SHSHL Recap 12-3-24

National Division      W    L    T    PTS  OTW    OTL

C.R. South (6-1)                  5    0    0     19       1     0

Cent. Bucks South (5-2)    5    1    0     17       3     0

Pennridge (4-1)                 3   1    0      13         0    1 

North Penn (4-2)              3    2    0    13          0     1

Souderton (2-3)                2    2    0      8         0      0

Neshaminy (3-2)               2    2   0       8        0       0

C.B. East (2-4)                      2    3   0      8         0    0

C.R. North (2-4)                  2    4   0      8         0     0

Pennsbury (1-5)                 1    4    0      6         0      2

C.B. West (0-6)                  0    6    0      0         0    0

American Division              W    L    T   PTS    OTW    OTL

Hatboro-Horsham  (3-2)     3   1    0      11       1     0

Plymouth Whitemarsh (3-0)   2     0   0    8   0      0

Wissahickon (2-2)                 2    1    0    8         0    0

Springfield (1-3)                    1    3    0   5     0        1

Abington (0-3)                    0   3     0  0         0       0

National Division Scoring        G     A    Pts

Shane Dachwski    Pr                13    10  23

Jackson Accardi     CRN            13     8   21

James Rush         Pr                     8    9     17

Samuel Norton NP                   6     10     16

Jake Weiner  CRS                    11    4       15

Jeremy Rayher                         7     8     15

Cole Pluck NP                          5     10     15

Ivan Bondra  CRN                     10    4   14

Zane Sanders CBW                  4      10   14

Nolan Shingle(NP)                    9      4     13

Anthony Dowd   CBW           7     6      13

James Boyle NP                      6     7    13

American Division Scoring           G    A    Pts

Victor Wilkins HH                         8    2      10

Dan Guller      PW                         1    8     9

Cooper Kanze PW                         7     1     8

Ben Raebiger Wiss                       6      2     8

Nathan Nemchinov HH              4    4      8

 Hockey Happenings is looking for interested individuals to assist with our coverage of scholastic ice hockey in the Greater Philadelphia area. Interested individuals should have writing experience, be knowledgeable about ice hockey, and be capable of meeting deadlines.

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Malvern Prep 4 Calvert Hall 0

Four different players scored goals as Malvern Prep opened its season Monday afternoon with a 4-0 win at Calvert Hall.

Alex March opened the scoring with 8:07 left in the first period. He assisted on Cole Scarbinsky’s effort 3:42 into the second frame. Quinn Riley added a goal later in the second period and Andrew Starck extended his team’s lead in the third.

Matt Crawford and Riley Doyle split the shutout in goal.

La Salle 3 Wyoming Seminary 2 OT

HATFIELD—A young hockey team found out some things about itself Wednesday afternoon. La Salle got a live-fire test from Wyoming Seminary before the Explorers emerged with a 3-2 overtime win at Hatfield Ice.

It was the second consecutive win for the defending APAC and Class AAA Flyers Cup champions to open the new season.

Julian Tarsi delivered the game-winning goal off a centering pass from Declan Kelly with 1:13 remaining in the extra period.

Tarsi liked his team’s mindset against a quality opponent.

“It’s good for us early in the year to play a good team like that,” the senior said. “It’s good to see the boys working hard like that and digging deep. Especially later in the game, find a way to win.”

After a scoreless first frame, Kelly gave the Explorers a 1-0 lead when he found the back of the net 8:01 into the middle period.

James Fitzpatrick answered right back for the Knights (1-3) at the 9:47 mark.

The third period also featured two goals in quick succession. Grant Lagreca gave the hosts the lead, albeit briefly at the 3:03 mark. Colin Donovan responded for the Knights at 5:05 during a power play after the Explorers were flagged for having too many men on the ice.

Jake Rossi got the win in goal, stopping 24 of 26 shots.

“We got some good work in our defensive zone,” said La Salle coach Wally Muehlbronner. “I thought we played pretty well in the D-zone. We’ve been working a lot on that in the practices that we’ve had.”

La Salle lost 11 seniors off last year’s championship team. Those stepping into this year’s lineup are going through a necessary, if sometimes challenging transition.

“For a lot of the newer guys, it’s a different pace than they’re used to,” Muehlbronner said. “That was a good team that we just played, so I’m very pleased. I think that we got better as the game went along and I think the guys learned what they needed to do. We simplified some things and played a good game.”

Tarsi says his younger teammates are moving in the right direction.

“They’ve just got to get adjusted to the system,” he said, “and I think they’ve done a good job of that so far. They’re working hard. I’m excited to see what he future holds for them.”

Tarsi spoke to the responsibility the veterans on the roster have to show their younger teammates the way.

“It’s very important,” he said. “We’re supposed to be the leaders of the team.

