Holy Ghost Prep overcame a 2-0 first-period deficit to record a 4-2 won over Pingry School Monday afternoon at Grundy Arena.
Tyler Jones and Ethan Cowan scored for Pingry to put the visitors up 2-0 with 6:39 left in the first period.
Brian Kinniry cut the deficit in half for the Firebirds (14-4-2) with 5:45 left in the first frame. Joe Spadaccino and Joseph Kauffmann scored in the second period before William Harmar added a goal in the third.
Shane Dachowski has been making an impact in the SHSHL for four seasons now. He’s played four seasons of varsity hockey for Pennridge and has been part of two Flyers Cup/state-championship teams.
Last year he was fourth in the National Division (fifth overall) in scoring with 27 regular-season goals and 33 assists for 60 points.
This year, as a senior Dachowski has harrowed his focus. He’s stepped away from AAA-level club hockey to devote his time and energy to the Rams.
“I quit because it was my senior year,” he said. “I figured I’m just going to college for school and stuff and there was no real point in me playing AAA travel hockey.
“I would just be traveling everywhere, every weekend. And I just wanted to chill out this year and hang out with my friends. Travel hockey doesn’t give you a lot of time for that.”
Dachowski notes that the atmosphere at a high-school game can’t be replicated elsewhere.
“It’s the game aspect of high school hockey compared to club,” he said. “Because with high school games you have all your friends from school come. Parents and grandparents come to the games I just think it’s way more exciting.”
Dachowski started playing hockey at age 6, following in the footsteps of his brother Colin, who is 18 months his senior. The brothers were encouraged by their cousin Cole Pluck, who is now a senior at North Penn. Because of the difference in their ages, the Dachowski brothers were high-school teammates for three seasons but were club teammates only once; that was last season.
By the time Shane was 10 his ability was becoming apparent. So was his passion for hockey.
“I just thought it was the most fun I had playing any sport,” he said. “Because I played a lot of sports but hockey was just the most fun for me and it helped that I was not that bad at it.”
Dachowski has always been recognized for his offensive skills. Through January 23 he had accumulated 28 goals and 22 assists for 50 points, tops in the National Division.
Anyone who has watched him play will attest to the fact that Dachowski makes little effort to hide his emotions when he’s on the ice. This can be a blessing or a curse depending on the circumstances and has led to his share of trips to the penalty box.
Dachowski point out that his emotions are a big part of who he is aa a hockey player.
“{His emotions} definitely have gotten in my way,” he said but showing emotions and getting some penalties, that’s always been a part of my game. I feel like if that wasn’t part of my game, I wouldn’t produce as much. It’s just the way I play; aggressively. It kind of fuels me I guess.”
Ironically, Dachowski is not outgoing by nature. Now, as a senior and as an elite player, he finds himself cast in a leadership role, one he is still getting comfortable with. But as he has matured as a hockey player he has grown as a person.
Shane Dachowski
Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna calls Dachowski “The most misunderstood player I’ve ever coached.
“He’s learning what it means to be a leader,” Montagna said, “and it’s a work in progress.
“What I’m most proud of with him is he’s never had to be vocal before. Telling guys, especially the young guys that it’s okay. Not big-timing them.
“It’s not easy to be a leader and asking him in his senior year to do something he’s never done, he’s growing into that every single week. That’s really what I’m proud of him for.”
Dachowski understands the responsibilities that come with his stature.
“I would say this year I became a little bit more of a talker,” he said, “because of not having my brother there. Me and him were always known for setting examples but this year I’ve changed and been a little bit more of a talker.”
Dachowski played on state-championship teams as a freshman and again last season. He reflects on how close the players on those teams were with each other.
“Especially a couple years ago it was the closest team I’ve ever been a part of,” he said. “All of us grew up playing hockey together and then we moved to the same area.
“It was so awesome because we all hung out every single day and even last year when it was more seniors and everyone who was on the {2022 team} team, we were all still super close. We still do everything together as much as we can.”
But Dachowski’s high-school career is drawing to an end. Four weeks remain in the regular season with the SHSHL playoffs and the Flyers Cup tournament to follow. The occasions he’ll have to put on a Pennridge uniform are becoming few.
Those who have read this far would not be surprised to learn he plans to give it his all in the time he has left.
