SHSHL Playoffs Kick Off Monday

The SHSHL playoffs kick off Monday night with two national Division first-round games. Council Rock South, which has a bye into the semifinals, is the two-time defending National Division champion.

Pennridge enters the postseason as the defending Class AA Flyers Cup champion and state champion, having claimed those distinctions twice in the last three seasons. The Rams last won the SHSHL title in 2022. C.B. East’s last title cane in 2011

Central Bucks South’s last SHSHL National title came in 2018 when the Titans completed a run of four consecutive league titles, six in seven seasons, and seven in nine seasons. Pennsbury, which won the Class AA Flyers Cup title in 2023 won the SHSHL National title in 2021.

North Penn last won an SHSHL title in 2014.

Pennridge (12-7, 11-7 in National Division)

Coach: Jeff Montagna

Players to watch Shane Dachowski 32 goals, 25 assists, 57 points; James Rush 24-24-48; Jacob Winton 2.58 GAA, .918 sae percentage

Central Bucks East (10-8-1, 10-7-1 in National Division)

Coach: Jeff Mitchell

Players to watch: Alex Wilson 14 goals, 6 assists, 20 points; Jaden Young 10-6-16; Cole Breen 4.06 GAA, .875 save percentage

The winner will play top-seeded Council Rock South on Wednesday in the semifinals

Central Bucks South (15-5, 15-3 in National Division)

Coach: Shaun McGinty

Players to watch: Sean Cutter 16 goals, 19 assists, 35 points; Jeff Kvecher 12-21-33; Jake Matkowski 3.75 GAA, .838 save percentage; Nate Napolitano 3.81, .859

Pennsbury (7-12, 6-12 in National Division)

Coach: Ryan Daley

Players to watch: Chris Sarver 11 goals, 23 assists, 34 points; Shane Hicks 14-17-31; Brendan Milliken 5.71 GAA, .810 save percentage.

The winner will play second-seeded North Penn on Wednesday in the semifinals

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SHSHL Sets Playoff Schedule

Monday February 24

National Division First Round at Hatfield

6:10 Pennridge vs Central Bucks East

8:00 Central Bucks South vs. Pennsbury

Wednesday, February 26

American Division Semifinal

6:10 Hatboro-Horsham vs. Springfield at Hatfield

National Division Semifinals

8:00 North Penn vs. C.B. South or Pennsbury at Hatfield

7:00 Council Rock South vs. Pennridge or C.B. East at Grundy

Thursday, February 27

American Division Final

6:00 Plymouth Whitemarsh vs TBD at Hatfield

National Division Final hosted by highest seeded finalist

7:00 if at Grundy 8:10 if at Hatfield

Note: Playoff results will. not impact Flyers Cup seedings or pairings

SHSHL Playoff Puzzle Solved

The last pieces of the puzzle have been filled in and the field is set for the SHSHL postseason.

Six National Division and three American Division teams will begin playoff action on Monday.

Three games Wednesday night solidified the final field.

Council Rock South 5 Neshaminy 2—Jordan Sarne and Jake Weiner each scored two goals as the Golden Hawks clinched the National Division regular-season title Wednesday night at Grundy Arena. Jeremy Rayher also scored for South (18-2, 17-1 in the division) who built a 5-0 lead before Ryan DeMatteo scored two third-period goals for the ‘Skins (6-12-1, 5-12-1).

The result means Pennsbury will be the sixth and final seed for the National Division playoffs.

See below for the complete list.

Central Bucks East 3 Pennridge 2—Dave Brown scored a shorthanded goal with 12:23 left in regulation to give the Patriots the win over the Rams at Hatfield Ice. The result locks the Rams (12-7, 11-7 in the division) into the fourth position for the National Division playoffs. The Patriots (10-8-1, 10-7-1) were already assured of the fifth seed. Gavin Widmer and Tyson Cowan also scored for East. James Embert and Kaden Gunning scored for Pennridge.

