La Salle 2 Holy Ghost Prep 1 OT

HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—Two hockey teams lifted their games and their sport into the clouds Tuesday night, and brought a full house at Hatfield Ice along for the ride. It was La Salle that emerged victorious, 2-1 in overtime over Holy Ghost Prep in the Class AAA Flyers Cup championship game.

Chase Hannon scored the winning goal 6:19 into overtime to give the top-seeded Explorers (15-9-2) their first Flyers Cup title since 2019 and their 12^thoverall. They will face defending champion Peters Township for the Class AAA state title on Saturday in Pittsburgh.

The second-seeded Firebirds finished their season at 18-8. Tuesday’s game brought down the curtain on the career of Holy Ghost Prep coach Gump Whiteside, who announced his retirement earlier this season

Hannon, a senior, scored both of his team’s goals.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “I lost a Flyers Cup my sophomore year (to Malvern Prep) in overtime, so, to win in overtime was great redemption.”

There was little to choose between the Explorers and the Firebirds through 51 minutes of regulation hockey and six minutes of overtime. La Salle’s Aries Carangi and Holy Ghost Prep’s Colin Mudrick were in top form in their respective nets. Mudrick denied La Salle’s James Carpenter on a backhander from close range early in the second period; it may have been the best save of the net by either goaltender.

John Seravalli gave the Firebirds a 1-0 lead 3:23 into the second period on a shot that came directly off an offensive right-circle faceoff. Hannon answered at the 11:49 mark after recovering a loose puck in the offensive zone.

But both goaltenders were sharp and knew their opposite number was as well. The two netminders embraced on the ice following the game.

Carangi, a senior was gratified he was able to play a part in his team’s win. He wound up winning the Bobby Clarke Award as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

“My sophomore year, I was a part of that team when we lost in overtime,” he said. “I was out with an injury and it felt like I couldn’t help my team at all.

“So, it felt really good to be out there, and do my job out for the guys and help them get this win today.”

Hannon’s winning goal came on a shot from the top of the right faceoff circle that rocketed past Mudrick under the crossbar. He sald he and his teammates were confident going into overtime.

“The mindset was ‘Score a goal,’” he said. “And win. If anyone on our team did it, we were happy about it. It didn’t matter who if we got the job done.”

And it was the Explorers who celebrated at evening’s end, while Whiteside reflected on his team’s effort.

“It’s one of the best games I’ve ever been involved with as a coach,” he said. “Both teams played really well. I thought either team could have won it. I thought our boys responded well and I’m just really proud of the effort our kids gave.

“I just wish they had a better result, but it was a tremendous high-school hockey game.”

Ice chips: Besides Carangi, the All-Tournament team included Hannon and Thomas Doucet from La Salle and Seravalli, Brady Baehser, and Ciaran Chambers from Holy Ghost Prep.

Holy Ghost Prep 0 1 0 0—1

La Salle 0 1 0 1—2

Second-period goals: John Seravalli (HGP) from Shaun Moore, 3:23; Chase Hannon (L) unassisted, 11:49

Overtime goal: Hannon (L) from Evan Golato and Ryan Desmond 6:19

Shots: Holy Ghost Prep 35, La Salle 35; Saves; Colin Mudrick (HGP) 33, Aries Carangi (L) 34

Class AA Flyers Cup Finals Preview

Tuesday’s Class AA Flyers Cup championship game between second-seeded Pennridge and defending champion and fifth-seeded Pennsbury (6:00 at Hatfield Ice) figures to be quite a shootout. Rams and the Falcons have scored a combined 37 goals in their three meetings against each other this season. Pennsbury has won two of the three, including in the SHSHL National Division semifinals on March 1.

Pennridge’s Flyers Cup win last March is the only one in school history. Pennsbury won titles as a Class A team in 1993 and 2000. The Falcons were members of the Lower Bucks League at the time. They joined the SHSHL for the 2007-08 season.

Pennridge (16-5)

Coach: Jeff Montagna

Players to watch: So. Jacob Winton (G); Jr. Colin Dachowski (D); So. Shane Dachowski (F); Jr. Kevin Pico (F); Jr. Andrew Savona (F)

Pennsbury (17-6)

Coach: Ryan Daley

Players to watch: Jr. Aaron McDaniel (G); Sr. Justin Marlin (D); Sr. Brendan MacAinish (F); Sr. Andrew Falkenstein (F); Jr. Logan Doyle (F)

11-3 Pennsbury 6 Pennridge 3

1-12 Pennridge 11 Pennsbury 4

3-1 Pennsbury 8 Pennridge 5

Trainer Joey Lopez Personifies His Profession

Joey Lopez doesn’t think of himself as a hero. Others might think differently.