“My goal obviously is to get deep into the Flyers Cup and provide as much for me team as I can,” Dachowski said, “and just go out there every game like it’s my last because you don’t know when it could be your last game especially being a senior.”
It was a first step for a team with lofty ambitions for the days to come. Brady Logue scored twice and three other players contributed one goal each as Holy Ghost Prep downed The Hun School 5-1 Friday night at Grundy Arena.
The win gave the Firebirds (13-4-2, 6-2 in the APAC) the APAC regular-season title, but far more importantly, the top seed for the Founders Cup playoffs next month. The result also solidifies Holy Ghost Prep’s position atop the latest Class AAA Flyers Cup rankings.
The Firebirds are 9-1-1 in their last 11 starts. Their captain, senior defenseman Ryan Lippy says cohesiveness has been at the foundation of that record.
“I think coming together as a team in the locker room {has been a factor},” he said. “We’ve been getting more involved as a team. We can bring it together and make it more of a team so everyone can work together better.”
The hosts were in control from the start. Logue scored the first goal of the game 4:10 into the opening period. Joe Spadaccino made a 2-0 with 4:02 left in the period when he stole the puck at center ice and went in alone on Raider goaltender Elliott Wong.
Logue made a big run of his own less during a power play than two minutes into the second frame when he rocketed down the right wing before dishing off to Anthony Valeriote who finished the play.
William Harmar made it a 4-0 affair with 6:33 left in the period before Jake O’ Connell got Hun School (3-10-2, 0-5) on the scoreboard by beating Firebird goaltender Matt Salita through the five-hole.
Logue’s second goal of the night was the only goal of the third period but the final session did not lack for fireworks. There were 12 penalties called in the period, five of them as the result of a scuffle with 9:11 left in regulation that sent three players to the penalty box.
With 2:44 remaining, Hun School’s Justin Bibeau, who assisted on his team’s goal, was called for spearing and was accessed a major penalty plus a game misconduct.
Senior defenseman Joe Kaufmann, the Firebirds’ alternate captain, stressed the importance of he and his teammates maintaining their poise.
“We kept our composure,” he said. “We tried not to get any guys not able to play in the APAC playoffs.”
Hun School coach Eric Szeker was missing half a dozen players from his lineup due to illness but was pleased with the effort he got from the players who were available.
“You can either show up or decide not to,” he said. “We showed up and tried to play our best.
The Firebirds celebrated the win but Kaufmann was quick to point out there’s a long way to go.
“The job’s not done yet,” he said. “We’ve still got a lot of games ahead of us. We’ve got to take it one day at a time.”
• Holy Ghost Prep will host the Founders Cup semifinals on February 19. The semifinal results will factor into the Flyers Cup selection/seeding process.
Hun School 0 1 0—1
Holy Ghost Prep 2 2 1—5
First-period goals: Brady Logue (HGP) from Lucas Gonzalez and Joe Spadaccino, 4:10; Spadaccino (HGP) unassisted, 15:20 (sh)
Second-period goals: Anthony Valeriote (HGP) from Logue, 1:51 (pp); William Harmar (HGP) from Nathan Romer, 10:27; Jake O’ Connell (HS) from Justin Bibeau, 15:07
In some aspects, mid-January is the most difficult part of the high-school hockey season. The postseason is still a month away and the players are feeling the grind of the long campaign, particularly if they also play club hockey.
Amidst this atmosphere, Pennridge and Central Bucks South squared off Thursday night at Hatfield Ice in a SHSHL National matchup with potentially long-range implications.
It was the Titans who ground out 4-3 win. Ryan Frey and Jeff Kvecher scored goals 40 seconds apart early in the third period to give South its 11th victory of the season against five setbacks (11-2 in divisional play).
The Rams, who are listed fifth in the newest Class AA Flyers Cup rankings, slipped to 10-4 overall and 9-4 in the division.
It marked the second time the Titans have bested the Rams; the first was a 5-4 overtime win on November 7. In Kvecher’s view, the caliber of the opponent made Thursday’s win particularly satisfying.
“That’s a tough team,” he said of Pennridge. “They put a lot of pressure on us. They have some great guys that can wheel and we did a great job of shutting them down.
