The SHSHL is back in action. Hatboro-Horsham, North Penn, CB East & Neshaminy were winners. Hatboro-Horsham/Plymouth Whitemarsh photos provided courtesy of Geanine Jamison Photography. Check back for a gallery of photos.
The SHSHL season is officially underway – two-and-a-half months later than planned because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but opening night arrived at last on Wednesday and continued with four more games on Thursday.
No spectators are permitted in the stands, but SHSHL fans can subscribe to SHSHLTV and watch all Suburban League games Live & On Demand plus. A season pass is $75 with single games $8. Subscribe at SHSHLTV.com.
Precautions are in place at all the rinks with players dressed when they arrive at games, and masks are worn at all times.
HATBORO-HORSHAM 7, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 5
Alex Howieson had a big night for the Hatters, connecting for a hat trick and assisting on two goals in a stellar outing, but it was Mason Rash who saved the day, turning away 33 of 38 shots he faced in goal.
“Mason’s played with HH as many of these kids have for four years, and it was great to see him get his due tonight,” HH coach Gianni Lafratta said. “He’s got to keep working, but any time we made a mistake – he was there to bail us out.
“That’s key for all these kids. They support each other - the camaraderie and communication.”
Howieson found the net for a pair of goals and Seth Lerner added a single goal to spot the Hatters a 3-1 lead after one period. Matthew Flynn scored PW’s lone goal in the frame.
The Hatters extended that lead to 5-1 with back-to-back goals by Howieson and Lerner in the opening minutes of the second period.
“We try to minimize pucks in the front and pucks in the slot and red line deep every time – dump and chase and get quick line changes,” Lerner said.
The Colonials answered with back-to-back goals of their own by Aiden Keogh – on the power play - and Luke Weikel to trim the Hatters’ advantage to 5-3 heading into the final period.
Tarek Elsabbagh turned a Howieson pass into a power play goal that gave the Hatters a 6-3 lead, but the Colonials made things interesting with a pair of goals – the first by Flynn and the second by Danny Smith to make it a 6-5 game with four minutes remaining. In the final minute of regulation, Howieson found Elsabbagh for a goal that gave the Hatters their final margin of victory.
“We stayed composed tonight,” Lafratta said. “Last night (in an 8-4 loss to Abington), we were constantly on our way to the penalty box. The composure wasn’t there. We ended up playing against the referees, and that wasn’t the fault of the referees - that was just running our mouths and taking bad penalties.
“Tonight was a complete 180 in that regard. They kept their mouth shut and were respectful of each other and their opponents.”
The Colonials had a 38-28 advantage in shots, an advantage that was negated by Rash and the Hatters’ defense.
“I know it sounds cliché, but honestly, it was a team effort,” Lafratta said. “Every kid put in the time.
“I was most pleased with our defensive presence in front of the net. Vince Tarsi shows up on our score sheet one time, but he did all the little things right in front of our net, clamping down when our defense had to go behind the goal line. Vince was there to bail them out for any passes out in front.”
Hatboro-Horsham 3-2-2 7
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-2-2 5
First period: 1. Alex Howieson HH (Tarek Elsabbagh) 11:08; 2. Seth Lerner HH (James Cortez) 5:01; 3. Alex Howieson HH (Jack Steinberg/James Cortez) 52.6; 4. Matthew Flynn PW (unassisted) 0.19.6.
Second period: 5. Alex Howieson HH (unassisted) 13:16; 6. Seth Lerner HH (Vince Tarsi) 11:18; 7. Aidan Keogh PW (Luke Weikel/Jack Mishkin) 9:36; 8. Luke Weikel PW (Jack Mishkin) 6:29.
Third period: 9. Tarek Elsabbagh HH (Alex Howieson) 6:45; 10. Matthew Flynn PW 5:30; 11. Danny Smith PW 4:09; 12. Tarek Elsabbagh HH (Alex Howieson) 59.3.
Shots: HH 28, PW 38. Saves: Mason Rash (HH) 33, Kolton Galie (PW) 21.