Springfield 4 Plymouth Whitemarsh 2—Kellen Warman broke a 2-2 tie when he scored with 2:42 left in the second period to put the Spartans in front for good Wednesday night at Grundy Arena. Gabriel Wells added an insurance goal in the third period as Springfield (8-8) closed its regular season with six consecutive wins to claim the third and final playoff spot from the American Division. The loss was the first for Plymouth Whitemarsh (15-1) which will enter the postseason as the division’s top seed. Hatboro-Horsham, which closes its regular season Thursday night, will be the second seed.

National Division Seedings

Council Rock South
North Penn
Central Bucks South
Pennridge
Central Bucks East
Pennsbury

American Division Seedings

Plymouth Whitemarsh
Hatboro-Horsham
Springfield

APAC Semifinal Preview

Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference Semifinals

Wednesday 2-19 at Grundy Arena

3:10 (2) La Salle vs. (3) St . Joseph’s Prep

5:20 (1) Holy Ghost Prep vs. (4) Malvern Prep

La Salle (14-6, 6-2 in APAC)

Coach: Wally Muehlbronner

Players to watch: Nole Donohue 10 goals, 14 assists, 24 points; Grant LaGreca 16-4-20; Michael Zarzycki 10-9-19; Jake Rossi 1.87 GAA, .929 save percentage

St. Joseph’s Prep (10-8, 5-3 )

Coach: David Giacomin

Player to Watch: Cole Gargon 13 goals, 5 assists, 18 points; Frank Ely 7-9-16; Noah Stuhl 4-10-14; Declan Geary 1.97 GAA, .925 save percentage

This year

11-6 La Salle 4 St. Joseph’s Prep 2

1-22 La Salle 3 St. Joseph’s Prep 2 OT

Holy Ghost Prep (16-4-1, 6-2)

Coach: John Ritchie

Players to watch: Brady Logue 15 goals, 15 assists, 30 points; Joe Spadaccino 10-12-22; Anthony Valeriote 10-10—20; Jack Unger 1.69 GAA, .923 save percentage; Matt Salita 1.80 GAA, .903 save percentage

Malvern Prep (5-9, 3-5)

Coach: Bill Keenan

Players to watch: James Young 3 goals, 6 assists, 9 points; Teague Murry 5-2-7; Andrew Starck 5-2-7; Matt Crawford 2.20 GAA, .912 save percentage

This year:

11-20 Malvern Prep 4 Holy Ghost Prep 2

12-12 Holy Ghost Prep 4 Malvern Prep 1

The two semifinal winners will meet for the Founders Cup championship on Wednesday, February 26 at 4 PM. The gme will be hosted by the highest seeded finalist.

C.R. South 5 Pennridge 2

Jake Weiner changed the course of a hockey game Thursday night. With he and his Council Rock South teammates trailing Pennridge 2-0 almost in the blink of an eye, Weiner stepped up and grabbed hold of the affair.

The junior set up Jordan Sarne for his team’s first goal and scored two others before the first period ended. He capped off his night’s work with an empty-net goal as the Golden left Grundy Arena with a 5-2 win that puts South back in first place the SHSHL National Division race, one point in front of North Penn and in control of its destiny in the division title chase.

If South (17-2, 16-1 in the division) scores a regulation win in its regular-season finale against Neshaminy next Wednesday it will be the top seed for the divisional playoffs regardless of how North Penn fares against Council Rock North the same evening.

Weiner, who now has 39 goals and 16 goals for 55 points this season, reached the 100-goal plateau for his South career Thursday night and his contributions were sorely needed.

Nathan McKean gave Pennridge (12-6, 11-6 in the division) a 1-0 lead with a rocket directly off an offensive right-circle faceoff just 47 seconds into the game. Landon Bishop made it a 2-0 game at the 1:21 mark off a spurt down the left wing.

