By GORDON GLANTZ
And just like that, every team in the SHSHL is either eliminated from the playoffs or back to 0-0.
The second season begins on Wednesday.
Here is a closer look at the first-round matchups (with Council Rock South and Pennridge waiting in the wings with byes in the National Division’s bracket and first-place Plymouth Whitemarsh in the American):
American Conference
Abington (3) vs. Bensalem (2), Grundy, 7:20, Wednesday (2/21)
Abington
-5-7-0
-Scored 55 goals and allowed 71
-The Ghosts were 5-3 before dropping their last four, including a pair to Bensalem (6-4 on Jan. 31 and 11-1 on Feb. 8). Back on Dec. 13, Bensalem began its three-game sweep with a 5-2 win over the Ghosts.
“They had a tough end of the season,” said Bensalem coach Bill Hood. “I don’t what is going on there, but I do know that they are a quality opponent. Earlier in the season, they gave us a good game. I’m not expecting anything different from them in this playoff game.”
-The team has a top-heavy scoresheet with six players with 5 or more goals and 6, total, from the rest of the squad.
-Seamus Donofry leads the young squad with 25 points (6 goals, 19 assists). Defenseman Samuel Abramson is next with 15 points (9 goals, 6 assists).
-Devin Bates has finished strong with 11 goals and 15 points. In just 9 games, Michael Romano has checked in with 9 goals and 5 assists. Shane Meltzer has 14 points (9 goals, 5 assists) and Jude Large has contributed 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists).
-Goalies Matt Evangelist (4.33 goals against average, .864 save percentage, 3-3) and Devin Brown (7.50, .789, 2-4) have split time in tending the twine.
-While the Ghosts have notched just 8 power play goals, they have 6 shorthanded goals.
Bensalem
-9-3-0
-Scored 78 goals and allowed just 31
-Alex Hood has netted an astounding 38 goals and dished out 14 assists in 12 games. The supporting cast is led by Alex Bazlevich, who has notched 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) in 11 games.
-Others with at least 20 points on the season are Lucas Gonzalez (7 goals, 15 assists) and Cole Salayda (8 goals, 12 assists).
-In just 7 games, junior Brandon Stahl has 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists).
“He has been huge,” said coach Hood of Stahl. “He has added another layer of depth scoring that we didn’t have before he came on board. He was on the team last year, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to play. I guess he succumbed to peer pressure. Luckily, for us, he kind of came around and agreed to join the team.”
-As the only goalie on the small team, Ricky Gonzalez has played every minute and has posted a 2.57 goals against average, .916 save percentage and a 9-3 record.
“Ricky has been really rock solid for us back there, all season long,” said Hood, noting that that the key is still limiting changes in front of Gonzalez.
He said: “I think we’re starting to round into form. I think the kids are finally starting to listen, in terms of paying attention to the defensive side of things. It’s been a great emphasis to the team, ‘If you guys want to do certain things, in terms of playoffs and Flyers Cup, you need to pay attention to the defensive end.’ To their credit, they are starting to do that.”
National Conference
Souderton (6) vs. (3) C.B. South, Hatfield Ice Blue, 7:20, Wednesday (2/21)
Souderton
-7-11-0
-Scored 111 goals and allowed 153
-While four games under .500, the season has been a resounding success, in terms of improvement, especially since starting off 1-5 and considering there was no playoff appearance a year ago.
-A gauge of that turnaround can be seen in a flipping an 11-0 loss to CB South on Nov. 29 around into a 9-8 win on Jan. 28.
“It was a tale of two different games,” said coach Ryan Uchniat. “A lot of it had to do with not being prepared and having a slow start, and then it was just a snowball effect. CB South is a team that can strike very quickly. They take advantage of any opportunity that you give them. They come in waves.
“It was at matter of coming out and having a stronger start and just playing a full game. That was a game where we played strong, for the most part, all the way through. We had positive results in the end.”
-Souderton is paced by Maxwell Ryon (43 goals, 20 assists) and captain Seth Grossman (24 goals, 30 assists), while versatile Nick Smith (14 goals, 21 assists) leads the deep supporting cast.
Ryon, a sophomore, is already in the rarified air of setting new standards of the nearly three decades of the program.
Uchniat noted that Ryon’s totals have come across the board against many of the top teams in the National Conference.
“Incredible,” said Uchniat. “He really turned it on the back half of his freshman year. The game has slowed down significantly for him. He is a player who has a high motor. No matter the time of a game that we are in, no matter the score, he is always going.
“With that consistency, and being such a highly skilled player in this league, he has just been able to compound on the point totals.”
-The goalie is Connor Paulus. He posted an 8.50 goals against average and a .753 save percentage.
“Connor has come on strong this season,” said the coach. “It’s his first year of seeing action as a goalie. All that he has done is improve. He has had the mental strength. He has had the athleticism, and he has had the dedication and focus. He has given our team an opportunity to win. The first third of our season, we were 1-5. We are over .500 since then and he has been a big reason for that.”
C.B. South
-12-5-1 overall
-Scored 105 goals and allowed 53
-The Titans have a balanced attack that features DJ Lindenmuth (21 goals, 14 assists), Sean Cutter (8 goals, 18 assists), Ryan Frey (19 goals, 5 assists), Jeffrey Kvecher (10 goals, 14 assists) and defenseman Aidan Linso (6 goals, 16 assists).
-The team rosters four goalies, with the primary workload going to Nathan Napolitano (2.83, .896, 6-3) and Dominic Varacallo (3.08, .880, 5-2-1).
-Said CB South coach Sean McGinty, who confirmed Napolitano will get the starting nod: “CBS needs to play its identity; keep pucks deep, pressure, and keep imposing our will, physically. But this all begins with great play in the defensive zone and protecting our house.”
CB East (4) vs. North Penn (5), Hatfield Ice Gray, 7:35, Thursday (2/22)
North Penn
-10-7-1
-Scored 81 goals and allowed 63
-The Knights lost to the Patriots, 2-1, on Dec. 22 and battled to a 5-5 tie as recently as Feb. 2.
-The Knights are led by the trio of Nolan Shingle (9 goals, 28 assists), Samuel Norton (17 goals, 13 assists) and Cole Pluck (15 goals, 14 assists).
-Only three other skaters have point totals in double digits and no one else has more than 7 goals.
However, coach Kevin Vaitis has singled out Joey Silvotti (6 goals, 5 assists) and John Stinson (5 goals, 3 assists) for their leadership.
-Goalie Maks-Joseph Harkins, a transfer from La Salle, has been outstanding in 5 games, stopping .918 percent of the shots he has faced and posting a 2.41 goals against average. Fellow keeper Aidan Quigley has also been solid, stopping .877 percent of the shots he has faced and allowing 3.29 goals against.
CB East
-11-5-2
-Scored 67 goals and allowed 66
-Corey Kosick has been the main man for the Patriots, posting 38 points (26 goals, 12 assists) in 17 games.
-He is supported by a cast that includes seven teammates with 10 or more points: Jaden Young (8 goals, 6 assists), Charlie Keiser (6 goals, 7 assists), David Brown (3 goals, 9 assists), Gavin Widmer (4 goals, 8 assists), Ethan Cenci (6 goals, 5 assists), Alex Wilson (4 goals, 6 assists) and Drew Trask (4 goals, 6 assists).
-Goalie Cole Breen has been sound, posting a 3.51 goals against average and an .891 save percentage.
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