SHSHL Ice Hockey Notebook (2-12-20)

By Rick Woelfel

Class AA Snapshot—With two weeks left in the regular season the battle for the top spot in the Class AA standings is nothing short of fascinating. Central Bucks South and North Penn are each 10-0 in divisional play. The remaining schedule will have a significant impact on the SHSHL playoffs, which are set for the week of February 24 and the seedings for the Flyers Cup tournament which commences March 2.

One big key to the Knights’ success had been the emergence of sophomore goaltender Nick Ebbhinghaus who has compiled a splendid 2.82 goals-against average and an .886 save percentage.

North Penn is also getting a fine all-around season from senior forward Tyler Greenstein who has provided 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points. Thomas Boyle, Ryan Cunningham and Luke Van Why head a blue-line group that has yielded just 27 goals in 12 games since a season-opening 9-1 loss to Holy Ghost Prep

The Knights have won nine straight. They were scheduled to face Council Rock North on Wednesday and tentatively face a non-league opponent next Wednesday before closing the season against Central Bucks South on February 20.
As for the Titans, they carry a 12-0-0-1 overall mark into a bye week. They’ll close with back-to-back games against Central Bucks West next Wednesday and North Penn next Thursday.

Like the Knights, the Titans have long had a deserved reputation as an offensive juggernaut. This season, however, their greatest assets are at the other end of the ice. Goaltender Mason Moyer carries a 1.34 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage. He leads the SHSHL in both categories. In 13 games, the Titans have allowed just 17 goals and recorded three shoutouts.

Central Bucks East and Pennsbury will hook up Wednesday night at Hatfield Ice (9:00) in a game that has significant postseason implications. The Patriots come in at 9-3-1-1 overall and 6-3-1-1 in the division to the Falcons’ 8-5-1-0 and 4-5-1-0.

Last Friday’s Pink Out game between Pennsbury and Truman raised over $6,200 in support of cancer patients and their families in Lower Bucks County. The funds will all help those individuals pay for services insurance does not; having someone shop for them, or mow their yard or get their car serviced. The most impressive aspect of all this is a lot of the fans in the stands at Grundy Arena for this game are high-school students supporting their peers. For the record, the Falcons won the exhibition game 7-3.

In the most recent (and last) set of public Flyers Cup rankings, Central Bucks South was ranked first in Class AA, North Penn fourth, Neshaminy sixth, Council Rock South seventh, and Central Bucks East eighth. Those rankings were released on February 3. Games played since then and up to the end of the regular season will impact the rankings. The SHSHL playoffs will not.

Class A Snapshot—Plymouth Whitemarsh is assured of the number-one seed when the American Division playoffs get underway in two weeks’ time but the Colonials will still have a lot to play for when they take the ice against Wissahickon Thursday night at Hatfield Ice (7:10 start). They’ll be looking to enhance their position in the Flyers Cup power rankings, which are being updated this week as always, but the numbers are not being publicly updated in deference to the fact that two of the leagues involved in the tournament have concluded their regular seasons.

The Colonials start the week 14-1 overall and 10-0 in divisional play. Their only loss was to Pennridge, a Class AA team. Since then they’ve won 11 straight, including a 7-4 won over Lower Merion last Wednesday in a rare regular-season matchup pitting a team from the SHSHL against an InterCounty League opponent.

Much has been said about the Colonials' offensive proficiency. Aidan Keogh, with 22 goals and 29 assists for 51 points leads the entire SHSHL in scoring. But he and his teammates have been just as impressive at the other end of the ice, allowing just three goals per game over the course of the season. Seniors Spencer Reilly and Conor Keogh head the defense corps.

In the last set of publicly released Flyers Cup power rankings, Plymouth Whitemarsh was ranked seventh in Class A. That’s significant because finishing the regular season in the top eight would increase the likelihood it would play its first-round game closer to home.

Hatboro-Horsham and Wissahickon are hoping for Flyers Cup invitations. If the Trojans (8-6, 6-4 in the division) are able to beat the Colonials Thursday night it would certainly strengthen their case. The Hatters (10-4-0-1, 5-4-0-1) were listed in the top 10 in the Class A power rankings earlier in the season but they’ve lost three times to the Colonials.

A maximum of 16 teams will make the tournament field but all 16 spots will be filled only if the Flyers Cup Committee believes that many teams are tournament worthy; there are no guarantees.

SHSHL Standings as of 2-11-2020 

Scoring

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