The Hawks took some big punches early on but got off the canvas.

“We just had the mindset we had to come back,” Weiner said. “We got kicked in the teeth early but just came back and worked.”

Sarne’s goal came off a shot from the top of the left circle to make it a 2-1 game just 2:41 into the period. Weiner tied the game with five minutes left in the opening session scored what was officially the game-winning goal when Jacob Winton in the Pennridge net lost control a rebound with 2:12 remaining the period.

The pace of the game slowed somewhat from there. Both teams had some holes in the lineup for an assortment of reasons but Rams in particular were hurt by the absence of leading scorer Shane Dachowski who was serving a suspension. They also lost James Rush to injury in the second period

Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna found himself working with just two lines and the situation took its toll on his players, who exhausted their energy reserves.

“We played without our top three scorers,” he said. “We tolled two lines to the end of the game and they played their [tails] off.

“They did exactly what I sked and they scratched and clawed for every inch of ice out there.”

Jagger Smith extended South’s led to two goals when he scored in the midst of a goal-mouth scramble with one second left in the second period. Weiner completed his hat trick with 31 seconds left in the game.

Senior defenseman Peter Pereborow said the Hawks’ comeback was due to the player embracing a team-first mentality.

“We turned it around it around with a ‘We’ mentality,” he said. “Like {Coach Joe Houk} said in the locker room like the Eagles’ offensive line, our job is just play as a team. Not ‘I.’ Work, just keep grinding.”

Ice chips—The Golden Hawks drew 14 penalties so Houk will sit out the regular-season finale.SSF

Pennridge 2 0 0

C. R. South 3 1 1—5

First-period goals: Nathan McKean (P) from Ryan Burke, :47; Landon Bishop (P) from Burke and Dean Venner, 1:21; Jordan Sarne (CRS) from Jake Weiner, 2:41; Weiner (CRS) from Jeremy Rahyer and Jackson Mosley, 12:00; Weiner (CRS) from Mosley and Jagger Smith, 14:48;

Second-period goal: Smith (CRS) from Jacob Cohen, 16:59;

Third-period goal: Weiner (CRS) unassisted, 16:29

Shots: Pennridge 30m C.R. South 39; Saves: Jacob Winton (P) 34. Trey Prozzillo (CRS) 28

SHSHL Standings as of 2-13-25

National Division W L T PTS OTW OTL

X North Penn (16-2) 15 2 0 60 1 1

X C.R. South (16-2) 15 1 0 57 3 0

X C.B. South (13-5) 13 3 0 49 3 0

X Pennridge (12-5) 11 5 0 47 0 3

X C.B. East (8-8-1) 8 7 1 34 0 0

Pennsbury (6-12) 6 11 0 26 0 2

Neshaminy (6-11-1) 5 11 1 23 0 1

Souderton (5-12) 5 11 0 21 0 0

C.R. North (3-12) 3 14 0 12 0 0

C.B. West (0-14) 0 16 0 0 0 0

American Division W L T PTS OTW OTL

X@ P-W (14-0) 13 0 0 56 0 0

Hatboro-Horsham (6-7) 7 6 0 29 1 2

Springfield (5-8) 7 8 0 28 1 1

Wissahickon (7-8) 7 7 0 27 1 0

Abington (0-13) 0 13 0 0 0 0

X—assured playoff berth

@—assured regular-season title

W.C. East 5 Avon Grove 2

West Chester East is playing some of the best hockey in the area and the timing couldn’t be better. The Vikings scored three times in the third period Wednesday afternoon en route to a 5-2 Ches-Mont League win over Avon Grove at Ice Line.

With just 12 days remaining until the start of the ICSHL playoffs and just 11 until the field for the Flyers Cup tournament is announced, the Vikings have won three straight games and five of their last six to conclude their league schedule. With one crossover game remaining (against Springfield-Delco on February 21) East now stands at 9-8 overall and 5-7 in the Ches-Mont and is listed fifth in the Class A Flyers Cup rankings that were released on Monday.