They said:
Hatboro-Horsham senior Seth Lerner
How good does it feel to be back on the ice? “It felt great, and it felt good to win too. It was a big win against the defending champs. I play
with Howie (Alex Howieson) on the Philadelphia Blazers 18U AA, and we had a couple of games this weekend, so I’ve been playing a little bit. There was a three-week shutdown where we couldn’t play, but once we get any ice time, we take it and we work hard.”
What are your goals now that the season is underway? “To win every single game, that’s our goal.”
What do you miss most during the pandemic? “For most rinks, we can’t go in the locker room, so hanging out in the locker room with the team – that’s one of the best parts about hockey. Getting dressed outside is kind of annoying sometimes, but other than that, it’s all the same.”
Hatboro-Horsham senior Alex Howieson
How good does it feel to be back? “It felt really good. We did a good job of passing the puck tonight. Our goalie, Mason Rash, came up big with a huge W for us. I don’t think I’ve seen him play that good yet. If he keeps this up, it’s going to be really hard to stop us. We lost a couple of 
seniors, but the core group is still around. We have a couple of new guys – Jimmy Cortez is new, and he’s a good piece to our team, helps us on defense.”
How did you prepare for the return to the ice during the shutdown? “I have a net in my basement – I like to shoot pucks and stick handle, just little stuff. Sometimes I go on runs just to keep in shape. And some roller hockey – roller hockey is a good way to stay in shape and pretty much just try to stay on top of your game when everything is shut down.”
What are your goals for the season? “Try to win every game and hopefully make a good run in the playoffs.”
What do you miss most during the pandemic? “I miss mostly the consistent hockey. You never really know when games are going to be shut down on the weekend or practice is going to get shut down. I just miss the consistency of it, but it’s not too bad. At least we’re trying to get everything back to normal.”
NORTH PENN 10, SOUDERTON 0
The Knights seized early control of Thursday’s season opener, racing out of the gate to a 4-0 lead and never looking back.
Ryan Kaufhold’s unassisted goal sparked a 3-0 tear in just over two minutes early in the opening period. John Stinson and Joe Silvotti each had a goal in that span. A power play goal by Zach Cline late in the opening period gave the Knights their four-goal advantage.
In the opening minute of the second period, Ryan Cunningham found the net on a shorthanded goal, and Tony Tuozzo scored a late goal to send the Knights into the third period with a 6-0 lead.
The Knights closed it out with four more goals in the final period. Chase Mueller and Kaufhold each scored a goal for an 8-0 advantage, Jeromy Porubski closed it out with back-to-back goals for the 10-0 final.
Jon Boyles turned away all 13 shots he faced to earn the shutout in goal for the Knights. Amanda Kaminsky recorded 38 saves in a solid outing in goal for the Indians.
North Penn 4-2-4 10
Souderton 0-0-0 0
First period: 1. Ryan Kaufhold NP (unassisted) 12:39; 2. John Stinson NP (Tony Tuozzo) 12:00; 3. Joe Silvotti NP (Justin Yothers) 10:14; 4. Zach Cline NP (Tony Tuozzo/Ryan Cunningham) 3:23.
Second period: 5. Ryan Cunningham NP (unassisted) 15:26; 6. Tony Tuozzo NP (Nolan O’Toole) 2:34.
Third period: 7. Chase Mueller NP (unassisted) 10:16; 8. Ryan Kaufhold NP (unassisted) 7:21; 9. Jeromy Porubski NP (Chase Mueller/Zach Cline) 4:36; 10. Jeromy Porubski NP 0.6.
Shots: NP 48, Souderton 13. Saves: Jon Boyles (NP) 13, Amanda Kaminsky (S) 38.
They said:
North Penn - Zack Cline
How good did it feel to be back on the ice? “It felt great. I haven’t played a game since last March, so it’s almost been a year, and it really feels good to be back.”
What did you do to get game ready during the shutdown? “I don’t play travel, so for me to get ice time it’s a lot harder. I have to just work out on my own. I have a gym in my basement, and I spent a lot of time down there and playing outside, but it’s hard.”
What kind of goals do you have for the season? “We haven’t had much time to prepare, but the goal is always – win the Flyers Cup, win the league, so that’s what we’ve got our eyes on this year.”
