Holy Ghost Prep scored three times in a span of less than two minutes in the first period and went on to defeat Malvern Prep 4-1 on Monday in an Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference semifinal at Grundy Arena. The top-seeded Firebirds will face defending champion La Salle in the Founders Cup final on Wednesday in the same venue; GAME TIME WILL BE 4 PM.
The opening period was played on more or less even terms until the Firebirds erupted. Cole Stevens scored the first goal of the game at the 10:14 mark and Landon Stoudt made it a 2-0 game just 64 seconds later. Braedon Baehser competed the barrage at 11:56 to give the hosts a 3-0 lead. Daniel Behr assisted on two of the three goals.
The teams traded goals in the third period. Matt Harris got the Friars on the scoreboard with a power-play goal at 2:58. Byron Hartley extended the Firebirds’ lead when he found the back of the net with 3:39 left in the game.
Malvern Prep outshot Holy Ghost Prep 33-26. Sean Joyce got the win in goal, making 32 saves.
La Salle’s Francis Ford carries the puck against St. Joseph’s Prep on Monday. The Explorers won the Founders Cup semifinal 5-2 (photo by Kathy Leister Photography)
Malvern Prep, the fourth seed in the APAC playoffs, has also been seeded fourth for the Class AAA Flyers Cup tournament and will face fifth seed Father Judge in an 8:15 quarterfinal game at Ice Line on Thursday, March 5.
Holy Ghost Prep is assured of the top seed in the Class AAA Flyers Cup tournament regardless of the result of Wednesday’s Flyers Cup finale. The Firebirds will face eighth-seeded Bishop Shanahan in a 6:45 quarterfinal game March 5 at Grundy Arena.
Malvern Prep 0 0 1—3
Holy Ghost Prep 3 0 1—4
First-period goals: Cole Stevens (HGP) from Daniel Behr, 10:14; Landon Stoudt (HGP) from Byron Hartley, 11:18; Braedon Baehser (HGP) from Behr, 11:56.
Third-period goals: Matt Harris (MP) from Chris Blango, 2:58 (pp); Hartley (HGP) unassisted, 12:21.
Shots: Malvern Prep 33, Holy Ghost Prep 26; Saves: Anthony Perti 23, Sean Joyce (HGP) 32
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