A complete wrap of all of Thursday night’s playoff action can be found at the bottom of the CR North/Pennsbury game article.
By Nick DeLorenzo
Throughout the season, Council Rock North and Pennsbury proved to be about as evenly matched as two teams could get, splitting the regular season series and finishing just one game apart in the regular season standings.
Thursday night’s second round playoff match proved to be no different with Council Rock North prevailing in thrilling fashion, defeating Pennsbury 2-1 in overtime.
The Indians got out to an early lead less than three minutes into the game on a power play goal by Max Freeman. The early lead combined with a defense able to shut down the Falcons’ playmakers early on led many to believe that perhaps Council Rock was in for an easy night, but nothing was farther from the truth.
Pennsbury’s intensity increased dramatically in the second period as the Falcons outshot Council Rock 14-5 in the frame. Top scorer Ken McCormick finally rewarded his team with a goal late in the period resulting from a Council Rock line changing miscue, tying the game at 1-1 going into the third period.
The scoreless third period was highlighted by spectacular saves from both Pennsbury’s Corey Chapin and Council Rock’s Jesse Goldberg with both doing all they could to extend their team’s league playoff season. Council Rock also had to kill off two Pennsbury power play opportunities in the final seven minutes of the period.
“Your goalie has to be your best penalty killer,” Council Rock head coach Eric Tye said of Goldberg, who stopped 32 of 33 Pennsbury shots. “That’s two lights-out games in a row for him. I’ve said all year – [he’s] the best goalie in high school hockey, and he probably just proved it.”
The back and forth excitement continued into the overtime period. Each team had shots hit the post on successive possessions with a chance to win. After a hectic scrum in front of Chapin, the puck squirted loose right to Council Rock captain Scott Titus, who was able to bury the puck in the back of the net for the victory.
Titus, who found himself on the bottom of a celebratory pile-on by his teammates following the game winner, admits that everything happened too quickly to recall vividly.
“I honestly don’t even remember what happened,” he said. “The puck just came out and the goalie was on the ground and I tried to get it to the empty net. I don’t know how it got there.”
Coach Tye was nearly at a loss for words following the gut-wrenching battle.
“They knew they were going to have to play a near-perfect game to win,” Tye said. “Our guys did not quit, and for what they just did – they played last night, and to come back less than 24 hours later and then have to go to overtime – that’s character.”
The loss for Pennsbury ends their league playoff season in heartbreaking fashion. Despite the outcome, head coach John Bria knows his players gave it all they had.
“I just told the boys that there’s only one winner at the end of the year,” Bria said. “They played a great season. “
Bria also commented on the back-and-forth rivalry between these two similar squads.
“It was two evenly matched teams going blow-to-blow,” Bria said. “Council Rock played a great game tonight. If we played 10 games, we’d win five and they’d win five.”
Tye and his players are looking forward to a couple of days of well-earned rest before resuming the playoff schedule on Monday. The Indians will face Council Rock South, and Tye made it no secret that his team wants a piece of their undefeated cross-town rivals.
“I know who our kids want to play,” he said. “It’s not right for someone to pick favorites, but we want Council Rock South.”
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2, PENNSBURY 1
CR-North -- 1 0 0 1 (OT) 2
Pennsbury -- 0 1 0 0 1
1st Period -- Max Freeman (CR-N) from Patrick Cunningham and Kyle Weitz, 2:30
2nd Period -- Ken McCormick (Pennsbury) from Sean Harlow and Matt Mager, 12:02
3rd Period --
Overtime -- Scott Titus (CR-N) from Steven Bullard, 6:30
Shots
CR-North -- 10 5 13 5 33
Pennsbury -- 6 14 11 2 33
Ice Hockey Wrap
Council Rock South rallied back from a 2-1 first period deficit to advance to the SHSHL Class AA finals with Council Rock North with a 7-4 semi-final win over Central Bucks South at the Face Off Circle in Warminster.
“We got off to a slow start, but we got stronger and took control as the game went on,” said Rock South coach Joe Houk. “Honestly, I am glad that we are playing North in the final rather than Pennsbury.
“Our style is much like North in that we have a more open style – back and forth up the ice,” added Houk. “It should be a great series.”
The Golden Hawks received another superlative performance from its first line in the win.
Patrick Grilli – the leading scorer in the SHSHL during the regular season with 40 goals and 35 assists – registered the hat trick for the winners.
Other goal scorers for the Hawks were Thomas Kopania – with a pair of goals – along with Peter Malamud and Dan Ufberg.
Kevin Carter scored a pair of goals for CB South, while Nick Gibson and Dan Pulse scored single goals for the Titans.
Wissahickon needed a strong third period to defeat Plymouth Whitemarsh and advance to the SHSHL Class A finals, 7-5. The game was played at the Hatfield Ice Rink in Hatfield.
The Trojans will meet Upper Dublin in a best of three finals to begin on March 2nd at the Face Off Circle in Warminster at 7 pm.
“The players are really excited about playing Upper Dublin,” said Wissahickon head coach Ryan McLaughlin. “We beat them during the regular season, but you can’t underestimate anyone during the playoffs.”
Wissahickon and PW battled to a 4-4 tie over the first two periods. However, the Trojans outscored the Colonials 3-1 in the critical third period.
Sean Delaney led the Wissahickon scoring with a pair of goals. David Ko, Pat Wilson, David Pataki, Evan Weiss, and Joey Sutkow each scored single goals for the Trojans.
Plymouth Whitemarsh had a hat trick scored by Matt Puglia to lead its offensive effort. Brendan McQuiston and Shawn Pester each scored solo goals for the Colonials.
Upper Dublin rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Hatboro-Horsham – 3-2 – in overtime in a game played at Warwick Ice Arena in Warwick.
“It was a great high school hockey game,” said Upper Dublin head coach Chris Seamens. “We were down, but our young kids stepped up and played a great game.”
“We had the lead until the last two minutes of regulation,” said Hatboro-Horsham head coach Mike Shiels. “(Hatter goalie) Jimmy Salfiti played a great game for us, but give Upper Dublin credit for keeping the pressure on.”
Salfiti stopped an incredible 38 shots in defeat.
Hatboro-Horsham had taken a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Brian Smith and Chris Flannery. UD countered with a single goal by Brian Markman.
The Flying Cardinals scored the game-tying goal with 2:03 left in the game on a goal off the stick of Sam Etskovitz. Ben Hoffman scored the game winner for Upper Dublin in the overtime.
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