What do you miss most during the pandemic? “I miss seeing people – not seeing my family members, my grandparents. Honestly, I also don’t like that you fear for your grandparents. I just want everything to be back to normal.”
North Penn - Jeromy Porubski
How good did it feel to be back on the ice? “It feels pretty nice being back. I haven’t really been able to spend much time with all my teammates. It was really nice to be able to get a couple of practices beforehand, get the team chemistry going, being able to work together and 
achieve the win like we did tonight.”
What did you do to prepare for the season when there are so many unknowns? “Other than being able to practice with the high school, I rent the ice with friends. I play in an in-line league too, so that’s another way to get ready to play.”
What goals do you have for the season? “Going off of Zack, being able to compete with everybody in the league, being able to go for the title of the entire league, go in and do some work in the Flyers Cup and possibly come out with a win in that too.”
What do you miss most during the pandemic? “Being able to just hang out with friends all the time. It used to be nice to be able to go out and do whenever you wanted, not being worried about following certain rules. I used to be able to see my grandparents – I can’t really do that much anymore.”
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 11, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1
Adam Bostock scored five goals and assisted on two others in a standout offensive effort, but he had plenty of help. All told, 12 different players had a hand in the scoring for the Patriots, who erupted for six first-period goals on their way to the convincing win over their neighboring rivals.
It was Bostock setting the tone when he scored an unassisted goal less than a minute into the game. Before the period was over, Bostock had collected a hat trick, including a goal that put the Patriots on top 6-0 with six minutes remaining in the period. Contributing single goals in the period were Chris Mangiacapre, Tyler Godown and Phil McIntyre.
In the second period, Bogdan Borodenko, Bostock and Mangiacapre each scored a goal to put the Patriots on top 9-0. The Bucks got on the scoreboard early in the fourth period when Adam Ricci found the net with an assist from Nicholas Bruno. The Patriots closed it out with goals from Connor Keiser and Bostock.
Central Bucks East 6-3-2 11
Central Bucks West 0-0-1 1
First period: 1. Adam Bostock CBE (unassisted) 15:04; 2. Chris Mangiacapre CBE (Adam Bostock/Kyle Hausner) 14:19; 3. Adam Bostock CBE (Connor Keiser/Ian Treger) 9:21; 4. Tyler Godown CBE (Connor Keiser/Ian Treger) 8:27; 5. Phil McIntyre CBE (unassisted) 8:04; 6. Adam Bostock CBE (Kyle Hausner/Bogdan Borodenko) 6:04.
Second period: 7. Bogdan Borodenko CBE (Adam Bostock/Connor Keiser); 8. Adam Bostock CBE (Bogdon Borodenko) 9:44; 9. Chris Mangiacapre CBE (Ryan Gerken/Christian Asimakopoulos) 7:42.
Third period: 10. Adam Ricci CBW (Nicholas Bruno) 11:46; 11. Connor Keiser CBE (unassisted0 8:36; 12. Adam Bostock CBE (unassisted) 8:37.
They said:
Central Bucks East junior Tyler Godown
What has it been like to put your season put on hold until January? “It was really hard because you don’t have the same (chemistry) when you get back out there, so it’s more challenging.”
What did you do to prepare for the return to the ice? “I ran whenever I could.”
What are your team’s goals for the season? “Just to get as far as possible and further than last year.”
What have you missed most during the pandemic? “Playing without a mask. It’s hard to breath with a mask and a mouth guard.”
Central Bucks East junior Aiden Schmidt
What has it been like to put your season on hold until January? “It’s been tough, but I’ve been trying to work out 
a lot – running and getting to the gym as much as possible. A lot of kids are playing club on top of it, so you’re getting that extra ice time.”
What are your goals for the season? “Obviously, we want to do better than last year and also work together as a unit instead of one player leading us all the time. Last year we had one player who kind of carried the whole team. This year I think one goal would be to work together as a unit.”
What have you missed most during the pandemic? “Just playing games consistently. We get into it, then we stop, and it throws everyone off, and it’s hard to get back in that groove again.”