Lopez is one of the corps of athletic trainers keep watch over student-athletes during APAC and ICSHL games as well as the Flyers Cup tournament.

During games, Lope and his colleagues are constantly on the alert.

“We’re watching the game just like the fans are,” he said.” A lot of people do this because not only because they love athletic, but some of them love the sport itself.”

Lopez is particularly alert when a player is down on the ice.

“If they’re down long enough, that alerts us,” he said. “We usually give them a little bit of time to be down because it might be something minor, but if it’s something for a little bit longer time than we allow, depending on how long the athletic trainer waits, which isn’t long, that’s when our primary concerns about (the player) being injured come in and then we head out to the ice.”

Lopez, who has worked as an athletic trainer since 2017, was on duty at Ice Line on the evening of December 22 when a Father Judge player was cut by a skate blade in the second period of a game against Cardinal O’Hara.

Lopez used a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. He told Hockey Happenings that his personal and professional instincts kicked in.

“I’d never had to use a tourniquet on somebody,” he said, “but it literally just one of those things where everything else in the world does not matter.

“It just turns into tunnel vision and knowing what I know what would I do for my kid if I had one, and treating them as your own, because essentially you can look at them as your kids because they’re under your care.”

Lopez notes that when he’s dealing with a potentially serious situation, it’s important to keep his own emotions in check.

“I have to make sure everybody else is calm,” he said. “If the kid isn’t calm, you can always make the situation worse.”

Lopez praised the coaching staffs of the two teams for their assistance on stabilizing the situation.

“The coaches called 911,” he said. “They helped out they were great. everybody was a team. It just made everything easier.”

The day after the Father Judge-Cardinal O’Hara game, the following tweet was posted on the Father Judge Twitter page.

Last night’s player of the game was @ICSHL_hockey Athletic Trainer Joey Lopez. Joey stepped into a very serious injury situation, took control, handled the situation like a pro, directed others, & stopped a bad situation from becoming worse. Thanks Joey! #professional #hero.

Pennridge 7 O.J. Roberts 0

HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—It was a Flyers Cup Class AA semifinal. But Pennridge turned the occasion into just another night at the rink.

Shane Dachowski scored three goals and four other players added one goal each as the Rams routed Own J. Roberts 7-0 Monday night at Hatfield Ice. Second-seeded Pennridge (16-5) will face Pennsbury Tuesday evening at the same venue as it attempts to defend its Class AA Cup title. Judging from Monday’s effort, the Rams should feel comfortable in that setting; they dominated from start to finish against the sixth-seeded Wildcats, who closed their season at 17-6-0-1.

Dane Fitchett and Dachowski scored first-period goals 81 seconds apart, bearing Wildcat netminder Shane Towler.

Kevin Pico made it a 3-0 game 4:59 into the middle period. But the outcome was really settled later in the session when the Rams’ completely shut down the Owen J. Roberts power play and Andrew Savona and Dachowski delivered shorthanded goals

“We knew this team’s power play was lethal coming in,” said Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna. “But the way they run it is a 1-3-1, they basically have four guys below the dots. So, that’s go time for us. You get sticks on pucks and you’re going the other way.

“It’s the only way I know as a coach. If you have the bodies, and you have the skill to do it, just be relentless. Be relentless at all times.”

Pico talked about what it takes to play the up-tempo style his coach prefers.

“You get on teams early and they’re going to hesitate,” he said. “Push up, take opportunities, and look to capitalize on those.”

James Rush extended the Pennridge lead 91 seconds into the final period before Dachowski completed his hat trick at the 9:31 mark.

Pico says the experience the Rams took away from last year’s Flyers Cup run has been an asset this time around.

“I think the experience helps,” he said. “Everyone isn’t as nervous anymore because they’ve been there before.”

Meantime, at the other end of the ice, Jacob Winton was pitching a shutout in the Pennridge net. He finished the evening with 28 saves. The sophomore said he got a good look at everything thanks to the efforts of the defense in front of him.

“When shots are coming in from the outside, it’s a lot easier to see them then on a big scramble play up front with all the guys in one spot,” he said. “Keeping them outside really helps a lot.”

Winton says he’s more at ease on the ice than he was when the season began.

