Pennridge 7 C.B. South 1

The last pieces of the SHSHL playoff puzzle are now in place.

Pennridge turned in a solid, workmanlike, effort Wednesday night, en route to a 7-1 win over Central Bucks South at Hatfield Ice.

The Rams closed the SHSHL regular season at 16-1-1 in divisional play (17-1-2 overall) and will be seeded first when the National Division playoffs commence next week.

Andrew Savona once more occupied center stage, scoring four goals and assisting on another.

His linemate, Kevin Pico, assisted on three goals while Shane Dachowski, the third member of the trio, scored two goals and assisted on another.

Pico spoke to the significance of the win with the playoffs at hand.

“It was huge,” he said. “Our last game of the season. To put up that many goals and get that first seed locked in.

Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna noted his team’s effort over the full 51 minutes.

“Tonight was probably our best game of the year,” he said. “One thing this team does really well is, when the goal is in front of them and they know what they’re playing for, they take it to a different level. They’ve done that for three years, they did that tonight. It was a great game all around.”

Dachowski gave the Rams the lead with 2:26 left in the opening period. In the second session, the floodgates opened when Savona, James Rush, and Savona again, scored three unanswered goals in a span of 11 minutes, 21 seconds. The first two were shorthanded, the third, Savona’s second coming just as a South penalty expired. For all intents and purposes it was game, set, and match Pennridge at that point.

The Titans (12-5-1 in the division, 12-7-1 overall), who will be seeded third for the playoffs never really got things started. Their only goal came off the stick of Ryan Montagna with 6:36 left in the third period.

“You’ve got to show up,” said South coach Shaun McGinty. “We lost three periods in a row. Defensively, we weren’t there. We gave up two shorthanded goals on four power plays. I said to the boys, ’There’s no mathematical equation that’s going to issue a W.

“You lose three periods in a row, you can’t win a game; you’ve got to take it one period at a time.”

The Rams, who were Class AA Flyers Cup finalists a year ago, and Flyers Cup and state champions the tear before, will now have a week-long break before beginning another postseason challenge.

“I think it will be a good week to have off,” Pico said, “resting up and then get going again.

“Some of our guys’ club seasons are over so now that we have [only] high school, it’s definitely a nice time that we can rest. Looking forward to playoffs, definitely.”

Ice chips: Pico leads the entire SHSHL in scoring with 28 goals and 47 assists for 75 points. Savona is next with 40 goals and 31 assists for 71 points, followed by Shane Dachowski (27-33-60).

“You can watch high-school hockey for a long time,” Montagna said. “You’re not going to find a better line than those three. It’s amazing, some of the things they do on the ice.”

C.B. South 0 0 1—1

Pennridge 1 4 2—7

First-period goal: Shane Dachowski (P) from Kevin Pico, 14:34

Second-period goals: Andrew Savona (P) from Pico, 1:47 (sh); James Rush, unassisted, 2:04; Savona (P) from Pico and Colin Dachowki, 13:08; Savona (P) from Nick Young, 16:05

Third-period goals: Savona (P) unassisted, 8:18; Ryan Montagna (CBS) from Colin Mendham and Sean Cutter, 10:24; Shane Dachowski (P) from Savona, 15:08

Shots: C.B. South 31, Pennridge 37; Saves: Nathan Neapolitan (CBS) 30, Jacob Winston (P) 30

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C.R. South 8 Pennridge 7 OT

Grundy Arena was a theatre of the unexpected Wednesday night. With first place in the SHSHL’s National Division at stake as well as the top seed in the upcoming playoffs, both Pennridge and Council Rock South came out with guns blazing.

The 15^th goal of the evenings settled matters. Nikita Volobuiev scored 26 seconds into overtime to give the Golden Hawks an 8-7 win.

The result leaves the teams deadlocked at the top of the division standings. The Golden Hawks improved to 17-1 overall and 16-1 in the division. The loss was the first this season for the Rams, who now stand at 15-1-1 in the division and 16-1-1 overall. Because loss was in overtime, Pennridge receives a point in the standings. Both teams have 31 points. If both win their regular-season finales next week, the Rams, who defeated the Hawks 7-3 on December 13, would be granted the top seed for the divisional playoffs.

Volobuiev’s winning goal was his fourth goal of the evening in a game that featured numerous instances where defense seemed to be an afterthought.

The teams combined for seven goals in the first period, five of which were scored before the contest was nine minutes old.

The Golden Gawks led 4-3 after the first frame on the strength of two goals from Volobuiev and goals from Gavin Nisenzon, and Illia Mukhin.

Andrew Savona scored twice for the Rams in the opening session; Shane Dachowski also scored for Pennridge.

It was more of the same in the middle period, which concluded with the teams deadlocked at 6-6. By that point Trey Prozzillo was in the South goal in relief of starter Trevor Rakszawski and Pennridge goaltender Jacob Winton was feeling the effects of the incoming fire.

The Golden Hawks’ Chase Tovsky, who assisted on Nisenzon’s first-period goal noted the first two periods were not conducted in the manner he, his teammates, and, more to the point, South coach Joe Houk, would have preferred.

“I think games like that happen,” he said. “But, it says a lot about the team you have when you’re not playing your best, you’re not getting calls or bounces, and you’re able to keep playing your game and keep putting the puck in the net.”

Volobuiev and Pico traded third-period goals; the game was tied seven with 11:55 remaining.