“Honesty, coming off a huge loss last year, a devastating loss [in the state championship game] we’ve got to lead these guys back and find a way to get the job done.”

Wyoming Seminary 0 1 1 0—2

La Salle 0 1 1 1—3

Second-period goals: Declan Kelly (L) from Jacob Warner, 8:01; James Fitzpatrick (WS) from Sebastian Bilde, 9:47

Third-period goals: Grant Lagreca (L) from Michael Zarzycki, 3:03; Colin Donovan (WS) from Heil DeSeve and Jagar MacDonald, 5:27 (pp)

Overtime goal: Julian Tarsi (L) from Kelly and Cameron Ross, 3:47

Shots: Wyoming Seminary 26, La Salle 36; Saves: Jonah Boles (WS) 33, Jake Rossi (L) 24

Steve Mackell Takes the Reins at APAC

A new era is dawning in the Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference this season. Steve Mackell, a longtime coach and administrator, is beginning his first season as the APAC’s commissioner.
He replaces Jim Britt, who served as the commissioner in the conference’s first six years of existence.

Mackell played high-school hockey at Cardinal O’Hara and junior hockey with the Quakers before playing for a year at West Chester State.

 He began his coaching career alongside Jim McCrossin at Malvern Prep and later served as the Friars’ head coach. He also spent time behind the bench with the Quakers and Junior Flyers before joining Atlantic District player development staff.

“I’ve admired what the APAC mission was about”, Mackell said, “I know the schools, I know a lot of the coaches and the administrators from those schools and was really excited to be offered this opportunity.”

Mackell noted the unique stature that hockey is afforded at the five APAC member schools, Holy Ghost Prep, La Salle, Malvern Prep, St. oseph’s Prep, and Hun School.

“I think the common thread is hockey is recognized as a varsity sport in each of the schools,” he said. It’s run by the administration through the athletic director as well as the coaches.

“To be a varsity sport and have the backing of the school I think is paramount to being successful.”

Mackell points out the APAC’s success on the ice is coupled with a commitment to academic excellence.

“What the APAC has done in the [six] years they’ve been in existence is create a very competitive environment,” he said. “All those schools are academically challenging and I think they draw a lot of the same type student-athletes into the sport. They’ve been able to create a very high level of competitiveness through their individual scheduling at the schools as well as through the APAC scheduling.”

Since the APAC made it’ debut for the 2018-19 season, conference schools have won six consecutive Class AAA Flyers Cups. All told, they’ve won 24, including the last 13 in succession.         

PA Hockey Hall of Fame Moving Closer to Reality

The Pa Hockey Foundation has begun the process of honoring Players, Coaches, Officials and teams for over 50 years in Pennsylvania.  The Nomination Form is now available for the Top 10 for your school or Top 15 Players and Coaches and should be submitted to Jeff Mauro at jeffmauro@aol.com .

The goal is to have an induction of the Inaugural Class in March 2025 for Eastern and Western Pennsylvania. To be considered for the Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Selection Committees, please submit your selections to PAHF.  

General Assembly of Member Schools 

Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Schools will be part of the General Assembly to help honoring Players, Coaches, Officials and Teams for over 50 years for the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Hall of Fame. Our Vision is as Individuals and Teams are inducted, we welcome our school organizations, families, teammates and the hockey community to join us in celebrating the achievements at an Annual Banquet in honoring Players, Coaches, Officials and Teams from Eastern and Western Pennsylvania. 

The General Assembly will have one or more individuals from Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Schools in charge of Celebrations of Historical Records and Accomplishment of each organization to displayed on the Pa Hockey Website at www.pahockey.net and League Websites. 

Flyers Cup Update 3-8-24

41 teams began play in the Flyers Cup tournament four days ago. 33 have been eliminated. Here’s what’s ahead.

Tuesday, March 12

Class AA Semifinals

Marple Newtown  vs. Unionville 6:15 at Ice Line

Garnet Valley vs. Hershey 8:30 at Ice Line

Wednesday, March 13

Girls Semifinals

Avon Grove vs. Conestoga 6:45 at PNY

Downingtown West vs. West Chester Henderson 5:00 atPNY

Thursday, March 14

Class AAA Semifinals

Holy Ghost Prep vs. La Salle  6:00 at Hatfield Gray

St. Joseph’s Prep vs. Malvern Prep 7:45 Ice Line 1

Class AA Semifinals

Downingtown West vs. Pennridge 8:45 at Hatfield Gray

Boyertown vs. Council Rock Smith 8:30 at Hatfield Blue

Championship games will be played Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, March 18, 19, and 20.

Flyers Cup Schedule

 A total of 41 teams in four divisions will skate in the 45th annual Flyers Cup tournament.

Eight teams will comprise the Class AAA bracket, 16 more will compete in Class AA, 12 in Class A and five in the Girls Division.

