By Rick Woelfel
WEST GOSHEN— It took Malvern Prep some time to get started Thursday night, but it eventually got rolling, right into the Flyers Cup semifinals. Kyle Waskalavitch scored three goals and added two assists to help propel the Friars to a 9-1 win over Roman Catholic in a Class AAA quarterfinal game at Ice Line.
Second-seeded Malvern Prep will face sixth-seeded and defending Cup champion St. Joseph’s Prep in next Thursday’s semifinals (8:30 at the same rink).
The Friars dominated the opening period, but it took them until the waning seconds to score. Kyle Waskalavitch put the puck behind Cahillite goaltender John Lally with 38 seconds left in the period. Prior to that, Lally was first rate, he made 17 saves in the first frame.
“We play on the perimeter a lot,” Waskalavitch said. ” So, for us, we’ve got to focus on getting pucks to the net and crashing and getting those dirty goals. Not every goal is going to be pretty, especially in the playoffs.”
Malvern Prep coach Dave Dorman admitted he was concerned before the opening faceoff about the possibility of his team looking past the seventh-seeded Cahillites.
“That was my message before the game,” he said. “It had nothing to do with Xs and Os, it had northing to do with strategy. It was definitely about living in the moment and making sure that we take care of this game and we’re not overlooking anyone.
“There’s enough good players on any side of the puck that if you’re not playing the game the right way, you can get beat by someone.”
Ryan Sambuco extended Malvern Prep’s lead with a power-play goal 1:57 into the second session, ironically off the initial faceoff after Lally took an elbowing penalty.
Sambuco’s goal opened the floodgates. Washkalavitch and Matthew Harris followed with goals of their own two minutes apart and with 10:04 still to go in the second period the Friars enjoyed a 4-0 advantage.
The Cahillites lifted Lally at that point in favor of Michael Smith whom Konstantinos Harris greeted with a goal at the 8:49 mark.
Roman was able to solve Malvern Prep goaltender Dan Dougherty thanks to Colin Rosener, who scored with 5:53 left in the period before Waskavlavitch completed his hat trick with 2:40 remaining.
Rudloff, Jack Constabile and Aidan Gordinier added goals in the third period.
The Friars outshot the Cahillites 49-16. Dan Dougherty made 12 saves in the Malvern Prep net before being lifted for Anthony Perti with 10:04 left in the third period.
The result assures that an Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference team will win the Class AAA Flyers Cup.
Roman Catholic 0 1 0—1
Malvern Prep 1 5 3—9
First-period goals: Kyle Waskalavitch (MP) from Kenny Connors, 15:28
Second-period goals: Ryan Sambuco (MP) from Nick Martino and Waskalavitch, 1:57 (pp); Waskalavitch (MP) from Connors and Andrew Harder, 3:55; Matthew Harris (MP) from Washkalavitch and Jake Rudloff, 5:56; Konstantinos Hionis (MP) from Martino and Harris, 8:49; Colin Rosenberg (RC) from Gilbert Newton, 10:07; Washkalavitch (MP) from Chris Blango and Connors, 13:20.
Third-period goals: Rudloff (MP) from Martino, 13:01; Jack Constabile (MP) from Charles Andress and Harrison Campbell, 13;48; Aidan Gordinier (MP) unassisted, 14:15.
Shots: Roman Catholic 16, Malvern Prep 49; Saves: John Lally (RC) 20 and Michael Smith (RC) 11, Dan Dougherty (MP) 12 and Anthony Perti (MP) 3.
Hockey Happenings 