Avon Grove, which had won three of its last four prior to Wednesday and is hoping to earn a place in the Class AA Flyers Cup, dropped to 8-9-1 overall and 5-6-1 in the Ches-Mont.

Tyler Stutzman opened the scoring for the Vikings 2:23 into the first period. Evan Finnicum responded for the Devils with a power-play goal at 12:19.

Jackson Zwirzina’s goal with 1:45 left in the middle period gave the Vikings the lead for good. James Hayes extended that lead 2:48 into the final period.

Mason Hitt’s power-play goal a minute later made it a one-goal game once more but first Finn and then Hayes added additional goals to solidify the Vikings’ grip.

West Chester East coach Eric Wolf said the Vikings, who have won three Flyers Cup titles in the past four years, has been playing with a sense of urgency of late.

“I think it’s a combination of things,” he said. “I was really stressing to the guys back in December ‘Hey, look at your record. You’re trending toward not getting in the Flyers Cup right now.

“That’s where we were trending. We had one win in the Ches-Mont at the turn of the calendar. That’s not satisfactory for our program. “We’re still very strong team and we were not playing up to our capabilities.”

The Devils were missing four regulars from their lineup.

“We were shorthanded,” said Avon Grove coach Sean Cannon, ‘But I liked our work effort and our energy.”

Avon Grove 1 0 1—2

West Chester East 1 1 3—5

First-period goals: Tyler Stutzman (WCE) from Konrad Finnin, 2:23; Evan Finnicum (AG) from Parker Thompson, 12:43 (pp)

Second-period goals: Jackson Zwirzina (WCE) from Noah Rosenthal, 15:15

Third-period goals: James Hayes (WCE) unassisted, 2:48; Mason Hitt (AG) from Finnicum, 3:48 (pp); Finn (WCE) unassisted, 4:31; Hayes (WCE) unassisted, 11:19 (sh)

Shots: Avon Grove 26, W.C. East 22; Saves: Jacob Calabretta (AG), 17 Cameron Chandler (WCE) 24

Malvern Prep 4 Hun School 0

The postseason is a time for a fresh start. Malvern Prep took advantage of the opportunity Monday afternoon. House Young scored two goals and Matt Crawford delivered a shutout in goal as the Friars bested The Hun School 4-0 in the APAC’s Founders Cup play-in game at Ice Line.

Fourth-seeded Malvern Prep (5-9) will face top-seeded Holy Ghost Prep in one half of a semifinal doubleheader on February 19 and will be part of the Flyers Cup tournament after that. Fifth-seeded Hun School (5-16-2) will conclude its schedule with two non-league games; the Raiders are bypassing the Flyers Cup.

For the Friars, who have beaten Hun School three times in 20 days, it’s been something of a new beginning.

“We’re starting to hit our stride,” said Malvern Prep Bill Keenan. “Finishing out the [APAC schedule], going into the APAC playoff and the Flyers Cup. We want to find out stride and we’re just continuing to build right now.”

The Friars had the upper hand from the outset; they outshot the Raiders 14-6 in the opening period but it took time to find the back of the net. It was 5:32 into the second frame before Andrew Starck put his team in front by going top shelf against Hun School goaltender Elliot Wong. Gabe Bedwell made it 2-0 at the 7:24 mark when he put a bullet inside the left post.

“We definitely got off to a quick start,” Bedwell said. “That’s what we need every game, a quick start, we need everybody firing, everybody going.’

“That will bring us to the Flyers Cup. I think we all just need to work together and jut get on it from the jump.”

Young scored his first goal with 4:01 left in the period. His second effort of the night came with 4:37 left in the third period. By that point the Raiders, who had just 13 skaters available, were using up their energy reserves.

“It’s been one thing or the other this year,” said Hun School coach Eric Szeker. “I give a lot of credit to our guys. They worked hard, they battled.

