Month: December 2023

Bensalem 4 P-W 3 OT

Plymouth Whitemarsh and Bensalem have moved to the head of the pack in the SHSHL’s American Division. On Thursday night at Hatfield Ice, they began finding out about each other.

Alex Hood’s goal 1:38 into overtime gave the Owls a 4-3 win in what is shaping up as an entertaining season-long series. Thursday’s game was the first of three meetings between the two teams. 

The result pushed Bensalem to 5-1 overall and in the division; the Owls have been perfect since an opening-night loss to Wissahickon. They came from behind three times on Thursday.

The Colonials (4-2 overall) lost for the first time in five league starts.

Alex Baylevich set up the winning goal when he put the puck on net from his post at the right point. Hood was on hand to score his second goal of the game and his 22nd of the season. He also contributed two assists to his team’s cause.

Hood described the winning goal.

“All three of their kids were puck watching,” he said, “so I went backdoor. [Baylevich] found me like he always does. Tic tac toe in the back of the net.”

Both teams came into Thursday’s encounter at less than full strength. The Colonials had three regulars out of the lineup including two front-line centers. For their part, the Owls had only eight skaters available. That circumstance forced their coach Bill Hood to do some juggling.

“We had a lot of penalties (8) which hurt,” he said. “But we’ve got kids that play very high level club hockey so they’re used to this kind of pace.”

The scoring started early. David Branigan put Plymouth Whitemarsh in front just 55 seconds into the first period. Hood tied the game at the 2:21 mark.

Jason Segal put the Colonials back in front with 44 seconds left in the middle period and Plymouth Whitemarsh seemed to have the upper hand heading into the third frame, but the momentum shifted dramatically when Cole Salayda tied the game with a shorthanded with 12:13 left in regulation.

Tim Murphy gave Plymouth Whitemarsh the lead for the last time with a one timer from the high slot with 6:33 remaining.

But that wasn’t enough; Lucas Gonzalez poked in a rebound with 4:01 left to kick off the mad dash to the finish line.

Ricky Gonzalez in the Bensalem net might have made the biggest contribution to his team’s win. He finished with 32 saves, many of them difficult.

“Ricky’s been a rock all year,” Bill Hood said. “He definitely gives us confidence back there. We take some risks at times defensively and he’s always back there.”

The loss was a tough one for the Colonials but their coach Dave Cox took a pragmatic view.

“We knew coming in that Bensalem was going to be a tough opponent,” he said, “and I believe it was a good test of our character and what we need to work on. 

“I’m proud of our boys for faced the adversity. We had a very short bench tonight, A lot of the boys were playing with different linemate pairs and that took some adjusting to, and our power-play wasn’t working well but they worked hard every shift. Overtime losses are never easy, but we look forward to seeing this team a couple more times.”

Bensalem 1 0 2 1—4

P-W 1 1 1 0—3
First-period goals: David Branigan (PW) unassisted, :55; Alex Hood (B) from Cole Salayda and Brandon Stahl. 2:21;

Second-period goal: Jason Segal (PW) from Tim Murphy and Daniel Molony, 16:16

Third-period goals: Salayda (B) from Lucas Gonzalez and Hood, 4:47 (sh); Murphy (PW) from John Zawislak and Molony, 10:27; Gonzalez (B) from Justin Rapone and Hood, 12:59

Overtime goal: Hood (B) from Alex Baylevich, 1:38

Shots: Bensalem 25,  Plymouth Whitemarsh 35; Saves: Ricky Gonzalez (B) 32; Julian Lucks (PW) 21

NP Ice Hockey Toy Drive is an Annual Tradition

The North Penn Hockey Club is once again conducting a toy drive in support of the North Penn Valley Boys and Girls Club, and its efforts to serve needy families in the North Penn area.

Those interested in participating are asked to Venmo North Penn Ice Hockey at @NPHockey with a donation.

North Penn Ice Hockey will match up to $500 of the donations. The club will utilize the donations to purchase toys for children ages 5-12 and gift cards to local grocery stores for those in need.

They will be delivered to the Boys and Girls Club on Monday, December 18.

North Penn coach Kevin Vaitis says the toy drive in part of North Penn Ice Hockey’s ongoing effort to serve its community.

“We look at it as we’re one community here,” he said, “and if there is an opportunity for us to help out those less fortunate right now, those going through some difficult times, we want to lend a hand.

“This past weekend, a bunch of us went over and we were raking leaves at an over-55 community, helping some of the elderly who can’t get out there or can’t afford to pay somebody to rake their leaves up.

“I think we’re teaching these kids to give back to the community. We’re fortunate with the situation we’re in; we’re able to play ice hockey, it’s not the cheapest sport. So, if we can give back a little and help those less fortunate or having a difficult time right now, we’re willing to do it.”

For more information about the toy drive, contact Vaitis at kevinvaitis@comcast.net

La Salle 6 Hun School 0

HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—The performance was not flamboyant or flashy. This season’s version of the La Salle Explorers don’t play hockey that way. But it was a textbook display of efficiency.

