Hatboro-Horsham’s 3-2 win over Abington is featured in a wrap that includes wraps of Wednesday night’s action as well.
By Ben Reese
WILLOW GROVE -- Jacob Mueller is everything an ice hockey coach could want in a player.
At least that's what Hatboro-Horsham coach Gus Salfiti said.
And, after scoring one goal and assisting on two more including the game-winner, there really isn't much argument.
"The guy's a beast," said Salfiti. "When he sets his mind to something, he's absolutely unstoppable."
That seemed to be the case when Mueller scored with only 3:47 gone in the first period, spotting the Hatters a 1-0 lead on their way to a 3-2 win over Abington at Wintersports Ice. He added two assists on goals by James McCoy in the third period.
"He's strong. He's vocal," Salfiti said. "He leads the team by example, full effort every time."
That's what he does on the ice. What about off the ice?
"The little things that you don't see on the ice," said Salfiti. "On the bench, he's a real big supporter of the team, getting them motivated.
"He's absolutely the most influential kid on the team. He absolutely carries the team on his back."
Mueller, however, is a bit more modest.
"It was a little too close," he said of the game. "We didn't play our best game but we still won. It was a good team win."
Abington coach Ken Brzozowski knew what to expect.
"It was a good game," he said. "We knew it was going to be a good game going in.
"Both teams played well. It came down to a deflection of the puck at the end. We had our chances. They had their chances."
That is exactly what the game came down to, a deflection.
The Hatters scored in the first period and the Ghosts came back to tie it in the second. In the third, McCoy netted his first goal to give Hatboro-Horsham the edge.
But Elijah Coston evened the scored for Abington at the 10:22 mark of the third period. That left it up to McCoy to redirect a Mueller shot with 3:07 remaining into the net to decide the contest.
Despite the win, Salfiti wasn't really happy with the performance of his team.
"We got sloppy," he said. "We're better than that.
"A lot of the play was, let's say, uninspired. There were some spurts of energy and then there were a lot of lulls and a lot of watching.
"It's a step down from the last game they had where they were full of energy and every time the puck was out there, they knew it was theirs and they went after it. This game, not so much."
The two goalies played outstanding games. Abington's Jacob Snellenburg stopped 30 shots and Ryan Bell of Hatboro kicked out 28.
"Our pregame talk was to try and get more shots," Brzozowski said, "make their goalie work a little bit harder. In the first period, we had a number of shots where we just kept missing the net."
After Mueller gave the Hatters the lead in the first, Coston got the Ghosts back in the game with a power-play goal in the second. Then in the third it was McCoy, Coston and McCoy to finish it off.
Hatboro-Horsham 3, Abington 2
Hatboro-Horsham 1 0 2 – 3
Abington 0 1 1 – 2
First period: 1, Jacob Mueller HH (Shane Mergen, Dylan McClure) 3:47.
Second period: 2, Elijah Coston A (Nikolai Portner) 7:32 PP.
Third period: 3, James McCoy HH (Mueller) 5:44; 4, Coston A (unassisted) 10:22; 5, McCoy HH (Mueller) 12:53.
Shots: HH 33, A 30. Saves: Ryan Bell (HH) 28, Jacob Snellenburg (A) 30.
Wednesday, Dec. 13
UPPER DUBLIN 5, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 4
The Flying Cardinals found themselves on the short end of a 3-2 score heading into the final period. They erased that deficit in a hurry, reeling off three straight goals in the opening 4:42 of the period to go on top 5-3. They held on for the tightly contested win.
The two teams exchanged first period goals. Michael Janora (Chris Braun assist) scored 56 seconds into the contest to give the Lions a lead that held up for five minutes until Seth Wild scored with assists from Joey Fitzkee and Brian Brown.
A goal by Patrick Lovell (Vincent Vetrano assist) put the Lions on top 2-1, but Oren Serafin (Ari Nordlinger assist) connected for the equalizer 5:23 into the period. Braun’s power play goal with assists from Vetrano and Matthew Bracco gave the Lions a one-goal lead heading into the final period.
Nordlinger scored the equalizer 32 seconds into the third period, sparking the 3-0 run that included goals by Daniel Katz (Serafin assist) and Seth Wild (Chris Barbera assist). Vetrano’s shorthanded goal at the 8:14 mark pulled the Lions to within one. Neither team scored the rest of the way.