“Malvern played a great game too so you’ve got to give a lot of credit to the other side.”

The Friars outshot the Raiders 50-16. Matt Crawford earned the shutout in goal for Malvern Prep. His best save came when he denied Matt Trawinski from point-blank range just past the midway point of the second period. Wong made 46 saves at the other end of the ice.

“An unbelievable performance,” Szeker said. “He’s been light’s out the whole season. He’s been one of our best players so to see him have another performance like that is not too surprising.”

Hun School 0 0 0—0

Malvern Prep 0 3 1—4

Second-period goals: Andrew Starck (MP) from Peter Narog, 5:39; Gabe Bedwell (MP) from Pax Hoishik and Cole Scarbinsky, 7:24; House Young (MP) from Jake Winegartner and Hoishik, 12:59

Third-period goal: Young (MP) from Winegartner and Matt Barbacane, 11:23 (pp)

Shots: Hun School 16, Malvern Prep 50 Saves: Elliot Wong (HS) 46, Matt Crawford (MP) 16

H-H 9 Wissahickon 6

It all came together for Hatboro-Horsham Friday night at a most opportune moment. Nate Nemchinov scored three goals and added an assist while three other players delivered to goals each. The result was a 9-6 win over Wissahickon in a SHSHL American Division matchup at the Bucks County Ice Sports Center.

The result leaves the Hatters two points clear of the Trojans in the battle for second and third places in the division standings, the last two playoff positions (Plymouth Whitemarsh has already clinched first place).

The two teams both have 7-6 divisional records (both are 7-7 overall) but Hatboro-Horsham has the edge because two of its divisional losses came in overtime.

Nemchinov noted it was a night when all the pieces fit from the Hatters’ point of view.

“We were just playing a team game,” he said, “getting pucks deep and winning board battles. Just doing the little things right and those little things created goals.

The goals came fat and furious early on. The Hatters’ Will Moffa and the Trojans’ Aiden Brooks took turns finding the back of the net before Nemchinov won a pair of battles for loose picks saw him score twice himself and put his team up 3-1 after 17 minutes.

Hatboro-Horsham coach Shane Smith cited his team’s cohesiveness.

“We’ve had several talks with the team about what it takes to be a championship team and win,” he said. ‘I think they realized that some of the one-on-one type play wasn’t effective. Everyone made a strong commitment to come out and play a team game.”

The Hatters’ Vince Graziani and Wissahickon’ Logan Honeycutt traded goals to start the middle period before Victor Wilkins scored and Graziani added a second goal of his own to make it a 7-2 game after 34 minutes.

Joe Gambino offered a response for Wissahickon 79 seconds into the third period but Nemchinov and Moffa continued the Hatters’ goal-scoring barrage. It was 9-3 with 10:51 left in regulation before the Trojans finished the evening with three straight goals.

The final score made the game seem closer than it actually was.

“We showed up to the party much too late,” said Wissahickon coach James Rumsey. “Hatboro-Horsham wanted it more than we did tonight.”

Nemchinov say the Hatters will approach their three remaining games with a playoff mindset.

“They’re all must-win games,” he said. “We’ve got to play these games like they’re playoff games and keep doing the little thing right hopefully clinch the second seed.”

• The Hatters and Trojans will close the regular season against each other on February 19^th,

Hatboro-Horsham 3 4 2—9

Wissahickon 1 1 4—6

First-period goals: Will Moffa (HH) from Aiden North, 4:04; Aiden Brooks from Link Matozzo, 8:09; Nate Nemchinov (HH) unassisted, 11:52; Nemchinov (HH) from Reid Rochestie, 14:55

Second-period goals Vince Graziani (HH) from Connor Smith 1:42; Logan Honeycutt (HH) from Ben Raebiger, 2:56; Victor Wilkins (HH) from Brady Gurt, 3:22; Wilkins (HH) from Nemchinov, 6:36; Vince Graziani from North, 8:55