The Delaware/South Jersey bracket has been eliminated this season.

First-round games are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, March 4 – 6; the tournament is expected to conclude March 19 or 20.

Nine SHSHL teams made the tournament field as did four APAC teams.

Here is an overview of the tournament schedule

All sites and times beyond the first round are tentative and subject to change.

Class AAA Quarterfinals

Monday, March 1. La Salle vs. 8. Perkiomen Valley 8:30/Hatfield Ice

Tuesday, March 5   4. Holy Ghost Prep vs. 5. Father Judge 8:30/Grundy

Monday, March 4   2. Malvern Prep vs. 7. Devon Prep  6:15/Ice Line

Monday, Match 4   3. St. Joseph’s Prep vs. 6. Salesianum 7:00 Skatium

Semifinals March 18 (tentative)

Finals March 19 or 20

Class AA First Round

Tuesday, March 5

1.Pennridge vs. 16. Bensalem 8:30/Hatfield

8. Central Bucks East vs. 9. Downingtown East  6:00/ Hatfield

4. Downingtown West vs. 13. Souderton 6:15/Ice Line

5. Haverford High vs. 12. North Penn 7:00/Skatium

2. Council Rock South vs. 15. Spring Ford  6:00/Grundy

7. Lower Merion vs. 10 Cherokee 9:00/Skatium

3. Boyertown vs. 14. Pennsbury 8:30/Ice Line

6. Central Bucks South vs. 11 Avon Grove 6:30 at Hatfield

Thursday, March 7

Quarterfinals

Pennridge/Bensalem vs. C.B. East/Downingtown East

Downingtown West/Souderton vs. Haverford/North Penn

C.R. South/Spring Ford vs. Lower Merion/Cherokee

Boyertown/Pennsbury vs. C.B. South/Avon Grove

Semifinals

TBD The week of 3-11

Finals

March 19, 20, or 21 Site TBD

Class A First Round

Monday, March 4

8. Plymouth Whitemarsh vs. 9. Unionville 6:00/Hatfield

5. Lower Dauphin vs. 12. Radnor 7:45 Ice Line

7. Palmyra vs. 10. Penncrest 8:30 Ice Line

6. Springfield-Delco vs. 11 West Chester Henderson 9:00/Skatium

Quarterfinals

Thursday, March 7

PW/Unionville vs. 1. West Chester East TBD/Ice Line

Lower Dauphin/Radnor vs. 4. Marple Newtown TBD

Palmyra/Penncrest vs. 2. Garnet Valley TBD

Springfield/WC Henderson vs. 3 Hershey TBD

Semifinals TBD

Finals March 19 or 20 Site TBD

Girls

Wednesday, March 6

Quarterfinal

4. Conestoga vs. 5. Lower Merion 7:45/PNY

Semifinals

Wednesday Match 13 tentative

  1. Avon Grove vs. Conestoga/Lower Merion 6:45/PNY
  2. Downingtown West vs. 3. West Chester Henderson 5:00/PNY

Monday March 18 tentative

Championship    6:00/PNY

The Flyers Cup selection show aited air on the Flyers Cup YouTube Channel

it can be accessed HERE.

Updated Playoff Schedule 2-22-24

Thursday, February 22

SHSHL National Division Quarterfinal

4. Central Bucks East vs. 5. North Penn

7:10 at Hatfield Ice

Wednesday, February 28

APAC Championship Game

St. Joseph’s Prep at La Salle

4:00 Hatfield Ice

SHSHL American Division Final

Plymouth Whitemarsh vs. Bensalem

6:50 at Hatfield Ice

SHSHL National Division Semifinal

C.B. South vs. Council Rock South

7:20 at Grundy Arena

SHSHL National Division Semifinal

C.B. East or North Penn vs. Pennridge

8:45 at Hatfield Ice

Thursday, February 29

SHSHL National Division Final

Site, Time TBD

SHSHL Playoff Schedule 2024

SHSHL Playoff Schedule (Revised)

Wednesday, February 21

National Division Quarterfinal

3. Central Bucks South vs. 6. Souderton

7:20 at Hatfield Ice

American Division Semifinal

2. Bensalem vs. 3. Abington

7:20 at Grundy Arena

Thursday, February 22

National Division Quarterfinal

4. Central Bucks East vs. 5 North Penn

7:10 at Hatfield Ice

Wednesday, February 28

National Division Semifinals

  1. Pennridge vs. North Penn or C.B. East

8:45 at Hatfield Ice

  • Council Rick South vs. C.B. South or Souderton

   7:20 at Grundy Arena

American Division Final

  1. Plymouth Whitemarsh vs. Abington or Bensalem

   6:50 at Hatfield Ice

Thursday, February 29

National Division Final (tentative)