“We also sent a message to the league, and the Flyers Cup, that we’re a top team.”
Thursday game came 72 hours after many of the participants completed a full weekend of club tournament play, a circumstance that required an enhanced level of focus.
“Everyone had to dig deep,” Kvecher said. “Everyone was tired, everyone’s legs were tired. We dug deep and we were able to get the win.”
The Titans once more had to come from behind. Pennridge’s Nolan Shaw delivered the only goal of the first period, a power-play effort 3:51 after the opening faceoff that came while South’s Joe Slobodrian was serving a two-minute sentence.
Kvecher and Slobodrian scored power-play goal two-and-a-half minutes apart to give South the lead 5:09 onto the second period before Ryan Burke tied the game for the Ram three-and-a-half minutes later.
Ryan Frey put the Titans in front for good 49 seconds into the final period. Kvecher extended his team’s lead just 40 seconds later and the insurance proved valuable and necessary; Josh Kelly scored for Pennridge with 8:14 remaining. But Jake Matkowski in the South net and his mates in front of him stood tall the rest of the way.
Josh Sklar was in charge behind the Titan bench Thursday night, replacing the absent Shaun McGinty. He said his team had the energy it needed in the third period.
“They definitely had a little more spring in their step, a little more energy,” he said. “They brought the energy all game long but toward the end [two third-period goals] pushes the boys to finish the game out.”
The Titan had a 47-25 edge in shots. Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna says the Titans’ up-tempo style regularly gives his team problems.
“C.B. South is a bad matchup for us,” he said. “They’ve always been a bad matchup for us. They’re deep, they’re good defensively.
“I say this every time we play them; they’re going to get a lot of shots on us by design … We changed defensively how we were going to do things. I thought we did a really good job defensively keeping pucks out of dangerous area. But, they’re a tough team to play.”
Pennridge 1 1 1—3
C.B. South 0 2 2—4
First-period goal: Nolan Shaw (P) from Nick Young and Landon Bishop, 3:51 (pp)
Second-period goals: Jeff Kvecher (CBS) from Ryan Frey and Joe Slobodrian, 2:34 (pp); Slobodrian (CBS) from Frey, 5:09; Ryan Burke (P) from Shane Dachowki and Jared Garber, 8:42.
Third-period goals: Frey (CBS) from Dominic Gibson and Jamison Crouch, :49; Kvecher (CBS) from Peter Herring and Ryan Montagna, 1:29 (); Josh Kelly (P) from James Rush and Dachowski, 8:46
Shots: Pennridge 25, C.B. South 47; Saves: Jacob Winton (P) 43, Jake Matkowski (CBS) 22
Four different player scored goal as Malvern Prep shut out Hun School 4-0 Wednesday afternoon in an APAC game at Ice Line.
The win broke the Friars’ seven-game losing streak and lifted them to 3-8 overall and 2-4 in conference play. The Raiders fell to 3-9-2 and 0-4 in the APAC.
Gabe Bdwell gave his team the lead with a shorthanded goal 8:19 into the first period.
The hosts broke the game open in the third period when Jake Weingartner, Teague Murray, and Finn Gatta scored goals in a span of 7 minutes, 26 seconds.
Matt Crawford earned the shutout in goal with 28 saves.
Hun School 0 0 0—0
Malvern Prep 1 0 3—4
First-period goal: Gabe Bedwell (MP) unassisted, 8:19 (sh) Teague Murray (MP) from Matt Barbacanem 7:41 (pp); Finn Gatta (MP) from James Young, 11:29
The journey wasn’t easy at times. But, in the end, Holy Ghost Prep got the result it wanted Wednesday afternoon, a 4-1 decision over The Hun School in an APAC encounter at Ice Land. With the win, the Firebirds, who have won eight of their last nine starts improved to 12-4 overall and 5-2 in the APAC. They’ll conclude conference play with a rematch against the Raiders next Friday.
The visitors jumped in front early on. Joe Spadaccino scored a power-play goal 3:30 into the opening period.
But the remainder of the first frame was challenging for both sides, a study in old-time hockey. There were 12 penalties called in the opening session.
“It didn’t seem like there was much flow to the game early on,” said Hun School coach Eric Szeker.
