SHSHL Ice Hockey Notebook (1-29-20)

By Rick Woelfel

With Flyers Cup Selection Sunday now just three-and-a-half weeks away, each regular season game is becoming more significant. This is a big week for big games in the SHSHL.

Class AA Snapshot—The rivalry between Central Bucks East and Central Bucks West would be intense under any circumstances, but the intensity level will likely be ratcheted up a few notches when the Patriots and the Bucks meet Wednesday night at Hatfield Ice (7:20 start).

The Patriots come in at 8-2-1-1 overall and 5-2-1-1 in divisional play. They’ll feature one of the league’s most adept goal scorer in Sean Gorman who comes in with 22 goals and three assists for 25 points. He’s scored at least one goal in every game his team has played this season and has scored three or more goals in a game four times.

East also has been getting outstanding play between the pipes from goaltender Chis McIntyre who is maintaining a 2.31 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage.

The Bucks come in at 6-3-2-1 overall and 3-3-2-0 in the division. The Bucks’ Jake Lang continues to lead the SHSHL in scoring with 24 goals and 17 assists for 41 points. Chris Trefz has provided 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points. Jake Coddington is the goaltender; his numbers include a 4.05 goals-against average and an .852 save percentage.

The Patriots beat the Bucks 5-4 via shootout in a non-league game on Thanksgiving Eve. This week’s result promises to be far more significant. It will count in the divisional standings and is sure to influence the Flyers Cup folks who will determine the tournament field and seedings. The Patriots are ranked 10^th this week in the Class AA power rankings.

Thursday’s matchup between Pennsbury and Neshaminy (7:20 at Grundy Arena) matches two teams are ensconced in the top 10 of those rankings. The Falcons (8-3-1-0 overall, 4-3-1 in divisional play) are listed sixth while Neshaminy (8-3, 6-2) is ranked seventh.

The Falcons feature Beau Brusius-Yedman (12 goals, 15 assists, 27 points), Reece Millman (14-9-23), and Eric Eisler (8-13-21). Topher Seiler and Marek Jorgenson split time in goal, with Seiler logging the majority of the minutes.

Neshaminy features Robert Seewagen (20 goals, 13 assists, 33 points) plus six other players with 11 points or more. Brian Nelson is in goal. He brings with him a 2.24 goals-against average and a save percentage of .881.

The two teams met on Thanksgiving Eve with the Falcons prevailing 4-3. Neshaminy was undefeated going into that game, which didn’t count in the division standings but certainly will impact Flyers Cup seedings, particularly if Pennsbury sweeps the season series on Thursday.

Quakertown and Pennridge came together for a good cause last Wednesday night, raising almost $1,600 to support two Pennridge students, Abigail and Lexi Boleski, who were injured in an automobile accident four days earlier. The funds raised were donated to a Go Fund Me page that was set up to support the family.

Class A Snapshot—Wissahickon got off to a slow start this season, winning just two of its first six games. But the Trojans have turned things around and now sit at 8-6 overall and 6-4 in American Division play with three games remaining, two of them inside the division. They’ve won three straight and five of their last six outings, dating back to January 15. Bryan Garry returned to the lineup on that date after a two-month absence (including the holiday break); he’s scored 12 goals in three games since he’s been back. In six games this season he’s collected 17 goals and 10 assists for 27 points. Nicholas Hussa leads the team in scoring with 24 goals and six assists in 12 games.

The Trojans are off until February 13 when they’ll face division-leading Plymouth Whitemarsh for the third and last time.

The Colonials have control of the division with an 8-0 record. They stand at 11-1 overall and started the week listed sixth in the Class A Flyers Cup power rankings. Their only loss came against Pennridge, which has moved into contention for a Class AA Flyers Cup spot.

The SHSHL’s regular season concludes on February 21. The Flyers Cup field will be announced two days later and the SHSHL playoffs will commence on the 24^th and the Flyers Cup tournament will begin on March 2.

SHSHL Standings as of 1-29-2020 

Scoring

Goals Against

Save Percentage