SOL SHSHL Ice Hockey Wrap (2-24-17)

William Tennent defeated Pennsbury on Friday. to clinch sole possession of the SHSHL National Conference crown.

By Ben Reese

WARMINSTER -- Things just keep getting better for the William Tennent ice hockey team.

Partway through this current season, the Panthers were looking up at Council Rock South in the National Conference of the Suburban High School Hockey League. But with wins on Thursday and Friday nights, they have vaulted past the Golden Hawks to grab the title.

Tennent wrapped that up with an 11-1 mercy-rule victory Friday night over Pennsbury at Bucks County Ice. The game was put away with an eight-goal second period.

"In the grand scheme of things, we already knew we were in the playoffs," said Panther coach Nick D'Aurizio, "but for our program to win two division titles in a row is huge.

"I've been here for 10 years; I was a player here for four years; and my brother played here for four years. I don't think in all those 18 years we ever had a team win back-to-back division titles.

"It's big for the program. It's very important to me and to these guys."

For D'Aurizio's captain, senior Chris Kreider, who has been through the hard times, the title means a lot.

"For our organization, as far as it has come, it's the second one and it's huge," Kreider said after handing off the championship trophy to his teammates. "It really shows where our program has come from when we were freshmen.

"It's a great way to go out and get ready for the playoffs. The business isn't done."

The win means more than a conference crown for the Panthers, though. It also means that Tennent is the No. 3 seed in the AA playoffs that begin Monday. It sets up a game against Pennridge, the No. 6 seed.

"It doesn't make a whole lot of difference," D'Aurizio said about the seeding. "You're playing a tough team in the first round whether you're three or four. Between Souderton (the No. 5 seed) and Pennridge (No. 6), it's pick your poison. They're two quality hockey teams.

"You know in the playoffs you're going to play good hockey teams. We're ready no matter who it is."

The game started in a way that the Panthers couldn't have imagined. The Falcons scored after only 23 seconds of play in the first period, getting the goal from John Bezilla.

Tennent came back at the 7:47 mark to tie the game. Sean Ovington scored on the power play to make it 1-1.

That was as close as Pennsbury ever got because once the horn sounded to end the first period, things changed. The Panthers came out and scored eight unanswered goals.

How about that first goal?

"Wasn't it sharp?" said Pennsbury coach Joe Deery. "We had Nick scared.

"But, you know what, Nick rallied that team between the first and second period. I think we were outshot 21-2 in the second period. They were all over us."

It appeared that the Falcons just ran out of gas in the second period. They only had nine skaters and a goalie, meaning they had a very short bench.

"You're not going to hang with Nick's team with two lines," said Deery.. "(We had) one guy out with a broken collarbone and one guy, I'm not sure where he was tonight. You're not going to play these teams with two lines."

It was the second straight mercy-rule win for the Panthers, coming on the heels of a 13-3 win over Council Rock North on Thursday night.

"We know we can score," D'Aurizio said. "It's the defensive aspect that's going to win us a championship.

"We have to - when we come out here against Pennridge - be ready to defend because that's a high-scoring team out there. We know we can score but if we can take care of our own zone we're going to be in good shape."

Kreider is ready for the playoffs to begin. He's encouraged by his teammates.

"It definitely gives us some momentum going into the playoffs," he said of the two 10-goal wins. "It really showed us how well the team is clicking. We're going in strong."

William Tennent 11, Pennsbury 1
William Tennent         1          8          2 – 11
Pennsbury                 1          0          0 – 1
First period: 1, John Bezilla P (Griffin Foll) 0:23; 2, Sean Ovington WT (Bobby Markus) 7:47 PP.
Second period: 3, Chris Kreider WT (Eric Lineman, S. Ovington) 1:35 PP; 4, John Dern WT (Markus) 6:40 SH; 5, S. Ovington WT (Markus) 8:02; 6, Dern WT (Chris Bremer, Markus) 9:50; 7, Jared George WT (unassisted) 10:04; 8, Liam Ovington WT (Kreider) 10:42; 9, Eric George WT (Stephen Skiba, S. Ovington) 11:20; 10, Kreider WT (David Gray, J. George) 15:45.
Third period: 11, S. Ovington WT (Skiba) 5:22; 12, Anthony Anzideo WT (Bremer) 8:09.

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