Craig Ostroff recaps all the action in Central Bucks South’s 3-1 win over Neshaminy. Check out the SHSHL recaps.
By Craig Ostroff
Central Bucks South 3, Neshaminy 1
Central Bucks South’s Colin Mendham may not be the most talkative guy off the ice. That’s just fine. On this night, the freshman forward let his actions speak volumes. Mendham assisted on the Titans’ first goal, then added a pair of clutch third-period tallies as South picked up a huge 3-1 victory over Neshaminy in a postseason-like atmosphere in Thursday night’s showdown of two of the top teams in their respective divisions.
“It was a fun game, a good measuring stick for both teams,” said South coach Shaun McGinty. “I think this was a chance for us as coaches and for our teams to see what playoff hockey could potentially be. I’m sure Neshaminy was looking to find out, ‘how do we measure up with CB South,’ just as we were looking at how to we measure up with Neshaminy. I think both teams showed up tonight. We were fortunate to come out with the win. It was a good game for the kids and for the coaches to see where we stand.”
The Titans brought their best defensive effort on this night, and held the high-powered Neshaminy offense to just two shots in the first period. With the benefit of a power play, South fired 10 first-period shots at Neshaminy goalkeeper Brian Nelson, who made numerous stellar saves throughout the night en route to stopping 23 of 26 shots.
A free-skating first period gave way to a chipper, harder-hitting second that saw both goalies keeping busy, as Nelson faced 10 second-period shots while South goalie Mason Moyer turned aside all 14 he faced. South finally got one past Nelson when Aidan Gaffney (Colin Mendham, Daniel Kvecher assists) took a pass while crossing in front of the cage and depositing the puck in the open side.
South added to its lead when Aydin Thierolf found Mendham at the side of the net, and Mendham fired it to the short side for a 2-0 lead.
Neshaminy killed off a shorthanded situation midway through the third, then Robbie Seewagen ripped in a high shot to make it a one-goal game. But the Titans stuck with the game plan, didn’t lose focus, and with 2:12 remaining, Mendham poked in his second of the game to ice the contest.
“Seewagen comes out after the penalty kill and gets that big goal for them, he’s a great player and that’s what he’s supposed to do,” McGinty said. “But we stayed disciplined. That’s one of the things we preach to these guys over and over. Discipline is a huge part of the game in a physical sport. If you start get sloppy or you panic or let other players or the refs to get under your skin, it’s hard to reel high school kids back in. Kudos to my boys for staying focused.”
Both goalies were called upon to make highlight-reel saves throughout the game. Moyer finished with 23 saves on 24 Neshaminy shots.
“Having Mason back there, it helps settle me down,” McGinty said. “I remember as a player what it means to have a goalie you can rely on. And I’ve said it before, he’s such a cornerstone, when it’s a 3-on-2, 2-on-1, I’m yelling at them to give them the shot, give them the shot. I have all the confidence in the world in him to do what he’s got to do.”
With the win, the Titans improve to 4-2-1. They sit in second place in the Continental Conference, and will face four playoff-caliber opponents in the final three weeks of the regular season. The Titans will square off against Pennsbury on March 3 at 7:20 pm at Hatfield Gray. Neshaminy drops to 4-3-2 overall (second place in the National Conference) and will look to return to their winning ways when they face Central Bucks East on March 4 at 8:30 pm at Hatfield Blue.
Central Bucks South 0-1-2 3
Neshaminy 0-0-1 1
First period: No scoring.
Second period: 1. Aidan Gaffney CBS (Colin Mendham/Daniel Kvecher) 6:33.
Third period: 2. Colin Mendham CBS (Aydin Thierolf) 12:16; 3. Robbie Seewagen N (Jack Halloran) 6:21; 4. Colin Mendham CBS (Aydin Thierolf) 2:12.
Shots on goal: Central Bucks South 26, Neshaminy 24. Saves: Mason Moyer (CBS) 23, Brian Nelson (N) 23.
They said:
Aidan Gaffney, Central Bucks South
How much fun is it to play a tough, intense game like this: It’s great, we knew this was a big game coming in here. We’re a little short, we knew we had to get some shots on, keep a couple of key players on Neshaminy out and keep them from getting good looks. It was a great game and a great win..jpg)
What was the defensive approach to slowing down a potent Neshaminy offense: We wanted to keep on a couple key guys for Neshaminy, keep them outside, not let them get off quality shots or get good looks at the net.
What does this performance and this big victory say about this team: This shows that we’re still CB South. We’re not done. People shouldn’t be looking past us, we’re still tough and we’re still out to win and go as far as we can go this season.
Talk about the efforts of your goalie, Mason Moyer: He was amazing. He’s amazing in every single game. It’s a blessing that he’s on our team, we wouldn’t be what we are today without what he does for us every day.
With all the uncertainty in the beginning, how happy are you that the season is underway: Of course, it’s a little different this year, but we’re still able to get out there and play with our team. It’s a whole lot better than not playing at all.
Is the team where you want it to be as you head into the second half of the season: We’re definitely on the right track. The start of the year was a mess, it was not what we wanted. But we made some changes, changed some things around, and we’re really happy with how we’re going now. I think we’re where we want to be right now.
Colin Mendham, Central Bucks South
What was the defensive approach to slowing down a potent Neshaminy offense: We wanted to keep the puck deep, control the puck
when we could. And we wanted to keep them to the outside and not get good shots.
