Tennett defeated Council Rock North 4-2 in a must-win game on Thursday night.
By Ben Reese
WARWICK – For the William Tennent ice hockey team, youth will be served.
And no one epitomizes that better than Andrew Bean. Bean, a freshman, scored two goals including the game-winner as the Panthers beat Council Rock North 4-2 on Thursday night at the Warwick Ice Arena.
Tennent coach Nick D'Aurizio knows that his team is very dependent on the play of its youngsters.
“A solid majority of our team is in the ninth and tenth grade, which is real big for us,” he said. “When you have young guys like this, ninth and tenth graders, step in and contribute that just spells well for the future of our program.”
Bean pushed right to the forefront against North. He scored the tying goal in the beginning of the second period and then netted the winning goal later in the third.
“I got it from Charlie Feeney, my defenseman,” said Bean of his second goal, “and I didn't really see where it was going, so I put it on net and it slipped through.”
Bean is the leading scorer for the Panthers. He has 15 goals and seven assists including his two goals and one assist against the Indians.
“He's been one of our best players all year long,” D'Aurizio said. “For a 14-year-old kid, a freshman, new to the program, to come up and really take the team on his shoulders throughout the season (is great).
“We've dealt with a log of injuries. Clint Aussprung, who is a guy who we usually lean on, was injured for five or six games.
“Bean's been the guy that's been there all year. For a 14-year-old to do that, it's impressive.”
Another of the youthful contributors has been goalie Zach Dorsey. Dorsey was especially strong during the third period when the Panthers took the lead and then had to protect it.
“Zach's been great all year,” said D'Aurizio. “He came in, and he's a new player this year, a sophomore.
“C.J. Lineman (the starting goalie) went down with an injury and Zach stepped in and we didn't miss a beat. Even though we've lost our last few games, he's actually playing his best hockey of the year right now, which is just great for us.”
The win was a big one for a Tennent squad that had lost four in a row and was outscored 31-6 in that span.
“Emotionally, it was important,” D'Aurizio said. “We haven't been playing well.
“We think we're going to get a berth in the single-A Flyers Cup and that's real important. It was real important to play well going into the tournament as opposed to losing five or six games in a row and going into the tournament. It was an emotional win in that sense.”
But the coach put it to his seniors especially before the game.
“What I said before the game to the six or seven seniors we have on the team,” D'Aurizio said. “I said, 'This could potentially be your last game as a high school hockey player and you can come out and play with your hearts or just roll over and die.' I think they really played their hearts out tonight.”
In the first period, it looked like heart might not be enough for the Panthers. The Indians came out flying and fired 10 shots at Dorsey.
He stopped all but one of them. With 5:44 gone in the opening stanza, Tristan Wieczorek beat Dorsey in a scramble in front of the net for the goal with assists going to Mike Shander and John Humes.
The score stayed that way for nearly 15 minutes. Then North put another score on the board.
Mark Dwyer beat Dorsey with 5:22 elapsed in the second period. Dante Rienzi and Wieczorek got the assists.
But then the Panthers woke up. Matt Gehan took a pass from Bean and beat Indian goalie Mike Leininger to cut the North lead to one goal.
The third period was the time for Bean to step up. And he did.
With teammate Brett Goldstein in the penalty box for cross checking, Bean notched his first goal. He got the shorthanded marker off an assist from Brent Bagdon.
Nearly nine minutes later, he got the goal that won the game for Tennent. He took a pass from Feeney and put it on net and it trickled past Leininger for the goal.
The final goal of the game came with one second left on the clock. Alec Dugan intercepted a North pass and put the puck into an empty net for the final tally of 4-2.
“We needed to win this game to get in the playoffs hopefully,” said Bean, “and get in the Flyers Cup.”
No guarantees but if Bean keeps up his stellar play, he won't miss too many Flyers Cups.
William Tennent 0 1 3 – 4
Council Rock North 1 1 0 – 2
First Period
1. Tristan Wieczorek CRN (Mike Shander, John Humes) 5:44. Penalties: Mike Heverly CRN (tripping) 13:37.
Second Period
2. Mark Dwyer CRN (Dante Rienzi, Wieczorek) 5:22; 3. Matt Gehan WT (Andrew Bean) 5:53. Penalties: Chris Critti CRN (slashing) 9:33; Clint Aussprung WT (cross checking) 11:29; Charlie Feeney WT (interference) 14:45; Brett Goldstein WT (cross checking) 15:56.
Third Period
4. Bean WT (Brent Bagdon) 1:35 SH; 5. Bean WT (Feeney) 10:19; 6. Alec Dugan WT (unassisted) 15:59. Penalties: Rob Ketler WT (interference) 3:46; Shander CRN (high sticking) 7:14; Paul Partington WT (hooking) 12:01.
Shots: WT – 31; CRN – 35. Saves: Zach Dorsey WT 33; Mike Leininger CRN 27.
- Log in to post comments