The visitors had the better of the play over the first two periods but were stymied repeatedly by Patrick Donoghue in the Hun School net. The senior finished with 51 saves. The Raiders are just 2-8-2 on the season (0-3 in the APAC) but Donoghue and Elliot Wong have been sold in goal all season.
“I think the one really nice thing is we have two really good goalies,” Szeker said. “I never worry about who is going between the pipes for us. They work hard, they’re best friends in the locker room, and they push each other every day.”
Anthony Valeriote extended Holy Ghost Prep’s lead 35 second into the third period but the Raiders responded a minute-and-a-half later when the Firebirds coughed up the puck directly in front of their own net, making it a one-goal game once more.
Brian Kinniry extended his team’s lead when he scored with 11:39 left in the third frame and then delivered an insurance goal with 2:01 remaining.
Spadaccino didn’t play in the last two periods but was proud of the way his teammates were able to get past the challenging first frame.
“It shows that no matter what gets in our path, we just keep on fighting,” he said. “We try to get to the end goal of winning.”
Firebird goaltender Matt Salita stopped 14 of the 15 shots he saw, earning praise from his coach John Ritchie.
“I thought Salita did a great job in net for a sophomore,” Ritchie said. “Those are tough games for goalies, only facing 15 shots dispersed throughout the game with power plays for them and stretches where he wasn’t seeing pucks.”
The Firebirds are listed first in the Class AAA Flyers Cup rankings that were released on Monday, but Ritchie says his team will need contributions from the entire lineup to reach its potential.
“We have a couple guys on our roster that carry the weight of this team on their backs game in and game out,” he said. “I know what to expect from them, so it’s just about getting all 20 guys, or all 18 skaters, to pull the rope in the same direction.”
Holy Ghost Prep 1 0 3—4
Hun School 0 0 1—1
First-period goals: Joe Spadaccino (HGP) from Brady Logue, 3:30 (pp)
Third-period goals: Anthony Valeriote (HGP) from Chase Logue and Brady Logue, :35; Luke Rassler (HS) unassisted, 2:03; Brian Kinniry (HGP) from Logan Barnes and Colin Bara, 5:21; Kinniry (HGP) from Barnes and Santino Tiberio, 14:59
Shots: Holy Ghost Prep 55, Hun School 15; Saves: Matt Salita (HGP) 14, Patrick Donoghue (HS) 51
Nash Grant’s goal 26 seconds into overtime gave Penncrest a 5-4 come-from behind win over Haverford Monday night at the Skatium in a battle of two Central League heavyweights.
Grant’s third goal of the night lifted the Lions to 8-3 overall and kept then a perfect 6-0 in the Central League National Division standings.
Gavin McCarty the Lions the early lead 5:26 into the opening period. Nash extended the lead at the 7:01 mark before Connor Lill answered for Haverford with 1:42 remaining in the period.
Shawn Yoder tied the game for Haverford 28 seconds into the second frame. Penncrest’s Cole McCarty and Haverford’s Alexander Scuderi, scored goals just over a minute-and-a-half apart to tie the game at 3-3 with 1:38 left in the second session.
Dylan McKelvey gave the Fords (8-3, 7-1 in Central National) their only lead of the night at 4-3 with 12:27 remaining in regulation but Grant tied the game with his second goal of the night just 33 seconds later.
Grant’s game-winner gave him a hat trick in two consecutive games; he scored three goals and collected four assists in the Lions’ previous start against Harriton last Friday night.
It was just a really fun game,” said Penncrest coach Steve Mescanti. There was no nonsense and the kids played hard. The kids did a lot of the things we’ve been harping on.”
Both teams are listed in the latest edition of the Flyers Cup rankings, which was released on Monday. Penncrest is listed fourth in Class A while Haverford I ranked second in Class AA.
Penncrest 2 1 1 1—5
Haverford 1 2 1 0—4
First-period goals: Gavin McCarty (P) from Matt McKay, 5:26; Nash Grant (P) from Scott Scranton and McKay, 7:01; Connor Lill (H) from Brendan McCormick and Alexander Scuderi, 15:18 Second-period goals: Shawn Yoder (H) from Jorge Tecedor and Jack Brawley, :28; Cole McCarty (P) from McKay and McCarty, 13:33; Scuderi (H) from Lil, 15:12
Third-period goals: Dylan McKelvey (H) unassisted, 4:33; Grant (P) from Scott Scranton, 5:06
Overtime goal: Grant (P) from Matt Labuono and Scranton, :26
HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—There was little to choose between Council Rock South and Pennridge Wednesday night. The contest was not decided until its final seconds.