What does this performance and this big victory say about this team: It shows that we’re going to fight. That we’re up there in the standings.
Talk about the efforts of your goalie, Mason Moyer: It makes us play better because we know he’s back there to save us. If we make mistakes, we know he’s there to make the save.
Is the team where you want it to be as you head into the second half of the season: We’re playing well now, getting some big wins. We want to keep it going.
Wednesday, Feb. 24
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 7, NORTH PENN 1
The Patriots gave new meaning to balanced scoring with 13 players putting their names in the scoring column. Neither team scored in the opening period, but East took control with four goals in the second on its way to the win.
Phil McIntyre’s power play goal 1:21 into the game spotted the Patriots an early lead, but John Stinson had an immediate answer with a goal for the Knights, using a Ryan Kaufhold assist. Nine minutes later, Adam Bostock scored the go-ahead goal that turned out to be the game-winner, using assists from Kyle McIntyre and Chris Mangiacapre. Bostock (Connor Keiser/Tyler Godown assists) and Bogdan Borodenko (Stephen DiRugeris/Carter Keiser assists) each added single goals to give the Patriots a 4-1 lead after two periods.
In the third period, Borodenko (Connor Hausner/Carter Keiser assists), Godown and Owen Brackbill (Ian Treger/Kyle Hausner assists) each added single goals for the 7-1 final.
Matt Mangiacapre turned away 23 of 24 shots he faced to earn the win in goal. North Penn’s Jon Boyles made 41 stops in goal.
North Penn 0-1-0 1
Central Bucks East 0-4-3 7
First period: No score
Second period: 1. Phil McIntyre CBE, 1:21; 2. John Stinson NP (Ryan Kaufhold) 1:31; 3. Adam Bostock CBE (Kyle McIntyre/Chris Mangiacapre) 9:04; 4. Adam Bostock CBE (Connor Keiser/Tyler Godown) 10:09; 5. Bogdan Borodenko CBE (Stephen DiRugeris/Carter Keiser) 14:44.
Third period: 6. Bogdan Borodenko CBE (Connor Hausner/Carter Keiser) 1:25; 7. Tyler Godown CBE, 3:35; 8. Owen Brackbill CBE (Ian Treger/Kyle Hausner) 14:23.
Shots: NP 24, CBE 48. Saves: Jon Boyles (NP) 41, Matt Mangiacapre (CBE) 23.
WISSAHICKON 13, HARRY S TRUMAN 5
AJ Pounds and Bryan Garry had themselves a night, combining for eight goals and six assists to lead the Trojans to the no-doubt-about-it win. Both finished with four goals and three assists. Nicholas Hussa added a five-point night with two goals and three assists.
Pounds used assists from Garry and Hussa to put the Trojans on the scoreboard 4:25 into the game. Pounds duplicated that goal just seconds later, again using a Hussa assist. Truman’s Jeremy McCartney (Eric Stofan assist) found the net with a goal that cut the Trojans’ lead in half.
Nine minutes into the period, Pounds completed his hat trick with a goal that was again set up by Hussa. McCartney’s second goal – this one with assists from Justin Reid and Brent McGoldrick – made it a 3-2 game, but Hussa closed out the period with an unassisted goal to put the Trojans on top 4-2 after one.
The Trojans reeled off three straight goals in the opening 5:19 of the second period – two by Will Hussa and the third by Nicholas Hussa, and just like that, the Trojans led 6-2. James Gallagher broke the Trojans’ run with a goal assisted by McCartney, but back-to-back goals by Garry – the first with a Konrad Foulk assist and the second with assists from Pounds and Ty Schiff. McCartney and Garry exchanged goals to close out the period with Wissahickon on top 10-4.
In the third period, the Trojans tacked on goals by Garry, Griffin Lynch and Pounds while McCartney scored his fourth goal for the Tigers.
Trojan goalie Michael Bonanni recorded 20 saves in the win while Connor Pila had 39 saves for the Tigers in goal.
Truman 2-2-1 5
Wissahickon 4-6-3 13
First period: 1. AJ Pounds W (Bryan Garry/Nicholas Hussa) 4:25; 2. AJ Pounds W (Nicholas Hussa) 4:31; 3. Jeremy McCartney HST (Eric Stofan) 8:10; 4. AJ Pounds W (Nicholas Hussa) 9:01; 5. Jeremy McCartney HST (Justin Reid/Brent McGoldrick) 9:23; 6. Nicholas Hussa W, 13:39.
Second period: 7. Will Hussa W (Daniel Glazer/Matthew Winkowski) 0:24; 8. Will Hussa W (Griffin Lynch/Daniel Glazer) 4:24; 9. Nicholas Hussa W (Bryan Garry/AJ Pounds) 5:19; 10. James Gallagher HST (Jeremy McCartney) 5:26; 11. Bryan Garry W (Konrad Foulk) 7:01; 12. Bryan Garry (AJ Pounds/Ty Schiff) 7:28; 13. Jeremy McCartney HST, 14:03; 14. Bryan Garry (AJ Pounds) 14:41
Third period: 15. Bryan Garry W, 7:08; 16. Jeremy McCartney HST, 7:55; 17. Griffin Lynch W, 8:45; 18. AJ Pounds W (Bryan Garry) 9:03.
Shots: Truman 25, Wissahickon 52. Saves: Connor Pila (HST) 39, Michael Bonanni (W) 20.
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