Central Bucks South advanced to Thursday’s Flyers Cup final at Hatfield ice. Photos provided courtesy of Dara King of DNK Photography.
By Ben Reese
HATFIELD -- It might seem strange to be talking about defense and goalies in a 9-0 Central Bucks South win in the semifinals of the Flyers Cup Tuesday night at Hatfield Ice.
Obviously, the offense was key because, without the offense, the game would have been a 0-0 tie. As it was, the Titans scored once in the first period, five times in the second and three more in the third to oust Haverford from the competition.
But it was the play of goalie Kevin Dorozinsky and his defensive mates that made the victory that much more impressive. Although the Fords only took 12 shots on goal, Dorozinsky turned away all of them.
In fact, Dorozinsky and his goal-tending mate Aaron King have not allowed a goal in the last two games and 14 minutes and 12 seconds of a third, spanning a total of 113 minutes and 12 seconds. The last goal scored against the duo came early in the third period of the Titans' 9-2 win over Avon Grove.
"That's our M.O.," said South coach Tom Coyne. "We want to shut teams down.
"I knew that first line, I knew (Shane) Moran was a good player so we were just looking for that matchup defensively. Our four guys were up for the task obviously."
Connor Matsinger, who is one of the four key South defensemen, knows where his bread is buttered.
"Offense is one thing," he said, "but being able to shut these teams out is a real help because if they don't score, they can't win the game. Defense is a big part of it, but we've got to score to win the game, too."
What about the goalies, guys?
"Dorosinsky made the stops he had to," Coyne said. "Early, there were a couple good chances they had, odd man rushes.
"We were just a little loose, but within the first five minutes, we got it corrected. I just think we took their best punch and that was it."
"When the D couldn't make the play, he (Dorozinsky) definitely shut out the shots," Matsinger said. "He's our rock back there."
Dorozinsky had missed the first two games of the Flyers Cup with what turned out to be a sinus infection. But he's back now, giving Coyne and the Titans a wonderful luxury of two outstanding goalies.
"It hasn't always been that luxury over the years but it's just great," Coyne said. "I can count on either guy.
"They both have a real good level of compete. We'll talk and get together with the coaching staff and go over (the game) and see who's going to go on Thursday."
Matsinger, as the South captain, appreciates his two teammates in the nets.
"It's great knowing we have two guys who can, when the D can't make the play or a shot gets by us, they can make the stop," he said. "They're great.
"Aaron stepped in the first few Flyers Cup games and the playoffs last week. And we feel real comfortable having (Dorozinsky) back there."
Now, how does Dorozinsky feel having both himself and King vying for time in goal?
"I had a week," Dorozinsky said about his sick time. "It was good to have (King) there and keeping us in it.
"It's awesome in practice. When he's in the net, we're always talking to each other, helping each other get better. It's great competition between the two of us."
Tuesday, it was Dorozinsky's turn to shine in goal. He faced only those 12 shots but he felt he was always in the game.
"It was kind of here and there," he said about the lack of Haverford shots on goal. "They had some shots, short side on the power play in the second period. The first shot of the game was nice on a two-on-one.
"That was key. The first period was big, to get that under our belt."
Actually, the first period was the only one in which Haverford was even in the game. Jackson Koblick scored the lone goal of the period with 9:47 elapsed as the Titans outshot the Fords 19-3.
Matsinger got the first goal of the second period at the 4:51 mark to give South a 2-0 lead.
There were only five penalties called in the game. The first one came at the 11:41 mark when South's Matt Stoll was called for slashing.
Being a man down didn't seem to bother the Titans. Instead, Joe DeLaurentis scored a short-handed goal and the rout was on.
Then, in the space of 25 seconds, CB South scored three goals. Koblick got the first at 15:10, then Frank Carter scored at 15:25 and Damon DeLaurentis at 15:35.
South scored three more in the third period. Thomas Liberta, Joshua Sklar and Nick Smith all tallied goals.
The Titans will meet Downingtown East, the defending Flyers Cup champion, which beat Central Bucks West 3-0 on Tuesday. The game will be played Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Hatfield Ice.
CB South 9, Haverford 0
Haverford 0 0 0 – 0
CB South 1 5 3 – 9
First period: 1. Jackson Koblick CBS (Thomas Liberta) 9:47.
Second period: 2. Connor Matsinger CBS (Frank Carter, Koblick) 4:51; 3. Joe DeLaurentis CBS (Damon DeLaurentis) 12:52 SH; 4. Koblick CBS (Matt Stoll) 15:10; 5. Carter CBS (Jason Bechtel) 15:25; 6. D. DeLaurentis CBS (Carter) 15:35.
Third period: 7. Liberta CBS (D. DeLaurentis, Bechtel) 7:34; 8. Joshua Sklar CBS (Bechtel) 9:41; 9. Nick Smith CBS (Liberta) 15:26.
Shots: H -- 12; CBS -- 49. Saves: Tim Osifchok (H) 40; Kevin Dorozinsky (CBS) 12.
#2 DOWNINGTOWN EAST 3, #3 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0
The Bucks saw an extraordinary season come to an end on Tuesday night in the Flyers Cup semifinals. The difference in this one was the second period when the Cougars exploded for three goals – two within an 18-second span late in the period.
After neither team got on the scoreboard in the opening period, Alex Fox found the net with a goal that spotted the Cougars a 1-0 lead 5:16 into the second period. Collin Harple was credited with the assist. That one-goal lead stood until Justin Cohn scored with 2:52 remaining in the period, using an Eric Stankiewicz assist. Moments later, Cohn scored again, this time using a Fox assist, and just like that, the Cougars led 3-0.
That would be the extent of the scoring for both squads. Jonah Brous was credited with 20 saves in goal for the Bucks. Downingtown East’s Jeff Cummings turned away all 25 shots he faced to earn the win.
West – just three years removed from a two-win season – closed out the season with 17 wins.
Central Bucks West 0-0-0 0
Downingtown East 0-3-0 3
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