“I think as the season went on I got a little bit more comfortable,” he said. ‘When you’ve got a team like that in front of you, it makes it that much easier.”

O.J. Roberts 0 0 0—0

Pennridge 2 3 2—7

First-period goals: Dane Fitchett (P) from Andrew Lizak and Tyler Manto, 5:00; Shane Dachowski (P) unassisted, 6:21

Second-period goals: Kevin Pico (P) from Andrew Savona, 4:59; Savona (P) unassisted, 7:11 (sh); Shane Dachowski (P) from Colin Dachowski, 11:56 (sh)

Third-period goals: James Rush (P) from Lizak, 1:31; Shane Dachowski (P) from Pico, 9:31

Shots: O.J. Roberts O.J. Roberts 28, Pennridge 30; Saves: Shane Towler (OJR) 23, Jacob Winton (P) 28

Flyers Cup Finals Schedule

Monday, March 20

Class A Championship

West Chester East 4 Hershey 0

NJ/Del Championship

Salesianum 9 Eastern 3

Penguins Cup Championship

Class AAA

Peters Township 8 Upper St. Clair 1

Class A Championship

Kiski 4 Fox Chapel 1

Tuesday, March 21

Class AA Championship

Pennsbury 5 Pennridge 3

Class AAA Championship

La Salle 2 Holy Ghost Prep 1 OT

Penguins Cup Class AA Championship

South Fayette 2 Arnstrong 0

Wednesday, March 22

Girls Championship

Downingtown West 8 vs. Avon Grove 7

Recent Results

Monday, March 13

Class AA Semifinals

Pennsbury 7, Council Rock South 5

Pennridge 7. Owen J Roberts 0

Tuesday, March 14

Class AAA Semifinals

Holy Ghost Prep 3 St. Joseph’s Prep 2 OT

La Salle 3 Malvern Prep 0

Class A Semifinals

West Chester East 6 Lower Dauphin 4

Hershey 5 West Chester Rustin 4 OT

Thursday. Match 16

NJ/Delaware Semifinals

Eastern 9 Cherokee 3

Salesianum 4 Washington Township 1

Girls Semifinals

Avon Grove 12 West Chester Rustin 1

Downingtown West 14 Unionville 4

Pennridge 4 Neshaminy 2

HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—Persistence paid off for Pennridge Thursday night.

The Rams had an abundance of opportunities early on but still trailed Neshaminy 1-0 approaching the midway point of the second period of their Class AA Flyers Cup quarterfinal.

But the situation changed in the blink of an eye, or precisely in a span of 13 seconds as Trey Mikulich and Kevin Pico scored goals to give the Pennridge a lead it would not relinquish. At evening’s end, the scoreboard at Hatfield Ice showed the Rams as 4-2 winners, assuring them of a place in Monday’s semifinals against Owen J. Roberts.

Second-seeded Pennridge (15-5) is seeking to become the first Class AA Cup champion to successfully defend its title since Downingtown East won its third straight title in 2019. Tenth-seeded Neshaminy closed its season at 13-7-1.

Nolan Geria’s power-play goal 5:49 into the opening period gave the ‘Skins the early lead but it was goaltender Cory Hemberger who kept them in front. The junior stopped 14 shots in the first frame.

“That kid’s a really good goalie,” said Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna. “He’s as good a goalie as there is in this league. That kid can flat play and it took all 44 shots we had tonight to beat him.”

Two of those shots could be considered the most significant however. Mikulich scored his goal 7:33 into the second period, then assisted on Kevin Pico’s goal at 7:46.

The two goal scorers offer a unique contrast. Pico scored 24 goals during the SHSHL season and has scored four more in two Flyers Cup tournament games.

Mikulich, a defenseman by trade, had scored just one goal all season prior to Thursday night.

“I don’t score a lot,” he said. “I’m more of a defensive player.”

The goal Mikulich scored on Thursday was more a matter of happenstance than design. “To be honest, I didn’t look to score on that,” he said. “I just looked to get it on net, and it went in.”

The Rams extended their lead 3:48 into the third period when Shane Dachowski tipped in a shot from Andrew Savona.

Neshaminy responded not quite two minutes later with a goal from Max Gallagher and the issue wasn’t settled until Pico scored into an empty net with 23 seconds remaining.

At that point, emotions in the Neshaminy contingent spilled over. Three players received a combined four penalties. Gerea received a minor penalty and a game misconduct. Gallagher received game misconduct and Ben Odendahl was accessed a match penalty.

