Malvern Prep 5, La Salle 4 OT

HATFIELD— The finish would have made a wonderful ending to a movie. Pierre Larocque scored a goal 1:54 into overtime to give Malvern Prep a 5-4 win over La Salle Wednesday’s evening in an APAC matchup at Hatfield Ice.

Moments earlier, Larocque assisted on Ryan Sambuco’s goal that tied the game with 20 seconds left in regulation.

“We were really aggravated with the way we were playing at the time,” Larocque said. “So we had to stay positive in order to play better.”

Malvern Prep (5-4 overall, 3-2-1-0 in the APAC) was playing its first game since December 11 but they got off to a fast start against the Explorers (7-9, 0-2-1-1) who played a game this past Monday. Harrison Campbell and Jack Constabile scored goals 67 seconds apart to put the Friars up 2-0 with 3:18 left in the first period.

But goals from David Kimmel and Collin Keiser drew the Explorers even at 3:35 of the second frame. Jimmy Kirk put the Friars in front once more at the 5:05 mark but Jake Harmon and David Bruner scored 48 seconds apart to put La Salle back in front with 1:17 left in the period,

The third period was scoreless until Sambuco and Larocque provided their heroics. The Friars prevailed despite being outshot 26-16.

“It was nice to see them battle back there at the end,” said Malvern Prep coach Bill Keenan, and pop one in late and keep possession and get a heck of a shoot by Pierre Larocque.

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Malvern Prep’s Pierre Larocque (dark jersey) carries the puck against La Salle. Number 26 in white is La Salle’s David Kimmel (photo by Gracie Cleveland).

Larocque was idled much of last season by an ankle injury. this year he’s spent time both up front and on the blue line.

“He battles every time he’s out there,” Keenan said. “For him to get going there and get that goal, it means a lot to us, it means a lot to our team.”
Larocque is enjoying simply being back on the ice. “I missed it a lot,” he said,” he said. “I watched (hockey) a lot, it was really tough.”

Keenan is hoping that Wednesday’s win will energize the Friars for the second half of the season. “We had a couple good practices right before this,” he said, carried it into today, and we’re forward to what’s ahead.”

Malvern Prep 2 1 1 1—5
La Salle 0 4 0 0—4
First-period goals: Harrison Campbell (MP) unassisted, 11:35; Jack Constabile (MP) from Matt Harris and Ryan Sambuco, 12:42.
Second-period goals: David Kimmel (L) from Andrew Budyzski and Keenan Schneider, 2:40; Collin Keiser (L) unassisted, 3:35; Jimmy Kirk (MP) from Matt Donatucci, 5:05; Jake Harmon (L) from Budzynski and Schneider, 13:55; David Bruner (L) from Daniel Whitlock and Max Maddalo, 14:43.
Third-period goal: Sambuco (MP) from Harris and Pierre Larocque, 15:40.
Overtime goal: Larocque (MP) from Harris and Quinn Dougherty, 1:54.
Shots: Malvern Prep 16, La Salle 26; Saves: Anthony Perti (M) 22, Liam Gross (L) 11.

Holy Ghost Prep 7, Malvern Prep 4

BRISTOL— Winning hockey games is much easier if a team starts out three goals to the good. That’s what happened to Holy Ghost Prep Wednesday afternoon.

The Firebirds scored three first-period goals in span of just under eight minutes and went on to a 7-4 Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference win at Hatfield Ice.
Byron Hartley scored four goals for the Firebirds, who improved to 7-3 overall and 2-2 in the APAC.

It was a big win for Holy Ghost Prep on a number of levels. It was the Firebirds’ first start since reaching the semifinals of the National Scholastic Invitational Showcase cover the weekend. It was also the first meeting between the two schools since the Friars (3-4, 2-2-0-1 in the APAC) scored four times in the third period to post a 5-4 win on November 11.

“This was huge win,” Hartley said, “this was a statement win that the first game was just a fluke. We have lines one through four that are able to score and play defense. We’re very happy with ourselves but we’re not done yet.”

Holy Ghost Prep’s number-one line, Hartley, Evan Mudrick, and Anthony Sparo, took on much of the offensive load. Together the trio accumulated 13 points. Hartley had two assists to go with his four goals. Mudrick provided two goals and two assists while Sparo contributed three assists.

Hartley got things started at the 3:25 mark of the opening period with help from Mudrick and Dan Behry before making it a 2-0 game by himself just 16 seconds later. Mudrick scored off assists from his two linemates at 11:23 to give his team a three-goal lead.

