about beating South?
"They're an incredible opponent year after year after year," he said. "We enjoy playing them, but we enjoy it that much more when we beat them."
CB South coach Shaun McGinty had some praise for the Bucks.
"Hats off to them," the Titans’ coach said. "They deserved to win."
But he also had some concerns with his own team.
"Once again, we outshot them," he said. "Offense was there; we had our chances.
"We didn't capitalize on the power play. When you are given power plays with two teams that balanced and you don't capitalize, you're not going to win."
The first period was strictly back and forth. Neither team could score, but it wasn't for a lack of trying.
In the second, the Bucks got out first. Jake Boehm tipped in a shot across the goal mouth off a pass from Joey Rockovich with only1:59 gone in the period.
"On our first goal, we worked on that," said Baun. "We saw it on video. We wanted the guy to take it off the wall and fire it into his (the goalie’s) skates and that's exactly what he did."
The score remained 1-0 until the 11:13 mark. Reis Braccio knocked the puck past West goalie Jonah Brous with assists going to Matt Stoll and Colin Abbonizio.
At the 8:55 mark of the third period, Savona took care of business. He beat South net minder Kevin Dorozinsky on the power play off assists from Tucker Forte and Shawn Philipps.
Philipps netted the final score of the game. With only 57.9 seconds left in the third period, he fired the puck from his own circle into the empty net.
Now it’s on to the playoffs for both teams. The Bucks play Truman at Hatfield on Monday, Feb. 27, and the Titans take on North Penn at the Revolution Ice Gardens, also on Monday.
"So far, it all looks pretty good for us," said Baun. "Five years ago, we couldn't win a game. Now we went through a season and we didn't lose one."
CB West 3, CB South 1
CB West 0 1 2 – 3
CB South 0 1 0 – 1
First period: No scoring.
Second period: 1, Jake Boehm CBW (Joey Rockovich) 1:59; 2, Reis Braccio CBS (Matt Stoll, Colin Abbonizio) 11:13.
Third period: 3, Brandon Savona CBW (Tucker Forte, Shawn Philipps) 8:55 PP; 4, Philipps CBW (unassisted) 15:03 EN.
Shots: CBW 25, CBS 27. Saves: Jonah Brous (CBW) 26, Kevin Dorozinsky (CBS) 23.
Wednesday, Feb. 22
HATBORO-HORSHAM 7, WISSAHICKON 4
The Hatters raced to a 3-0 lead after one period and never looked back.
Benjamin Heywood scored a pair of first-period goals sandwiched around an unassisted goal by Eric Wrenn. Nathan Reilly assisted on Heywood’s first, and Adam Sheer and Nathan Reilly assisted on his second.
The Trojans trimmed the Hatters’ lead to one, 3-2, after goals early in the second period by by Sean Garry (Jagger Doll assist) and Matt Cade (Noah Harrington assist). The Hatters answered with back-to-back goals midway through the period to go on top 5-2. Wrenn found he net for his second goal of the game, using a Jonathan Herbert assist, and Herbert also scored, using assists from Ziyad Elsabbagh and Adam Sheer.
In the final period, the two teams exchanged goals with Cade and Alex Carrozza scoring for the Trojans, and Jacob Mueller scoring a pair for the Hatters.
Hatter goalie Ryan Bell was credited with 28 saves in the win. Michael Henderson and Jake Modelevsky split time in goal for the Trojans, combining for 28 saves with Modelevsky recording 20 of those.
Wissahickon 0-2-2 4
Hatboro-Horsham 3-2-2 7
Shots: Wissahickon 32, HH 35.
Saves: Michael Henderson (W) 8, Jake Modelevsky (W) 20, Ryan Bell (HH) 28.
First Period
HH: Benamin Heywood (Nathan Reilly)
HH: Eric Wrenn
HH: Benjamin Heywood (Adam Sheer/Nathan Reilly)
Second Period
W: Sean Garry (Jagger Doll)
W: Matt Cade (Noah Harrington)
HH: Eric Wrenn (Jonathan Herbert)
HH: Jonathan Herbert (Ziyad Elsabbagh/Adam Sheerr)
Third Period
W: Matt Cade (Nolan Piatowski)
HH: Jacob Mueller (Dylan McClure)
W: Alex Carrozza (Nolan Piatkowski)
HH: Jacob Mueller (Sayvion Jones)
ABINGTON 7, UPPER DUBLIN 1
Tim Burke (four assists) and Thomas Panella (four goals) both had four-point nights to spark the Ghosts’ offense in Wednesday’s decisive win. Andrew Profit added a goal and two assists for three points.
The Ghosts wasted little time before taking control. Profit scored an unassisted goal 2:58 into the game, and single goals by Perry Carpenter (Profit/Tim Burke assists) and Panella (Burke assist) sent the Ghosts into the second period with a 3-0 lead.
Panella added a pair of goals in the second period, the first with assists from Burke and Profit and the second with an assist from Nikolai Portner.
Ari Nordlinger scored an unassisted goal in the opening minute of the third period to put UD on the board, but Panella (Sam Panella assist) and Sean Murray (Burke assist) answered with goals for the Ghosts.
Mason Large turned away 30 of 31 shots he faced to earn the win in goal for the Ghosts. UD’s Stephen Sanders kept the final score from being a whole lot worse with a 62-save effort in goal.
Upper Dublin 0-0-1 1
Abington 3-2-2 7
Shots: UD 32, Abington 69.
Saves: Stephen Sanders (UD) 62, Mason Large (A) 30.
First Period
A: Andrew Profit
A: Perry Carpenter (Andrew Profit/Tim Burke)
A: Thomas Panella (Tim Burke)
Second Period
A: Thomas Panella (Tim Burke/Andrew Profit)
A: Thomas Panella (Nikolai Portner)
Third Period
UD: Ari Nordlinger
A: Thomas Panella (Sam Panella)
A: Sean Murray (Tim Burke)
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