There were more fireworks following the final buzzer. Odendahl received an additional match penalty, Michael Knipple was accessed a match penalty, Gerea received a second game misconduct and Jack Halloran received a game misconduct.

Neshaminy coach Matt DeMatteo declined a request for comment following the game.

Neshaminy 1 0 1—2

Pennridge 0 2 2—4

First-period goal: Nolan Geria (N) from Max Gallagher, 5:49 (pp)

Second-period goals: Trey Mikulich (P) from Shane Dachowski and Colin Dachowski, 7:33; Kevin Pico (P) from Shane Dachowski and Mikulich, 7:46

Third-period goals: Shane Dachowski (P) from Andrew Savona, 3:48; Gallagher (N) from J.J., Hathaway, 5:45 (pp); Pico (P) from Tyler Manto, 16:37 (en)

Shots: Neshaminy 31, Pennridge 44; Saves: Cory Hemberger (N) 40; Jacob Winton (P) 29

Council Rock South 4 Boyertown 0

HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—If a single word could best describe Council Rock South’s performance Thursday night it would be ‘workmanlike.’ Four different players scored goals and Carson Lopez was perfect between the pipes as the Golden Hawks shut out Boyertown 4-0 in a Class AA Flyers Cup quarterfinal at Hatfield Ice.

Top-seeded South (19-1-0-1) will face Conestoga or Pennsbury in a Monday night semifinal at the same venue. The Hawks will be seeking to return to the finals after losing the title game to Pennridge last spring.

Eighth-seeded Boyertown closed its session at 14-6.

It took South some time to get control of the game. Tyler Griffin in the Boyertown net kept the Hawks at bay for a period and a half. The freshman finished with 45 saves.

Carson Lopez watched Griffith at work when he wasn’t occupied guarding South’s net.

“That goalie is real good,” he said. “He stoned us left and right. Take it from me, he’s going to steal this whole thing if he has a couple years of high school under his belt.”

Griffin made 14 saves in the first period while the Hawks limited their foes to five shots at the other end.

South finally broke through 8:22 into the second frame when Kevin Koles caught iron with a shot and Jake Weiner put in the rebound. Jeremy Rayher made it a 2-0 game at the 10:38 mark and James Diiulio extended his team’s lead when he beat Griffith with six seconds left in the period.

“We’re a grinding team,” Werner said. “That’s what our goals are. The dirty goals are the nice goals.”

Weiner, a freshman, says the Hawks rely more on grit than finesse. “We’re not a flashy team,” he said. “We like playing in the corners and getting dirty.”

Blaize Pepe completed the scoring for the evening when he solved Griffith 7:09 into the third period. It was a win the Hawks had to work for, despite the scoreline.

“I think we made ourselves work for this one,” he said. “We weren’t really focused coming into the game. We’ve got to eliminate that because if we come out like that (in the semifinals) we’ll be going home.”

A victory in a single-elimination tournament would seemingly be cause for celebration, but Lopez, one of four seniors on South’s playoff roster, took a different view.

“I don’t think any of us are enjoying it,” he said. “We definitely thought we should have played a lot better, but we’re definitely ready to go to work on Monday.

Ice chips—South enjoyed a 49-21 edge in shots. The Hawks have won three Class AA Flyers Cup titles, in 2009, ‘11, and ‘12.

Boyertown 0 0 0—0

C.R. South 0 3 1—4

Second-period goals: Jake Weiner (CRS) from Kelvin Koles, 8:22; Jeremy Rayher (CRS) from Illia Mukhin and Weiner, 10:38; James Diiulio, from Koles and Chase Tovsky, 16:54 (pp)

Third-period goal: Blaise Peppe (CRS) from Tovsky (CRS), 7:09

Shots: Boyertown 21, C.R. South 49; Saves: Tyler Griffith (B) 45, Carson Lopez (CRS) 21

Upcoming Flyers Cup Schedule

Thursday, March 8

Class A Quarterfinals

Springfield Delco vs. West Chester Rustin 6:30 at Ice Line

West Chester East 7 Penncrest 3

Hershey 4 Council Rock North 3 OT

Lower Dauphin 4 Marple Newtown 2

Class AA Quarterfinals

Council Rock South 4 Boyertown 0

Owen J. Roberts 3 Avon Grove 1

Pennsbury 4 Conestoga 3 OT—Andrew Falkenstein scored the winning goal 11:10 into overtime

