William Tennent won a key National Conference game while PW rolled to a shutout over Lower Moreland.
By Ben Reese
WARWICK – At this time of year, every game is important.
With the league playoffs looming just over the horizon and the Flyers Cup competition right behind that, both William Tennent and Council Rock North needed a victory Friday night at the Warwick Ice Arena.
The Panthers earned the two points, thanks to their 4-3 win that boosted them into first place in the National Conference of the Suburban High School Hockey League.
"I said a couple of weeks ago that every game is kind of a playoff game at this point," William Tennent coach Nick D'Aurizio said. "It wasn't our best effort, but good teams find ways to win in the end and we pulled one out."
The Panthers' captain, Charlie Feeney, knew how vital the win was for his team.
"We needed the two points to get into first place," Feeney said. "You can't be dropping games to teams like this.
"You've got to keep winning. We can't slip up any points at this time in the season."
And Tennent didn't slip.
With less than two minutes left in the third period, the Panthers got the game-winning goal from Alec Dugan to get the win.
"For every guy here on the ice to step up, it speaks volumes about your team," D'Aurizio said. "You have to give all the credit in the world to Council Rock North.
"They battled the entire game, and their goalie played fantastic. The fact that we were able to pull out a win facing a team like that says a lot about our team."
On the other side of the ice, Indians' coach Eric Tye was disappointed with the loss.
"If we could have gotten out of there with a point (for a tie), it would have been huge for us," the Indians’ coach said. "We have to win two to get in, so winning one here would have been huge but we have two left so we have to get two wins.
"We're in the same position as last year, and we came through. If we play the same way we played tonight, we'll be fine."
In truth, both goalies played outstanding games. North netminder Andy Cicconi kicked out 26 of the 30 shots he faced, and Tennent goalie Eric Lineman stopped 17 of 20.
D'Aurizio was asked after the game why he didn't start the his team’s usual starting goalie, C.J. Lineman, who entered the game with a 2.61 goals-against average. Instead he started C.J.'s younger brother Eric.
"We knew C.J. was going to have a heavy workload going into the end of the season," the coach said. "We had this kind of planned out for a while that we would give Eric another start.
"He's only had one varsity start, and you never know when you're going to need him. If we need him down the stretch, for him to be able to lean back on a victory and lean back on a game where he played well, (is huge).
"We wanted to get that in there for him tonight. He did a great job between the pipes."
William Tennent started the game like it wanted to end it quickly. With only 23 seconds gone in the first period, Andrew Bean beat Cicconi off an assist from Feeney and the Panthers were up 1-0.
That margin lasted just slightly more than five minutes. The Indians evened the score on a goal from Johnny Vanni off passes from Cavan Tully and C.J. Zemzik.
Council Rock North took the lead in the second period. Vanni notched his second goal of the game with assists going to Zach Herman and Tully.
The third period was a see-saw affair. Tennent tied the game at 2-2 and then Rock North retook the lead at 3-2.
Dugan scored an unassisted goal with only 1:04 elapsed in the third period for the Panthers. Then Tully gave the Indians the lead back at 3:57 with an unassisted goal on the power play.
With 6:13 left in the third period, Council Rock North suddenly found itself at a distinct disadvantage. Two penalties put two Indians into the penalty box, giving Tennent a 5-on-3 situation for 1:06.
North killed off the first penalty. And then it killed off the second.
However, the Panthers kept on coming at the Indians. Dan Brady connected for the equalizer at the 9:34 mark off an assist from Jack McKeever.
And Dugan ended it. He took a pass from Tim McMonogale and scored with 1:17 left in the game.
The victory gives William Tennent a one point lead over Council Rock South in the National standings. The Panthers are at 9-4 while the Golden Eagles are 8-4-1. Council Rock South falls to 4-9-1.
The league playoffs begin on Feb. 23. The Flyers Cup competition follows that, beginning on Mar. 3.
William Tennent 4, Council Rock North 3
William Tennent 1 0 3 – 4
Council Rock South 1 1 1 – 3
First Period: Andrew Bean WT (Charlie Feeney) 0:23; Johnny Vanni CRN (Cavan Tully, C.J. Zemzik) 5:51.
Second Period: Vanni CRN (Zach Herman, Tully) 9:42 PP.
Third Period: Alec Dugan WT (unassisted) 1:04; Tully CRN (unassisted) 3:57 PP; Dan Brady WT (Jack McKeever) 9:34; Dugan WT (Tim McMonogale) 14:43.