Six different players scored goals as the Explorers shut out Hun School 6-0 Wednesday afternoon in an APAC encounter at Hatfield Ice. The defending Class AAA Flyers Cup and state champions are a perfect 7-0 this season, 3-0 in conference play.

The Raiders are 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Charlie Kennedy gave La Salle a lead 7:08 into the opening period and the Explorers built on their advantage from there, adding three goals in the second period and two more in the third.

Kennedy a senior, said he and his teammate were confident scoring opportunities would come, if they worked for them.

“It takes a lot of hard work,” he said. “And you’ve got to be consistent, get some shots on net. You’ve got to drive the net hard You’ve got to be there, you’ve got to communicate. And, if we do all that, that will end up in our favor. We’ve got to continue to be persistent in that way.”

Senior Dean Carvalho scored one goal and set up another.

“I think the third period was definitely our strongest,” he said. “We finished out strong. The first two there were lapses at points in our D-zone but we tightened it up and found a way to come out with a win.”

Ryan Wiley, Patrick Brace, Grant LaGreca, and Michael Zarzycki also added goals for the Explorers. Whatever shortcomings plagued them were not immediately noticeable, certainly not to Hun School coach Eric Szeker.

“That’s a good team on the other side,” he said. “Credit to them, they came out, they were ready to play. They were moving the puck well today and got some good goals.”

The hosts broke the game open with three goals in the second half of the second period from Ryan Wiley, Patrick Brace, and Grant LeGreca. Carvalho and Michael Zarzycki added goals in the third frame.

Lost amidst all this was the work of Raider goaltender Julian Arsenault, who faced 51 shots and stopped 45 of them.

“Julian’s an incredible kid,” Szeker said. “He battled today for us in a little bit of a one-sided game. He gave us a great opportunity but defensively, we kept up a little bit too much on the inside.”

“(Arsenault) was good tonight,” Carvalho said. “There were a lot of shots we put in his chest there were some really good saves that he made, point blank. He did a good job.” 

Kennedy was pleased with the Explorers level of consistency for the full 51 minutes.

‘“It felt good,” he said. “We had a little bit of a slow start but eventually got it going, got the right mindset going, and then really came up in the third period with the quality of goals that they were.

“We ended on a good note.”

Hun School 0 0 0—0

La Salle 1 3 2—6

First-period goal: Charlie Kennedy (L) from Dean Carvalho and Alex Fusaro, 7:52

Second-period goals: Ryan Wiley (L) from Will Carpenter and Logan Dicus, 8:21; Patrick Brace (L) unassisted, 14:51; Grant LaGreca (L) from Will Gregorio and Michael Zarzycki, 15:47

Third-period goal; Dean Carvalho (L) from Julian Tarsi and Declan Kelly, 11:43; Zarzycki (L) from Will Carpenter and Jake Rossi, 16:25

Shots; Hun School 32, La Salle 51; Saves: Julia Arsenault (HS) 45, Jake Rossi (L) 32

For more about La Salle College High School CLICK HERE

For more about The Hun School CLICK HERE

SHSHL Update

National Division         W   L   T  OW   OL  Pts

Council Rock South (7-0)    6    0    0   0   0   12

Pennridge  (6-0)                   6    0    0   0   0   12

Cent. Bucks South (4-2-1)     4    1    1    0    0   9 

Central Bucks East (4-2)     4    2    0    0   0   8

North Penn (3-2)               3    2    0    0   0   6

Pennsbury  (2-4)                 2   4     0    0    1   5

Cent. Bucks West (1-4-1)      1    4    1    0   0    3

Souderton  (1-4-0)                 1    4    0    1     0  2

Neshaminy (0-4-2)                 0    4    2    0    0   2

Council Rock North (0-6)  0   6      0   0     0   0

American Division           W    L   T  OW OL  Pts

Bensalem (4-1)                3     1   0     0    1   7

Plymouth White. (4-1)  3     0   0     0    0   6

Wissahickon (2-2)         2   2   0   0     1       4

Abington (1-2-1)            1     1   0    0     0   2

Springfield (0-6)             0     5   0   0     0    0 

 National Division Scoring   G   A   Pts

Kevin Pico (Pr)                     11    16 27

Andrew Savona (Pr)           12  14 26

Shane Dachowski (Pr)       12   12  24

Kevin Koles (CRS)               10   14  24

Jake Weiner (CRS)             11   6   17

Corey Kosick (CBE)           12   4   16

Blaize Pepe (CRS)               8   7   15

Maxwell Ryon (Soud)        8    6   14

Seth Grossman (Soud)      7    5   12

Chase Tovsky (Soud)         3    9   12

Gavin Nisenon (CRS)         5    5   10

Jordan Sarne (CRS)            3   7    10

American Division Scoring  G   A   Pts

Alex Hood (Bens)                 16   5   21

David Branigan (PW)            8    4   12

Daniel Hussa (Wiss)             9    2   11

Alex Bazylevich (Bens)       2    8     10

Tim Murphy (PW)                2     7     9

Seamus Donofry (Ab)        2    6       8

Cole Salayda (Bens)           3    4       7      

Doucet Striking the Right Balance at La Salle

For a high-school hockey player, performing on the ice while also succeeding academically is a balancing act. Thomas Doucet appears to have struck that balance.

