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By Brian Weaver
WARWICK - A month ago, Central Bucks South needed a last-second goal with an extra attacker to salvage a 5-5 tie at Neshaminy. Friday night, the Titans spared themselves the drama, scoring four times in the second period on their way to an easy 6-3 win. Tom Dougherty scored twice and notched an assist, and Connor Bechter added a pair of assists as South snapped a three-game skid to push their record to 5-6-1.
“It was a good tie the first time,” head coach Tom Coyne said. “We pulled the goalie and drew up a play. We’re happy to get a win based on knowing they’re a good team.”
Dougherty echoed his coach, but also added that confidence played a big role.
“We came more prepared, because we knew we could outplay them,” he said. “We just took it to them.”
After a scoreless first period that saw few real threats, the Titans exploded in the middle of the second period. Trailing 1-0, Jimmy Milanesi fought to keep the puck in the zone behind Neshaminy’s net. Milanesi hung by the right post, and ended up in perfect position to slide a pass across the crease for Bobby Mallon to bang home.
South then took advantage of an interference call against the Indians and worked a great power play, moving the puck smoothly around the offensive zone and ultimately finding Tom Dougherty at the top of the left circle. Dougherty hesitated for a moment, then fired a wrist shot high past Neshaminy goalie Tyler Edwards for a 2-1 lead.
“He’s a tough kid,” Neshaminy head coach Ray Sherno said of the forward. “We knew about him, and knew we had to watch him.”
Eighteen seconds later, Dougherty again contributed, this time screening Edwards as he flew across the middle and dropped the puck back to a waiting Nick Delaurentis, who buried it glove side. Andrew Farley capped the period when a puck bouncing through traffic settled right in the slot for him to calmly flip in for a 4-1 lead.Coyne was very pleased not just with the outburst, but the manner in which the Titans got their goals.
“We’re starting to get timing,” he said afterwards. “We’re playing more from the neck up, a little smarter.”
Bechtel agreed, acknowledging that the mental aspect of the game is helping immensely.
“We’re working together lately,” he said. “We’ve got chemistry we didn’t have at the beginning of the year.”
Nowhere did this present itself more clearly than on the Titans’ fifth goal. Tim Dirugeris centered from the right corner. Bechtel crashed the net, flicking the puck on in stride to Dougherty, who was waiting in the left circle to fire home his second goal of the night.
Finding that chemistry hasn’t been easy for the Titans, as their recent schedule has been nothing short of brutal. They entered Friday having played two straight against Catholic League juggernaut La Salle and another against Suburban One’s top team, Council Rock South. And though La Salle had outscored the Titans 11-5 in their two meetings, Bechter and his teammates stepped up against C.R. South, hanging tough in a 5-2 game that gave the Titans no shortage of confidence entering Friday’s re-match against Neshaminy.
“We played like we played last game,” he said. “We played a great game [against C.R. South] but just didn’t get what we wanted.”
Coyne agreed, saying that the schedule forced the Titans to get better.“The competition you play, three or four tough games, mentally prepare you for another tough game,” Coyne explained.
Neshaminy’s offense struggled to get moving, though they did grab a 1-0 lead four minutes into the second period. Jake Kitchenman fed an unmarked Eric Graham at the top of the slot. Graham slipped a low shot just inside the right post, but that was the last serious threat the Indians could mount.
The potent combination of D.J. Bell – SOL’s second-leading scorer – and Jordan Ducko struggled all night to crack the Titan defense. Ducko did bag a goal and an assist, and Stephen Lee added two assists on the night, but overall South countered everything Neshaminy could throw at them.
”Ducker and Bell can bring the offense every night,” Coyne said. “Matt Schultz and Ed Siger did a good job shutting down their top line.”
Sherno admitted that his team struggled with the South defense, adding that they haven’t had much firepower in the last few games.
“Other teams are keying in on [Bell],” he explained. “So, he’s pressing a little bit, trying to make things happen.”
Neshaminy fell to 4-5-3 overall with the loss.
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 6, NESHAMINY 3CB South 0 4 2-6
Neshaminy 0 1 2-3
1st Period
None
2nd Period
Neshaminy – 11:28 Eric Graham (Jake Kitchenman & Matt Kaleck assists)
CB South – 7:11 Jimmy Milanesi (Bobby Mallon & Jake Bauer assists)
CB South – 5:08 Tom Dougherty (Power Play) (Matt Schultz assist)
CB South – 4:50 Nick Delaurentis (Tom Dougherty assist)
CB South – 00:08 Connor Bechtel (Andrew Farley & Tom Dougherty assists)
3rd Period
Neshaminy – 8:46 Jordan Ducko (Steven Lee assist)
CB South – 7:37 Tom Dougherty (Tim Dirugeris & Connor Bechtel assists)
Neshaminy – 4:34 Justin Santoro (Jordan Ducko & Steven Lee assists)
CB south – 00:17 Nick Delaurentis (Empty Net) (Ed Siger assist)
Goaltending Summary
CB South – Matt McGarvey 22 shots, 3 goals, 19 saves
Neshaminy – Tyler Edwards 27 shots, 5 goals, 22 saves
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