Shots: WT 30; CRN 20. Saves: Eric Lineman (WT) 17; Andy Cicconi (CRN) 26.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 7, LOWER MORELAND 0
Skyler Goldstein led a balanced Colonial attack with a goal and two assists for four points while teammate Kevin Lawrence added three points on two goals and an assist.
Jonathan Isely got the ball rolling with back-to-back goals – the first with assists from Christopher Ward and Andrew Fisher and the second with a Christopher Zawislak assist. Goldstein’s goal late in the period with assists from Chris Rinaldi and Bo Flint made it a 3-0 game after one period.
Lawrence (Goldstein assist) accounted for the only goal in the second period, and the Colonials closed it out with goals by Lawrence, Rinaldi and Joe Jordan.
PW held a lopsided 71-5 advantage in shots. PW goalie Jacob Magill was forced to make just five saves in the win while his counterpart, Eric Sphar, turned away 64 shots.
GAME DETAILS
SCORING 
Lower Moreland 0 0 0 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 3 1 3 7
SHOTS
Lower Moreland 0 0 5 5
Plymouth Whitemarsh 3 1 67 71
POWERPLAYS
Lower Moreland 0 for 3 : Plymouth Whitemarsh 0 for 11
SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Jonathan Isely (Christopher Ward, Andrew Fisher) 10:24
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Jonathan Isely (Christopher Zawislak) 12:58
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Skyler Goldstein (Chris Rinaldi, Bo Flint) 14:30
Period 2
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Kevin Lawrence (Skyler Goldstein) 6:13
Period 3
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Kevin Lawrence (Skyler Goldstein, Christopher Ward) 7:14
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Chris Rinaldi (Skyler Goldstein, Kevin Lawrence) 7:52
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Joe Jordan (Bo Flint) 15:06
GOALIES
27 Eric Sphar LOSS 48:00 71 64
27 Jacob Magill WIN 48:00 5 5
PENALTY TOTALS
Lower Moreland 48 minutes on 12 infraction(s) Plymouth Whitemarsh 25 minutes on 7 infraction(s)
WILLIAM TENNENT 4, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3
GAME DETAILS
SCORING
William Tennent 1 0 3 4
Council Rock North 1 1 1 3
SHOTS
William Tennent 9 10 11 30
Council Rock North 7 11 2 20
POWERPLAYS
William Tennent 0 for 3 : Council Rock North 2 for 2
SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
William Tennent - Andrew Bean (Charlie Feeney) 0:23
Council Rock North - Johnny Vanni (Cavan Tully, CJ Zemzik) 5:51
Period 2
Council Rock North - Johnny Vanni (powerplay) (Zach Herman, Cavan Tully) 9:42
Period 3
William Tennent - Alec Dugan (unassisted) 1:04
Council Rock North - Cavan Tully (powerplay) (unassisted) 3:57
William Tennent - Dan Brady (Jack McKeever) 9:34
William Tennent - Alec Dugan (Tim McMonogale) 14:43
GOALIES
43 C.J. Lineman 0:38 0 0
30 Eric Lineman WIN 47:22 20 17
35 Andy Cicconi LOSS 48:00 30 26
PENALTY TOTALS
William Tennent 4 minutes on 2 infraction(s) Council Rock North 6 minutes on 3 infraction(s)
Lower Moreland 0 Plymouth Whitemarsh 7
GAME DETAILS
SCORING
Lower Moreland 0 0 0 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 3 1 3 7
SHOTS
Lower Moreland 0 0 5 5
Plymouth Whitemarsh 3 1 67 71
POWERPLAYS
Lower Moreland 0 for 3 : Plymouth Whitemarsh 0 for 11
SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Jonathan Isely (Christopher Ward, Andrew Fisher) 10:24
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Jonathan Isely (Christopher Zawislak) 12:58
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Skyler Goldstein (Chris Rinaldi, Bo Flint) 14:30
Period 2
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Kevin Lawrence (Skyler Goldstein) 6:13
Period 3
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Kevin Lawrence (Skyler Goldstein, Christopher Ward) 7:14
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Chris Rinaldi (Skyler Goldstein, Kevin Lawrence) 7:52
Plymouth Whitemarsh - Joe Jordan (Bo Flint) 15:06
GOALIES
27 Eric Sphar LOSS 48:00 71 64
27 Jacob Magill WIN 48:00 5 5
PENALTY TOTALS
Lower Moreland 48 minutes on 12 infraction(s) Plymouth Whitemarsh 25 minutes on 7 infraction(s)
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