After Brady Baesher made it 4-0 3:32 into the second frame, the Friars got on the board with goals from Jack Constabile and Matt Harris to make it a 4-2 game with 4:05 left in the period.

Malvern Prep’s Jack Constabile (in blue) and Holy Ghost Prep’s Byron Hartley (in white) take a faceoff in Wednesday’s APAC game. Photo by Gracie Cleveland.

But Hartley completed his hat trick 4:09 into the third and his team went on to score two additional goals to put the game out of reach.

““It’s never good when a team goes down 3-0,” said Malvern Prep coach Bill Keenan. “We’ve been put in that position a lot this year and it’s hard to come out of it. It was nice to see our boys get a couple in response, but It’s hard to win games when you get put in hole like that.”

Junior Bobby Baehser got the win in goal.

“He played great,” said Holy Ghost Prep coach Gump Whiteside. Booby Baehser is a great teammate, and just a solid effort tonight between the pipes.”

Malvern Prep 0 2 2—4

Holy Ghost Prep 3 1 3—7

First-period goals: Byron Hartley (HGP) from Evan Mudrick and E.J. Pohl, 3:25; Hartley (HGP) unassisted, 3:41; Mudrick (HGP) from Hartley and Anthony Sparo, 11:23.

Second-period goals: Brady Baehser (HGP) from Colin Moore, 3:32; Jack Constabile (MP) from Quinn Dougherty, 4:05; Matt Harris (MP) from Constabile, 11:55.

Third-period goals: Hartley (HGP) from Mudrick and Sparo, 4:09; Kyle Dorman (MP) from Constabile, 6:19; Mudrick (HGP) from Hartley and Sparo; Harrison Campbell (MP) unassisted, 15:10; Harley (HGP) unassisted, 15:49 (pp).

Shots: Malvern Prep 22, Holy Ghost Prep 30; Saves: Anthony Perti (MP) 23, Bobby Baeher (HGP) 18.

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Other Wednesday scores

C.B. West 4, Pennridge 3

Hatboro-Horsham 8, Wissahickon 2

Council Rock South 10, Souderton 0

Pennsbury vs. Quakertown

Neshamainy vs. William Tennent

Malvern Prep 5, Holy Ghost Prep 4

By Rick Woelfel

WEST GOSHEN—The momentum of a hockey game can change in the blink of an eye. So it was Monday night as Malvern Prep overcame a two-goal deficit with a four-goal third period to stun Holy Ghost Prep 5-4 in an Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference game at Ice Line.

Matt Harris scored a natural hat trick for the Friars (1-1 overall and in the APAC). All three of his goals came during the third period when Malvern Prep found itself trailing by two goals on two occasions. The sophomore’s third goal, which came with 1:35 remaining in regulation, saw him beat Firebird goaltender Sean Joyce for the game winner.

Harris said the Friars took the ice for the final period with a determined mindset. “Just play hard and get pucks in on net,” he said.

The Firebirds (2-1, 1-1 in the APAC) had the upper hand for much of the first two periods and took a 3-1 lead 91 seconds into the third when Byron Hartley scored his second goal of the game on a feed from Evan Mudrick.

But momentum shifted in the Friars’ direction 4:08 into the third period when their goaltender Anthony Perti denied Mudrick on a penalty shot in the wake of a cross checking penalty.

Jack Constabile scored for Malvern Prep just 41 seconds later to make it a one-goal game. Sean Marshall scored for the Firebirds at the 7:26 mark to put his team up by two goals once more but Harris scored a shorthanded goal at 9:15 and tied the game with 3:51 remaining to set the stage for the finish.

Ironically, Perti, who made the game-changing save on Mudrick’s penalty shot, wasn’t around at the finish. He left with an apparent injury with 8:24 left in the game after making 18 saves. Jack Davis took his place and made four more.

Harris said he and teammates took considerable satisfaction rom rebounding from a one-goal los to St. Joseph’s Prep last Thursday. “It felt really good,” he said. “We knew what we had to do, come out hard and play Holy Ghost, who is good. We did what we had to do.”

Malvern Prep coach Bill Keenan credited his players for their resiliency. “The guys were down early again like our first game,” he said, “but it was nice to come back and really take that next step with the guys coming together and finding a way to pull out a win here.”