Central Bucks West junior Grant Funseth
What has it been like to put your season on hold until January? “It was really boring for most of it. We weren’t 
allowed to do anything – I would go out, play hockey, play any sport for that matter. Most of the time what I did is I just worked out, went for runs. I did whatever I could to stay active and keep in shape.”
What goals do you have for the season? “This year I’m setting the goal to play better than I did last year. I want to keep learning and keep growing, and if I’m doing that, I’m playing hockey right.”
What have you missed most during the pandemic? “I just missed going out with family and friends. We were stuck in the house through most of it, and whenever you could get out, it was a breath of fresh air.”
Central Bucks West junior Evan Hee
What was it like to be back on the ice after waiting until January to start your season? “It definitely felt great to get back out there again and see what we’re working with. We do have a younger team, so it was nice to get out there and see what we have to look forward to for 
this season.
What can you learn from a game like tonight? “We have to keep our composure. Although it’s not the best to be down early like we were, we have to learn to keep our heads in the game and stay focused on what we need to do, get our set plays down, do what we know we can do as a team and really try to focus on getting those things done.”
What are your goals for the season? “I just hope that we can definitely get some of the younger guys acquainted with playing at this level. When you’re younger and not used to playing at a high speed, this is very different from what you’re used to seeing if you play on a club team at that age. I just hope to see the younger kids get a feel for what’s going on because I know personally at that age when I was first playing for high school – it was a little bit overwhelming just based on the fact that there were kids that much older, more talented and stronger.”
What have you missed most during the pandemic? “Before the games, we would show up at the rink an hour before, get our sticks ready, do whatever we need to do, go stretch and warm up. When we’re getting our gear on before the games, we all listen to music, get ourselves hyped up for the game and get ourselves excited so we can go out there and just have fun. We’re still able to listen to music out in the parking lot, but it’s not the same.”
NESHAMINY 7, PENNSBURY 6 (OT)
Robert Seewagen turned a Matt Buchinski pass into a goal three minutes into overtime, propelling the Redskins to the hard fought win in a thriller between the neighboring rivals.
The Redskins led 1-0 after one period and took a 3-2 lead into the third period when the Falcons went on top 6-5 after a goal by Jake McCaw with six minutes remaining. Nolan Geria (Seewagen assist) scored the equalizer on a power play goal with just over three minutes remaining in regulation.
Neshaminy’s Jacob Helms scored the only goal of the opening period. A goal by Thomas Gallager gave the Redskins a 2-0 lead, but goals by Jake McCaw and Brendan Macainsh evened the score. Gallagher scored his second goal of the period to put the Redskins on top 3-2.
Macainsh and Seewagen exchanged goals in a one-minute span early in the third period, and then it was McCaw and Connor Coyne connecting on back-to-back goals to give the Falcons their first lead, 6-5. Gallagher evened the scored midway through the period, setting the stage for the dramatic finish.
Brian Nelson recorded 32 saves in goal in a winning effort for Neshaminy. Marek Jorgenson turned away 41 shots in goal for the Falcons.
Pennsbury 0-2-4-0 6
Neshaminy 1-2-3-1 7
First period: 1. Jacob Helms N (Trevor Kuhn/Joey Hornung) 12:51.
Second period: 2. Max Gallagher N (Thomas Gallagher/JJ Hathaway) 6:10; 3. Jake McCaw P (Brendan Macainsh/Reese Picker) 8:14; 4. Brendan Macainsh P (Hunter Hopkins) 8:25; 5. Thomas Gallagher N (JJ Hathaway/Robert Seewagen) 10:45.
Third period: 6. Brendan Macainsh P (Connor Coyne/Reese Picker) 3:03; 7. Robert Seewagen (unassisted) N 3:42; 8. Jake McCaw P (Jack Boyle) 5:13; 9. Connor Coyne P (unassisted) 6:29; 10. Thomas Gallagher N (JJ Hathaway/Matt Buchinski) 7:15; 11. Jake McCaw P (Brendan Macainsh) 9:01; 12. Nolan Geria N (Robert Seewagen) 12:34.
Overtime: 13. Robert Seewagen N (Matt Buchinski) 3:03.
Shots: Pennsbury 48, Neshaminy 38. Saves: Marek Jorgenson (P) 41, Brian Nelson (N) 32.
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