Jeremy Rayher’s shortanded goal with three seconds left in overtime gave South a 6-5 win at Hatfield Ice Arena.
Rayher’s goal, his 16th of the season, concluded the first meeting of the year between the Golden Hawks and the Rams. The two teams split four games a year ago with South prevailing in the SHSHL National Division championship game before falling to the Rams in the Class AA Flyers Cup finale.
Ironically, Rayher and Pennridge goaltender Jacob Winton are club hockey teammates.
“I was chirping at him during [club team] practice all week,” Rayher said. “I missed him [Tuesday].
“He made a couple saves but there was no pressure. I played it like he was a regular goalie and made a move and tucked it in.”
Both teams had moments of brilliance and moments that were something less. The Hawks (11-1 overall, 10-0 in the division) used goals from Daniel Filippov and Jake Weiner to build a 2-0 lead 83 seconds into the second period but squandered their advantage by surrendering a pair of shorthanded goals to Shane Dachowski that tied the game with 9:58 remaining in the second frame.
“The two shorties really killed us,” said South coach Joe Houk. “Nobody ever scores shorthanded goals against us and they got two of them. It was mental breakdowns there.”
The goals came fast and furious for the reminder of the period. Jordan Sarne have the Hawks a 3-2 lead for a time but Dachowski and James Rush scored goals one minute, 14 seconds apart to give Pennridge (9-3, 8-3) its first and only lead of the night at 4-3 with 4:54 left in the period.
Weiner’s second goal of the night tied the game with 2:20 left in the second session before Jonah Weston put South in front once more 5:01 into the third. Nick Young tied the game for the Rams off a turnover with 4:45 left in regulation.
Winton and Trey Prozzillo, his South counterpart, had some difficult moments during the course of the evening but both stepped up in overtime. The Rams got a power-play chance when the Hawks’ Jagger Smith was flagged for hooking with 1:52 left in the extra session, giving the Rams a four-skaters-to-three advantage. Rayher’s game-deciding goal came an offensive right-wing faceoff and an ensuing scramble in front of the net. Houk told his team to be aggressive even though it was shorthanded.
“I told them ‘Don’t sit back,’” he said. “Because if the puck goes out of the [South defensive zone] it’s a one-on-one or two-on-two. It’s not a four-on-three. We looked like the ones who were on the power play.”
Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna celebrated his team’s effort, and the way it has rebounded from a shutout loss to north Penn si days before Christimas.
“I’m proud of the way we played tonight, he said. “All I asked of these guys before the game was to compete.
“We were outclassed [against North Penn.] I didn’t think we showed up. And to come out against our biggest rival tonight, come back from 2-0 down and play as well as we did and have opportunities to win the game, that’s all I can ask for.
• South had a 47-38 advantage in shots … The Rams’ three losses have come against Central Bucks South, North Penn and Council Rock South. Two of the three have come in overtime.
C.R. South 1 3 1 1—6
Pennridge 0 4 1 0—5
First-period goal: Daniel Fillipov (CRS) from Peter Pereborow and Jake Weiner, 13:50 (pp)
Second-period goals: Weiner (CRS) from Pereborow, 1:23; Shane Dachowski (P) unassisted, 3:10; Dachowski (P) from Jared Garber and Nick Young, 7:02 (sh); Jordan Sarne (CRS) from Jeremy Rayher and Peterborow, 8:37 (pp); Dachowksi (P) from Josh Kelly and Landon Bishop, 10:52; James Rush (P) from Kelly, 12:06; Weiner (CRS) from Wesley Mallon, 14:40 (pp)
Third-period goals: Jonah Weston (CRS) from Sarne, 5:01; Young (P), unassisted, 12:15
Overtime goal Rayher (P) from Filippov, 4:57
Shots: C.R. South 47, Pennridge 38; Saves: Trey Prozzillo (CRS) 33, Jacob Winton (P) 41
Hockey Happenings 