The La Salle senior is one of the Explorers’ top defensemen. He’s also carrying a 4.1 grade-point average on a weighted 4.0 scale with a schedule that includes four AP courses, while also playing club hockey for the Valley Forge Minutemen. 

Doucet, a Wayne resident, is also active in the Frozen Lemonade Cup event which utilizes hockey as a vehicle to support childhood cancer research.

Somehow, he makes it all work.

“For me, it’s about doing what I can, when I can,” Doucet said. “Really, just finding time in my schedule.

Doucet’s schedule, in the classroom and on the ice, is daunting, to say the least. La Salle utilizes modified block scheduling so his AP classes meet on alternate days; biology and psychology on one day, English and statistics the next. The AP classes are an hour long save for biology (90 minutes) which includes a lab.

Once the school day ends, there is hockey. Doucet is typically on the ice with the Explorers two days a week; normally Monday and Wednesday, plus Tuesday and Thursday evenings with his club team.

Following hockey, there is a vigorous homework schedule.

“It’s about making time for the things that are important,” Doucet said, “and really prioritizing over the distractions is kind of what has helped me be able to manage all of it.

“Coming to La Salle kind of pushed me into learning time management. The homework schedule for me is pretty rigorous and I feel like that’s what kind of what pushed me to really be able to manage my time well.”

Doucet gets his homework done during free periods during the school day and at home before or after a session on the ice.

“I’ll get home and immediately do my homework,” he said.

Doucet weekends are devoted to club games with the Minutemen, which often involve travel. He takes work with him on the road but focuses on getting assignments competed ahead of a road trip, whether it’s a weekday excursion with the Explorers or a weekend tournament with his club team.

“That’s where you find time and you make time,” he said. “Usually, I’ll try the day before a road trip like that to get all my homework done the next day so that day when I get home I’m able to relax and not have to stress about homework right after playing a big game.”

Club games sometimes involve missing class time. Doucet estimates he’ll miss perhaps a half dozen days of school during the hockey season, normally on Fridays.

“That’s where communication really comes in,” he said. “Communication, building a good relationship with your teachers, really becomes key for me. And also, relying on your classmates to get any notes that you missed, really just communicating with everyone and building strong relationships really helps that become more manageable.”

Even in the midst of a hockey trip, Doucet attends to his academic chores.

“I do a little bit of studying before I go to bed,” he said. “If I have an assignment that’s due on Sunday night, I’ll being my laptop with me and get that finished up.

“But usually, I think I’m pretty good at getting my stuff done before I have hockey so I can focus on my athletic side.”

Doucet cites his ability to maintain his discipline and focus as a key to maintaining his demanding schedule.

I’d say ‘Definitely’ about the discipline,” he said.  “Especially in today’s world, there’s a lot of distractions. So, being able to stay focused, stay locked in, keeping your mind on the task, has really been helpful for me.”

Ducette credits the culture at La Salle as being instrumental to his success.

“That’s probably the biggest part for me,” he said. “Again, building relationships with your teachers and your peers. They make the school experience overall easier, so when it comes to missing a class or having to retake a test, or something like that, it just makes it a million times easier for me to get back on track and stay on top of things.”


The close of the 2023-24 season will end a phase of Doucet’s hockey career. With college ahead, he has new priorities.

 “I’m going to move on from hockey,” he said. “I’m going to play club hockey in college but I really want to focus on my academics.”

Docette is planning a major in pharmaceutical sciences. The schools he’s applied to include Purdue, the University of Georgia, and McGill University in Montreal.

“I really have this deep-rooted love for science,” he said.  And I feel like using my love for science to help people really drew me in, really gave me a good sense of direction, a good sense of purpose.”

CLICK HERE for more about La Salle College High School

Firebirds Fall in National Scholastic Invitational Semis

 Holy Ghost Prep dropped a 5-2 decision to the University School (Ohio) on Sunday in the semifinal round of the National Scholastic Invitational in Jamestown, N.Y.

Joe Spadaccino and Jack Gavaghan scored for the Firebirds, who concluded the tournament with a 2-2 record.
University School went on to win the tournament championship.

Holy Ghost Prep Advances in National Scholastic Tourney

Holy Ghost Prep split two games on Saturday to advance to the semifinals of the national Scholastic Invitational in Jamestown, N.Y.

The Firebirds dropped a 5-2 decision to St. Edwards (Ohio) despite outshooting their foes 47-25. They rebounded with a 3-2 win over Regis Jesuit (Colorado) as Jake McCaw scored all three goals to advance his team to the semifinals via a tiebreaker after it went 2-1 in bracket play.
The tournament semifinals and finals are set for Sunday.