Holy Ghost Prep coach Gump Whiteside described the failed penalty shot attempt as huge. “It is what it is,” he said. It’’s frustrating. I’m happy for Bill, he got his first win as the Malvern coach. He’s a good guy. But it’s just frustrating tonight.”

Whiteside feels the devastating loss will be a lesson for his players. “We’re young,” he said. “The season’s early. and we’ll be a better team because of this, I can assure you.”

Holy Ghost Prep opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal from Hartley 9:59 into the first period. Mudrick made it 2-0 just 73 seconds into the second session. Ryan Sambuco scored for the Friars at the 6:29 mark to cut the deficit in half and the score remained unchanged through the period’s end.

Holy Ghost Prep 1 1 2—4
Malvern Prep 0 1 4—5
First-period goal: Byron Hartley (HGP) from Sean Marshall, 9:59 (sh)
Second-period goals: Evan Mudrick (HGP) from Hartley, 1:13; Ryan Sambuco (MP) from Andrew Harder, 6:29
Third-period goals: Hartley (HGP) from Mudrick, 1:31; Jack Constabile (MP) from Ryan Sambuco, 4:49; Marshall (HGP) from Hartley and Mudrick, 7:26; Matt Harris (MP) from Chris Blango, 9:15 (sh); Harris (MP) from Jack Davis 13:09; Harris (MP) from Constabile and Blango, 15:35.
Shots: Holy Ghost Prep 26, Malvern Prep 32; Saves: Sean Joyce (HGP) 22, Anthony Perti (MP) 18 and Jack Davis (MP) 4

St. Joseph’s Prep 4, Malvern Prep 3

By Rick Woelfel

WEST GOSHEN—St Joseph’s Prep got its hockey season off to a fast start on Wednesday. The Hawks built a 3-0 second-period lead and went on to hold off Malvern Prep 4-3 in an Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference game at Ice Line.

Austin Amato, Jeffrey Hammond, Jimmy Craig, and Nick Storti all scored goals for the Hawks, who were Class AAA Flyers Cup finalists a year ago.

Stori scored what proved to be the game winner with 9:38 gone in the second period when he dumped a puck in from the left point that eluded Friar goaltender Anthony Perti.

The Hawks started building their lead when Amato scored off a turnover at the 8:09 mark of the first period, and continued when Hammond (on a power play) and Craig added goals 11 seconds apart to give The Prep a 3-0 lead.

Storti, who would be heard from later on, said the quick start was invaluable. “It was really important to get a jump on these guys,” he said. “They’re really good.”

Andrew Harder got Malvern Prep (0-1) on the scoreboard at the 6:29 mark of the period and it took just 11 seconds for his teammate Ryan Sambuco to make it a one-goal game after a burst up the center of the ice.

Storti’s effort gave his team a two-goal advantage. “I just wanted to dump it in and it kind of went in on him,” he said.”

Down by two goals heading into the third period Malvern Prep, which was playing its first game for new coach Bill Keenan, kept battling to the final buzzer.

Stori and his teammates did their part by keeping the pressure on their opponents. “It was important to get pucks deep and keep them out of our zone as much as possible,” he said. “Work the puck down low a lot.”

Harrison Campbell scored the the day’s last goal with 54 seconds remaining but in the end the his came up one goal short.

Keenan was officially named Malvern Prep’s head coach on Wednesday, replacing Dave Dorman who resigned at the end of last week.

“I thought we got off to a pretty slow start,” he said. “I think we collectively came together in the second period. When we got that first goal we started to gather it together and just came out in the third and worked hard.”

The Friars had a 29-19 edge in shots. Hawks’ netminder Rocco Bruno recorded 26 saves.

St. Joseph’s Prep 1 3 0—4
Malvern Prep 0 2 1—3
First-period goal: Austin Amato (SJP) unassisted, 8:09
Second-period goals: Jeffrey Hammond (SJP) from Nick Storti and Andrew Centrella, 2:11 (pp); Jimmy Craig (SJP) from Matthew Moresco, 2:22; Andrew Harder (MP) from Matthew Harris and Ryan Sambuco, 6:14; Sambuco (MP) unassisted, 6:29; Storti (SJP) unassisted, 9:38
Third-period goal: Harrison Campbell (MP) from Chris Blango, 15:06
Shots: St. Joseph’s Prep 19, Malvern Prep 29; Saves: Rocco Bruno (SJP) 26, Anthony Perti (MP) 15
Records: St. Joseph’s Prep (1-0, 1-0 APAC); Malvern Prep (0-1, 0-1)