SOL SHSHL Ice Hockey Notebook (1-16-19)

This week’s notebook features Pennsbury, CB West & Hatboro-Horsham and also includes scoring/goalkeeping leaders.

By Rick Woelfel

National Division Snapshot
Falcons in the mix in tightly-contested National —The six teams in the Suburban High School Hockey League’s National Division are all tightly bunched; the top five teams in the six-team division are within two points of each other

Council Rock South was sitting on top at the start of the week with a 2-2-2 league mark for six points (5-3-2 overall) with Abington, Truman, and Neshaminy all one point behind and Pennsbury two points back.

The Falcons stand at 2-4 in the division and 3-5-2 overall.

Eric Eisler leads his team in scoring with 11 goals and six assists for 17 points. Jake Sieger is next with nine goals and seven assists for 16 points.

Pennsbury coach Ryan Daley has been impressed with the work of Shane Siegmund, who has provided six goals and seven assists.

“He’s a great setup guy,” Daley said. “He gets it to guys that score.”

Daley lauds the performance of his freshman goaltender, Topher Seiler, who, at the start of the week, was carrying a goals-against average of 4.73.

“He’s very skilled,” Daley said.” He’s facing shots from 18-year olds and I think he’s adjusting really well.”

Pennsbury will play its annual breast cancer awareness game against Truman on Friday, Feb. 1, at Grundy Arena. The game honors the memory of Daley’s mother Lois, who was instrumental figure in the Pennsbury organization before losing a battle with breast cancer. Ryan Daley played in the first Pink Game in 2011.

Continental Division Snapshot
Bucks on the rise - North Penn carried a 5-1-2 league record into the week. The Knights (6-2-3 overall) are one point up on defending SHSHL Class AA champion Central Bucks South in the standings.

But the team that appears to be gathering momentum tight now is Central Bucks West. After getting off to a 1-4 start the Bucks, who field one of the youngest lineups in the league, have won four of their last five, including back-to-back wins over Council Rock South 4-2 and Abington 7-3 last week. West started the week 5-5 overall and 3-3 in league play.

Coach Dave Baun said he expected his team to evolve and mature over the course of the season.
“We had good learners,” he said, “kids that work hard. We expected that they would come together.

“But you always have to set that off against frustration. The kids get frustrated and then they don’t buy in as well. But to their credit, I think our team has bought in to what we’re trying to do.”

Senior Chris Trefz leads the team in scoring with just five goals but 16 assists for 21 points. Jake Lang, Owen Shields, and Pavel Serhiayenka are next with 12 points each. Serhiayenka leads the team in goals with 10.

Senior Matt McCarthy and freshman Grant Funseth have been the Bucks’ top defensive pair.
“(Funseth) is going to be the best defenseman in the league, in my opinion,” Baun said. “We teach a lot of the new techniques that they’re doing in the NHL. No crossovers - kids don’t cross their skates over when they’re skating backwards. That’s unusual; kids coming from club, they’re used to crossing over like mad.

“There are things that they’re doing that they’re not used to doing when they come here. But they learn (the techniques) and they’re getting better.”

The Bucks were scheduled to face William Tennent Wednesday night.

The top three finishers in each Class AA division will qualify for the league playoffs.  The last two spots on the eight-team bracket will be filled by wild cards.

American Division Snapshot
Hatters in the hunt - Though halfway through the regular season, the American Division (Class A) race is up for grabs. Lower Moreland sits atop the standings with a 4-1-3 record just one point ahead of Wissahickon. Plymouth Whitemarsh is three points off the pace, Hatboro-Horsham four.

Under coach Gianni Lafratta, the Hatters have surrendered just 27 goals in 10 games. Ben Lerner leads the team in scoring with nine goals and eight assists for 17 points, but Lafratta points to the freshman’s work on the blue line as a key to the Hatter’s success.

“He has on-ice skills,” the Hatters’ coach said. “He has the knowledge of the game and his experience shows when he communicates with his teammates.”

Alex Howieson is next in scoring with four goals and 12 assists for 16 points. Ben Heywood, Tarek Elsabbagh, and Seth Lerner have all collected 12 points each.

The Hatters (6-3-1, 3-3-1) in divisional play have also gotten stellar play in goal from Joe Gambino who is carrying a 2.88 goals-against average and a save percentage of .901. Those numbers put him fifth in goals-against average among all netminders in the entire SHSHL who have played the equivalent of five full games and tied for third in save percentage, one of just four regular goaltenders in the entire league with a save percentage greater than .900.

“He has great vision,” Lafratta says. “He tracks the puck well and communicates well.”

The Hatters were scheduled to face Wissahickon on Wednesday. Lafratta sees the division race as wide open. “There’s great parity,” he said. “Anyone can win it.”

Class AA Scoring Leaders

American Division Scoring Leaders

Goalkeeper Stats

(minimum 240 minutes played)