CB South, NP, Upper Moreland and Upper Dublin earned wins in SHSHL playoff action Thursday.
By Scott Huff
The Suburban High School Hockey League Class AA championship finals are set after a breathtaking night of hockey that saw both # 1 Central Bucks South (17-0-1) and # 3 North Penn (12-3-3) capture semifinal victories.
North Penn won an instant classic 7-6 triple overtime victory over hard luck # 2 Council Rock South (15-2-2), while SHSHL unbeaten Central Bucks South took care of business with a 4-1 victory over # 4 Archbishop Wood (11-7-1). The best of three championship series will begin next Tuesday (2/28/12), continue on Wednesday (2/29/12), and finish with a possible third and final game on Thursday (3/1/12).
Knights March To Epic Victory
Christian Ahn scored his fourth goal of the game for North Penn with just 13 remaining in the third overtime to finally earn the Knights a dramatic 7-6 victory in a marathon affair that featured 101 shots on goal and 74 minutes and 47 seconds of playing time.
“This certainly wasn’t in the script,” said a relieved North Penn head coach Kevin Vaitis. “That was one tremendous hockey game – and both teams should be very proud of the way the game was played. It was a great game – a great playoff game.
“Christian Ahn scored three goals last night (in an 8-2 NP win over Pennsbury) and came back to score four goals tonight,” added Vaitis of his super sophomore. “He has been spectacular ever since we moved him to that first line with (Matt) Stella and (Ryan) Merk. They have been able to put the puck into the net.”
The game began as a shootout as both teams scored three first period goals. Ahn scored a pair of goals for the Knights, while Merk added a third NP tally in the initial period. Rock South countered with single goals by Jake Nevin, Kyle Walter, and Mitchell Vaysman.
The second period concluded the same way as the first period – tied. North Penn scored a couple of goals – one by Ahn and the other Caleb Witzaney. The goal scorers in the second period for the Golden Hawks were Vincenzo Primavera and Nick Keck.
The third period concluded the same way as the first and second period – tied. The lone goal of the third period for the Knights was scored by Matt Barkley, while Rock South sent the game into overtime with a goal tallied by Steve Junod with 2:55 left in the third period.
The first overtime ended the same way that the first, second, and third period – tied. Both goaltenders – Jake Wolff of North Penn and Justin Houk of Council Rock South – were terrific in goal to keep the game deadlocked.
The second overtime ended the same way that the first, second, third, and first overtime ended – tied. Again it was Wolff and Houk who came up with critical saves as both the Knights and the Hawks had numerous chances to put the puck in the net.
And for the first nine minutes, 47 seconds of the third overtime – nothing was decided. Not until Ahn flicked in his fourth goal of the game on a flurry around the net. He was buried under an avalanche of teammates moments after the game winner.
“I really owe everything to the help that my teammates give me,” said Ahn. “Once I began to play with both Matt and Ryan, the game seems much faster to me. I have never played in a game that lasted this long, and it was a lot of fun.”
Wolff – who came into the game in the first period with the game deadlocked at 3-3 – permitted just three goals over the final 64 minutes and 17 seconds and had 45 demanding saves in his relief appearance.
“I just tried to stay focused and help fight to the end,” said Wolff. “This was a long game to play – and it was a great game to win.”
North Penn Knights 3 2 1 0 0 1 - 7
Council Rock South Hawks 3 2 1 0 0 0 - 6
Central Bucks South Collects Title Invitation
Central Bucks South took charge early and had little difficulty in advancing to the SHSHL championship series with the three-goal victory over Archbishop Wood.
“The players are unbeaten in the league this season, and they played with that pride tonight,” said Central Bucks South head coach Tom Coyne. “I would liked to have seen us play with a little more intensity in the third period, but I felt it was important that we came out strong at the beginning of the game. And I felt that we did that.”
“When you are a # 1 seed, teams come out and try to knock you off,” said CB South captain Tim Dirugeris who had a goal and an assist for the Titans. “At this point in the playoffs, it is a one game elimination and anything can happen. Now that we are in the finals, we don’t have the pressure of the bad one game and you’re out.”
Central Bucks South came out and scored the only goal of the first period on a score by Dirugeris with 3:56 left in the initial period, The Titans blew the game open with three unanswered goals in the second period as Connor Bechtel, Jake Bauer, and Nick Delauarentis each scored single goals.
The lone goal of the third period was scored by Archbishop Wood center Ryan Meinke with assists from both Matt Mandes and Shane Freeman.
Central Bucks South goaltender Adam Calabrese was solid in goal with 18 saves, while Wood netminder Michael Scullion registered 25 saves for the Vikings.
“It is a nice feeling to be in the finals,” said Coyne. “And regardless of who we play – we will be ready.”
And that SHSHL best of three championship series against North Penn should be a good one – perhaps even a classic.
Central Bucks South Titans 1 3 0 - 4
Archbishop Wood Vikings 0 0 1 - 1
SHSHL Class A Semi-Finals
Upper Moreland shocked the SHSHL Class A world as the #4 Golden Bears (4-6) captured a 5-4 overtime victory over SHSHL American Conference champion #1 Lansdale Catholic (8-2).
Matt Baumgardner scored @ 9:15.19 in the overtime for Upper Moreland to secure the win and a place in the SHSHL championship final series against # 2 Upper Dublin (4-5-1). The Flying Cardinals defeated # 3 Wissahickon (3-6-1) by a 9-3 margin in their semifinal contest.
Lansdale Catholic fired 56 shots on goal in the loss contrasted to just 28 shots by the victorious Golden Bears.
The LC-UM contest was tied at 2-2 after the first period. Sean Lloyd scored both goals for the Bears, while Pat Longhitano and Michael Longhitano scored Crusader goals. LC took the lead after the second period as Nick Sette scored the only goal of the period to give the Crusaders a 3-2 lead.
Upper Moreland regained the lead in the third period on goals by Nick Park and Joshua Barber, but Andrew Hart scored a goal for LC with 6:22 left in the third period to send the game into overtime.
Jared Burch had a spectacular outing for Upper Moreland in goal with 52 saves, while Ben Mills was solid in goal for LC with 23 saves.
Lansdale Catholic Crusaders 2 1 1 0 - 4
Upper Moreland Bears 2 0 2 1 - 5
Tyler Peskin scored four goals for Upper Dublin as the Cardinals soared to the Class A championship finals against Upper Moreland.
Wissahickon actually held a 2-1 first period lead on goals by Joey Sutkow and Luke Honorowski. Peskin scored the lone Upper Dublin goal in the first period.
Upper Dublin scored three unanswered goals in the second period to take a 4-2 lead. Peskin scored his second goal, while Samuel Etskovitz and Robbie Degregorio scored solo goals for the Cardinals.
Upper Dublin outscored the Trojans 5-1 in the third period to coast to the win. Peskin scored his third and fourth goals of the game in the period, while Etskovitz scored his second goal of the game. Ben Hoffman scored the final Cardinal goal. The only goal in the third period by the Trojans came off the stick of Dustin Rabinowitz.
Upper Dublin had 19 shots on goals and goaltender Zach Hanson collected 18 saves. Wissahickon had 21 shots in goal and net minder Jordan Fromm had 12 saves.
Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals 1 3 5 - 9
Wissahickon Trojans 2 0 1 - 3
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