Pennridge defeated Council Rock South in a battle of the SHSHL’s top squads. Photos provided courtesy of Tracy Valko. Check back for a gallery of photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f710114994
By Ben Reese
HATFIELD — Jacob Winton played in an ice hockey game on Saturday for his club team. In the final minute of the game, he got steamrollered by a member of the opposing team.
It gave his club coach, Jeff Montagna, who is also his coach for the Pennridge ice hockey team, cause for concern, especially since Winton didn’t come to the team’s Sunday game.
Whatever the problem was for Winton after Saturday, he certainly didn’t exhibit any aftereffects on Wednesday night at Hatfield Ice, backstopping the Rams to a 7-3 win over Council Rock South.
He held the Golden Hawks, who have averaged over 10 goals per game thus far in the Suburban High School Hockey League season, to a mere three goals including one in the third period with slightly more than two minutes remaining in a game that was all but for the final horn over.
So Jacob, how do you feel?
“I’m feeling a lot better,” he said outside the locker room. “A lot better after a big win.”
Winton kicked aside 37 of the 40 shots that South threw at him. Pennridge managed 30 shots on goal against Rock South netminder Trevor Rakszawski.
Montagna had a bit of trepidation about how Winton would react to the big build-up coming into the battle between the 7-0 Golden Hawks and the 8-0 Rams. He didn’t need to be wary.
“Even in the Flyers Cup, he was never in this environment,” Montagna said. “Even in the Flyers Cup finals, this kind of build-up.
“He was awesome tonight. He was locked in from the minute the game started.
“I thought, in a 1-1 game (in the second period), he made one of the best toe saves you will see a goalie make. I thought that was the turning point of the game. That save he made in the second period I thought changed the entire complexion of the game.”
The save Montagna is referring to actually ignited the Pennridge offense. With the teams tied at 1-1, the Rams then went on to score four goals, allowing one, to break the game open.
Winton was impressed with the Hawks entering the game.
“They are an absolutely amazing powerhouse of a team,” he said of Rock South. “We knew that coming in.
“We kind of knew that we wanted to keep it simple. Not overthink too much.
“Obviously, we knew that they were an amazing team. (We just wanted) to put pucks deep and outwork them.”
Everyone in the SHSHL also knew what kind of an offensive team the Hawks were. You don’t score 77 goals in seven games on luck.
“They’re a great offensive team,” said Montagna. “It’s hard to shut those guys down. If you don’t have the goaltending, they are going to beat you.
“He (Winton) did what he had to do and kept us in it until we could take advantage on special teams.”
That brings up another subject. Council Rock South was whistled for 13 penalties on the night with players spending a lot of time off the ice and in the penalty box.
“We outshot them by 10 (shots) and we end up on the short end of the stick,” South coach Joe Houk said. “I have no problem with that.
“They beat us. It is what it is. We’ll get them next time.”
The Golden Hawks got on the scoreboard first. Jackson Mosley beat Winton with 6:54 gone in the opening period.
Pennridge came right back with less than two minutes remaining in the period. Colin Dachowski notched the tying goal unassisted.
Then came the second period. The Golden Hawks were buzzing around the Pennridge goal when Winton kicked aside a shot destined for the netting.
And it woke up the Ram offense.
With 5:33 elapsed in the second period, Kevin Pico put Pennridge ahead for the first time. A little less than two and a half minutes later, Shane Dachowski netted the first of his three goals, banging home his own rebound off Rakszawski.
Thirty-eight seconds later, Kevin Koles got one of those goals back for South, firing a blast past Winton from the line. However, Shane Dachowski got that one back and then added another on the power play with less than two minutes left in the period.
Pennridge wasn’t quite done, however. Andrew Savona added a pair of goals, both on the power play, to open the third period before the Hawks’ Blaize Pepe finished up the scoring for the game.
The victory gives Pennridge sole possession of first place in the National Division of the SHSHL. It also sets up what promises to be more of the same February 7 when the two teams meet again.
Pennridge 7, Council Rock South 3
Council Rock South 1 1 1 — 3
Pennridge 1 4 2 — 7
First period: 1, Jackson Mosley CRS (Blaize Pepe) 6:54; 2, Colin Dachowski P (unassisted) 15:23.
Second period: 3, Kevin Pico P (Nick Young) 5:33; 4, Shane Dachowski P (Pico, Andrew Savona) 8:00; 5, Kevin Koles CRS (Jake Weiner, Illia Mukhin) 8:38; 6, S. Dachowski P (Savona) 9:26; 7, S. Dachowski P (Pico, Savona) 14:46 PP.
Third period: 8, Savona P (S. Dachowski, Pico) 1:04 PP; 9, Savona P (Pico, S. Dachowski) 6:15 PP; 10, Pepe CRS (Koles) 14:52.
Shots: CRS 40, P 30. Saves: Trevor Rakszawski (CRS) 23, Jacob Winton (P) 37.
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