New Hope-Solebury 1-2-1 4
Upper Dublin 1-1-3 5
First Period
NHS – Michael Janora (Christ Braun)
UD – Seth Wild (Joey Fitzkee/Brian Brown)
Second Period
NHS – Patrick Lovell (Vincent Vetrano)
UD – Oren Serafin (Ari Nordlinger)
NHS – Chris Braun (Vincent Vetrano/Matthew Bracco)
Third Period
UD – Ari Nordlinger
UD – Daniel Katz (Oren Serafin)
UD – Seth Wild (Chris Barbera)
NHS – Vincent Verano
WISSAHICKON 11, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 4
The Garry brothers once again proved to be too much to handle for their opponent, combining for seven goals and five assists in the Trojans’ big win over the Colonials. Bryan Garry led the Trojans with five goals and two assists while Sean had two goals and three assists. Alex Myhrman had a four-point night for the Trojans with two goals and two assists.
For the Colonials, Dean Keller, Colin Franzoni and Stephen Longo each had three-point games.
The Trojans opened the first period with four unanswered goals. Myhrman had a pair – the first with a Matt Cade assist. Bryan Garry and Cade each added a goal. Colin Franzoni interrupted the Trojans’ run with a goal in the closing minutes of the period, using assists from Longo and Keller.
PW made it a 4-2 game when Keller scored 1:39 into the second period, but Bryan and Sean Garry each scored a goal to put the Trojans on top 6-2. They took an 8-4 lead into the final period when they tacked on three more goals.
With the win, the Trojans upped their record to a perfect 8-0.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-3-0 4
Wissahickon 4-4-3 11
Shots: Wissahickon 41, PW 20.
Saves: Michael Henderson (W) 16, Brendin Dudek (PW) 30.
First Period
W – Bryan Garry (Daniel Glazer)
W – Alex Myhrman (Matt Cade)
W - Matt Cade (Nolan Ryan)
W – Alex Myhrman
PW – Colin Franzoni (Stephen Longo/Dean Keller)
Second Period
PW – Dean Keller (Colin Franzoni/Stephen Longo)
W – Bryan Garry
W – Sean Garry (Bryan Garry/Nolan Piatkowski)
PW – Dean Keller (Stephen Longo/Zach Spera)
W – Bryan Garry (Sean Garry/Alex Myhrman)
PW – Colin Ranzoni (Kevin Fandozzi)
W – Bryan Garry (Sean Garry)
Third Period
W – Matt Cade (Daniel Glazer/Samuel Junker)
W – Bryan Garry (Sean Garry/Alex Myhrman)
W – Sean Garry (Bryan Garry)
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 10, PENNSBURY 0
The Titans, who led 4-0 after two periods, erupted for six unanswered goals to close out the game. Reis Braccio led a balanced attack with one goal and three assists on a night that saw 14 Titans put their names in the scoring column.
A power play goal by Matt Stoll 9:54 into the contest with a Braccio assist turned out to be the game winner. James Schuler (Nick Morelli assist) added a late goal to give the Titans a 2-0 lead after one period.
Evan King’s goal with an assist from Dominic Patrone was followed four minutes later by a Braccio goal (Frank Carter/Stoll assists) that put the Titans on top 4-0 at the end of two periods.
The third period featured goals by Tyler Boylan, Morelli, Jake Parlow, Matt Milanesi, Stoll and Ryan Gingras as the Titans upped their record to 8-0.
Pennsbury 0-0-0 0
Central Bucks South 2-2-6 10
Shots: CB South 53, Pennsbury 3.
Saves: August Dous (P) 43, Oscar Levin (CBS) 3
First Period
CBS – Matt Stoll (Reis Braccio)
CBS – James Schuler (Nick Moreli)
Second Period
CBS – Evan King (Dominic Patrone)
CBS – Reis Braccio (Frank Carter/Matt Stoll)
Third Period
CBS – Tyler Boylan (Reis Braccio/Joseph DeLaurentis
CBS – Nick Morelli (ames Schuler/Matt Milanesi)
CBS – Jake Parlow (Harry McLaughlin)
CBS – Matt Milanesi (DJ LoVerdi/James Schuler)
CBS – Matt Stoll (Reis Braccio)
CBS – Ryan Gingras)
HOLY GHOST 9, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 1
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