Third-period goals: Joe Gambino from Raebiger, 1:19: Nemchinov (HH) from Darius Graziani, 2:35 (pp); Moffa (HH) from Wilkins, 6:09; Gambino unassisted, 7:59, Gambino from Logan Dicus, 8:39; Brooks unassisted, 9:45

Shots: Hatboro-Horsham 39, Wissahickon 38 Saves: Eric Miller (HH) 32, Fletcher Lynch 30

North Penn 5 Council Rock South 3

Samuel Norton did it all for North Penn Wednesday night. The sophomore assisted on the first goal of the night, went on to score three goals himself and helped with a crucial four-minute penalty kill in the third period.

All those elements were part a winning formula as the Knights scored a 5-3 decision in a much-anticipated SHSHL National Division showdown with Council Rock South at Hatfield Ice.

The win was the 11^th straight for the Knights (15-2, 14-2 in the division) and lifted then into first place in the division, three points clear of the Golden Hawks (15-2, 14-1) who have a game in hand and three conference games remaining to North Penn’s two.

North Penn also has the inside lane in the race for the top two seeds in the division playoffs, which provide byes into the semifinals.

“It was definitely on our minds, Norton said.

The teams split four goals in the first frame before Norton’s second goal of the night gave North Penn a 3-2 lead with 8:17 left in the middle period. Jordan Sarne responded for South with a power-play goal, his second goal of the night, to tie the game with 2:19 remaining but Norton put North Penn back in front and completed his hat trick when he scored with 6.7 seconds left in the period during a stretch when the Hawks were trying to kill three consecutive penalties.

The game’s most critical sequence commenced with 13:50 left in the third period. North Penn held a 4-3 lead at that point and Norton had already pocketed his three goals but the Knights’ James Boyle was called for two cross checking penalties, giving South a four-minute power play.

At that point, there were some anxious moments behind the North Penn bench.

“They’ve got probably the best power play in the league,” said North Penn coach Kevin Vaitis. “With [Jake] Weiner and [Jeremy] Rayher and Sarne and [Daniel] Fillipov, and [Jonah] Weston they have a very talented power-play unit when they go out there.

“We did a great job killing that off.”

The threat did not end however when the extended power play expired. The Hawks outshot the Knights 20-8 in the third period but Aidan Quigley stopped everything headed his way.

Cole Pluck added an insurance goal with 3:31 remaining.

{North Penn} played well tonight,” said South coach Joe Houk. “We did not play our best game but that’s only an excuse. North Penn has got a good team.

“I kept telling everybody ‘Listen. We’re not a 14-0 team. We’ve had a couple wins. But we can’t come and play ‘C’ hockey and expect to win games at the end of the year.

“We knew coming into the game it was going to be a challenge,” Norton said. “I think the North Penn boys really performed. It was a solid team game.”

Ice chips—South won the first meeting between the two teams, 6-3 on November … South stands first in the present Class AA Flyers Cup listings. North Penn is ranked third … With two assists on addition to his goal, Pluck went over the 100-point mark for his high-school career.

Council Rock South 2 1 0—3

North Penn 2 2 1—5

First-period goals: Declan Leahy (NP from Cole Pluck and Samuel Norton, :21; Jonah Weston (CRS) from Jake Weiner 8:37; Jordan Sarne (CRS) from Jake Maurer and Weiner 9:01; Norton (NP unassisted, 14:32 (sh)

Second-period goals: Norton (NP) from Leahy and Pluck, 8:43; Sarne (CRS) from Weiner, 14:41 (pp); Norton (NP) from James Boyle and Danial Cabrales, 16:54 (pp)

Third-period goal: Pluck (MP) from Leahy, 13:29 (pp)

Shots: Council Rock South 41, North Penn 34; Saves: Ryan Ayala (CRS) 29 Aidan Quigley (NP) 38

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