SOL SHSHL Ice Hockey Notebook (2-13-19)

This week’s notebook features CB East and Neshaminy and also highlights the American Conference race and includes the scoring leaders and goalie stats.

By Rick Woelfel

Continental Division Snapshot:
East’s McIntyre back between the pipes - As the Suburban High School Hockey league season heads into its final two weeks, Chris McIntyre has a lot of feel good about. The Central Bucks East goaltender returned to action last week after missing more than a month because of medical issues.

After three days of practice, he responded with two solid performances on back-to-back nights in a 5-1 win over Truman followed by a 2-2 standoff against Abington.

“It feels great to be back on the ice,” the sophomore goalie said. “It feels great. I enjoy it a lot.”

McIntyre said he only had to deal with a minimal amount of rust as he prepared for a return to game competition.

“A little bit on Monday,” he said, “but that was it, and I kind of got back into it.”

McIntyre started the week tops among SHSHSL goaltenders (who have played the equivalent of five full games) in save percentage at .920. He’s second in goals-against average at 2.29. His goaltending partner Matt Oganowski has played well too; he started the week with a goals-against average of 3.25 and a save percentage of .855.

Oganowski and McIntyre are getting plenty of help from their defense corps. The Patriots have allowed just 40 goals in 15 games, or 2.7 per game. They’ve held opponents to three goals or less four times. The exceptions are North Penn, Central Bucks South, and Pennridge, arguably the three most potent offensive teams in the SHSHL, along with crosstown rival Central Bucks West.

East stands at 9-4-2 overall and, at 5-4-1 in league play, is assured of a SHSHL playoff spot. It will close the regular season against Pennsbury Wednesday night at Grundy.

National Division Snapshot:
Neshaminy finishing strong - Neshaminy will close the regular season with matchups against Central Bucks West on Thursday and Truman next Wednesday. Matt DeMatteo’s troops are playing some quality hockey at present, they’re unbeaten in their last five starts.

We’re really finding our stride right now,” DeMatteo said. “The boys are really jelling for a playoff push.”

Robert Seewagen continues to lead the team in scoring with 17 goals and 11 assists for 28 points. Joe DeMatteo is next with 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points. At the other end of the ice, Joey Buday has been leading the blue-line corps while veteran Steve Glik has been solid in goal.

Neshaminy has the best record of any team in the National Division, which is irrelevant as far as the playoff seedings are concerned, but is indicative of the progress this team has made over the last two seasons.

Heading into the week, Neshaminy carries a record of 6-4-3, 4-3-2 in league play. That record included an early-season win over Pennridge, a one-goal loss to central Bucks South, and a tie against North Penn. Were the playoffs to start today, Neshaminy would be seeded sixth.

“We feel on any given night we can compete with any team,” DeMatteo said. “We feel we’re right there with any team in the league.”

American Division Snapshot:
Lower Moreland & Wissahickon battle for regular season crown - The regular-season race in the Class A American Division is going right down to the wire. Lower Moreland starts the week with a 6-2-3 divisional mark, one point in front of second-place Wissahickon, but the Trojans (6-2-2 in the division) have a game in hand. The Lions will finish their league schedule on Thursday against Upper Dublin, which is winless in divisional play while the Trojans will have two stiff tests in Plymouth Whitemarsh on Wednesday and Hatboro-Horsham next Wednesday; games that will likely determine the regular-season title and both teams’ seeding for the Flyers Cup tournament.

Lower Moreland comes onto the week having won five of its last six while the Trojans have won four out of five.

Both teams will be counting on their goaltenders to step up. Wissahickon’s Michael Henderson is carrying a goals-against average of 4.23, a solid number in the offense-oriented American Division, with a save percentage of .829. His Lower Moreland counterpart, Jacob Lungin, is at 5.21/.799

Playoff Ponderings—The SHSHL playoffs will commence on Monday, Feb. 25, with four Class AA quarterfinal games, two at Hatfield Ice and two at Revolution Ice Gardens. Wednesday, Feb. 27, will feature the semifinals in both Class AA and Class A, one of each at both Hatfield and Revolution Ice Gardens. The championship games in both classes are set for Thursday, February 28 at Hatfield.

The results of the SHSHL playoffs will not impact the seedings for the Flyers Cup. Those seedings and pairings will be announced on Sunday, Feb. 24.

Class AA Scoring Leaders

Class A Scoring Leaders

Goals Against Average

 (Min. 240 minutes played)

Save Percentage

 (Min. 240 minutes played)