Pennridge 4 Neshaminy 2

Girls Quarterfinals

West Chester East vs. Downingtown East 5:00 at PNY

West Chester Henderson vs. Unionville 6:45 at PNY

Monday, March 13

Class AA Semifinals

Council Rock South vs. Pennsbury

Pennridge vs. Owen J Roberts

Tuesday, March 14

Class AAA Semifinals

St. Joseph’s Prep vs. Holy Ghost 6:15 at Hatfield Ice

Malvern Prep vs. La Salle 8:45 at Hatfield Ice

Thursday. Match 16

NJ/Delaware Semifinals

6:00 Eastern vs. Cherokee at Flyers Training Center

8:00 Washington Township vs. Salesianum at FTC

Girls Semifinals

St. Joseph’s Prep 4 Perkiomen Valley 2

Joe Samango scored there goals as the Hawks downed the Vikings in a Class AAA Flyers Cup quarterfinal Tuesday night at the Skatium. Tristan Winata also scored for the third-seed Hawks, who will face Holy Ghost Prep in a semifinal next week (date, site, time TBA).

Mason McCabe and Jonathan Waters scored goals for the sixth-seeded Vikings.

Perkiomen Valley 2 0 0—2

St. Joseph’s Prep 2 0 2—4

Pennridge 9 Lower Merion 2

HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—Pennridge’s first steps toward a successful Flyers Cup title defense turned out to be a leisurely stroll. The Rams parlayed a four-goal first period into a 9-2 win over Lower Merion Tuesday night in a Class AA first-round game at Hatfield Ice.

The second-seeded Rams (14-5), the defending Class AA Flyers Cup and state champions, will face 10^th-seeded Neshaminy in a quarterfinal game that is tentatively set for Thursday at a site and time to be announced.

The Rams got a big effort from sophomore Shane Dachowski, who scored three goals and assisted on a fourth. Two of his goals came in the first period that saw the Rams build their 4-0 lead. Kevin Pico and Colin Dachowski scored the other two.

Shane Dachowski says the veterans on the roster are at ease in the Flyers Cup environment.

“We’re comfortable,” he said, “the returning players. “But still, ‘Win or go home. You’ve got to put that one in your head.”

Nick Young assisted on two of the first-period goals. He says the players are a close group off the ice, which in turn makes them more efficient on the ice.

“I’ve played with a lot of these kids throughout the years,” he said. “Everybody is so nice and tries to get together as much as we can so it really helps us out to be able to play together.”

Kiernan Ryan got 15^th-seeded Lower Merion (10-10-0-1) on the scoreboard 28 seconds onto the middle period, but Andrew Lizak’s power-play goal and Colin Dachowski’s tip-in just 24 seconds later extended the Pennridge lead to 6-1 just 2:32 into the period.

Jack Rabinowitz scored for the Aces with 3:29 left in the period made it a 6-2 game. Lower Merion didn’t score again and the Rams added two third-period goals from James Rush, with a second goal from Pico in between.

Starter Jacob Winton and Jacob Gilbert split time in goal, making 29 saves between them. Pennridge was in control all evening long but at evening’s end Head Coach Jeff Montagna was still searching for consistency.

“We had a great first period,” he said. “We had a (terrible) second period. I thought in the second period we allowed an (opponent) with 10 guts play at their speed.

“We told them ‘That can’t happen.’ We don’t have the luxury of taking periods off moving forward.”

Ice chips—The Rams are attempting to become the first team to successfully defend a Class AA Flyers Cup title since Downingtown East won its third straight on 2019.

Lower Merion 0 2 0—2

Pennridge 4 2 3—9

First-period goals: Kevin Pico (P) from Colin Dachowski, 3:44; Shane Dachowski (P) from Nick Young, 6:40; Colin Dachowski (P) from Trey MIkulich, 10:29; Shane Dachowski (P) from Young, 14:49 (sh)

Second-period goals: Kiernan Ryan (LM) unassisted, :28; Andrew Lizak (P) from Pico and Tyler Manto, 1:58 (pp); Colin Dachowski (P) from Jesse Ufbergco and Andrew Savona, 2:22; Jack Rabinowitz (LM) from Jesse Ufberg, 13:31

Third-period goals: James Rush (P) from Dane Fitchitt, 2:53 (pp); Pico (P) from Shane Dachowski, 5:30; Rush (P) Lizak and Fitchitt, 6:38

Shots: Lower Merion 31, Pennridge 43; Saves: Juliano Luca (LM) 34, Jacob Winton (P) 14 and Jacob Gilbert (P) 15