With just under seven minutes left, South’s penalty killers came up big. With 6:43 left, Volobuiev was called for tripping. Thirty-two seconds later Jake Mauer was whistled for same infraction, giving the Rams a two-man advantage for 88 seconds. Matched against the highest scoring offense in the division apart from its own, South held firm.

“We had to step up for [Houk],” said South’s Kevin Koles, “our team, our goalies. Everybody did their jobs and killed it off and we got back to work.”

Even amidst the plethora of goals, Koles said he and his teammates maintained their focus.

“We knew we had to come out hard,” he said. “we knew what this team was about and we stepped up.”

Volobuiev’s winning goal saw him get past Colin Dachowski with a great individual move in the middle of the ice before beating Winton.

Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna was philosophical about the loss.

“That’s what happens when you have high-end offensive talent playing against each other,” he said. “I thought it would be a little lower scoring. But there were some great offensive players.”

Pennridge 3 3 1 0—7

C.R. South 4 2 1 1—8

First-period goals: Andrew Savona (Pr) from Shane Dachowski and Kevin Pico, 3:23; Gavin Nisenzon (CRS) from Jake Weiner and Chase Tovsky, 4:21 (pp); Shane Dachowski (Pr) from Pico, 5:08 (pp); Nikita Volobuiev (CRS) from Illia Mukhin, 6:34, Mikhin (CRS) from Ilya Kudzinau and Volobuiev, 8:58; Savona (Pr) from James Rush, 14:14; Volobuiev (CRS) from Peter Pereborow and Jordan Sarne, 15:04

Second-period goals: John Mikulich (Pr) from Pico and Savona, :44; Savona (Pr) from Colin Dachowski and Shane Dachowski, 2:01 (pp); Tovsky (CRS) from Blaize Pepe, 5:30; Nisenzon (CRS) from Kevon Koles, 16:41 (pp); Pico (Pr from Shane Dachowski and Savona, 16:50

Third-period goals: Volobuiev (CRS) unassisted, 2:39; Pico (Pr) from Colin Dachowski, 5:05

Overtime goal: Volobuiev (CRS) unassisted, :26

Shots: Pennridge 39, C.R. South 43; Saves: Jacob Winton (Pr) 35, Trevor Rakszawski 15 and Trey Prozzillo (CRS) 21

Pennridge 9 Pennsbury 1

For the first time in some time, Pennridge put all the pieces together at the same time.

After falling behind six minutes after the opening faceoff, the Rams got down to business and posted a 9-1 win over Pennsbury in a SHSHL national Division encounter at Hatfield Ice.

With the win, the Rams improved to 16-0-1 overall and 15-0-1 in divisional play. The Falcons fell to 3-12 overall and in the division. The loss eliminates Pennsbury from SHSHL playoff contention.

The contest was far more competitive than the final score indicates. The Rams but the game away with five goals in the third period but they worked for everything they got; to the immense satisfaction of their coach, Jeff Montagna.

“It was our best effort in about two months,” he said, “since the Council Rock South game.

“I told them the blueprint of how we want to play. You just wear teams down and we wore that team down.”

The Falcon took it to the Rams early on. Chris Sarver have Pennsbury a 1-0 lead 5:47 into the first frame with a splendid dash down the right wing that finished when he backhanded the puck past Pennridge goaltender Jacob Winton.

Tyler Manto and Andrew Savona answered to give Pennridge a 2-1 lead after one period. Kevin Pico and Colin Dachowski added goals in the second stanza.

It was still a contest at that point and Dachowski was impressed with the fact that he and his mates were staying focused on the business at hand.

“I think the last couple games, we haven’t been playing like that,” he said. “We haven’t been playing more like a team. Going into the playoffs in four weeks, we’ve got to be ready and I think we showed that tonight.

Shane and Colin Dachowski, Savona, Dean Venner, and Nolan Shaw all scored third-period goals for Pennridge as the falcons’ gas tank dropped toward empty.

But Pennsbury coach Ryan Daley was impressed with his team’s effort.

“I think for two periods we were right there with them,” he said. “Their goalie is good. I feel like I say that a lot but he had a great game.

Daley noted his team had a number of quality chances.

“If you were really watching that game, we really did have a lot of scoring chances,” he said. “And the puck just wasn’t finding our stick, or [Winton] made a great save, or his defensemen blocked it. They were right spots at the right time.

“But, I was happy with the way we played, I was happy with the effort.”

Pico had a five-point night that included four assists. Shane Dachowski finished with three assists.

With the results of Wednesday’s games, the field for the National Division playoffs has been finalized. The six teams include Pennridge, Council Rock South, Central Bucks South, Central Bucks East, North Penn, and Souderton. The Rams and the Golden Hawks will have byes into the semifinals.

Pennsbury 1 0 0—1

Pennridge 2 2 5—9

First-period goals: Chris Sarver (Pb) unassisted, 5:47; Tyler Manto (Pr) unassisted, 8:33; Andrew Savona (Pr) from Kevin Pico and Shane Dachowksi, 13:11

Second-period goals: Pico (Pr) from Shane Dachowski and Savona, 7:09; Colin Dachowski (Pr) from Pico, 12:45 (pp)

Third-period goals: Shane Dachowski (Pr) from Nolan Shaw and Pico, 1:20; Dean Venner (Pr) unassisted, 5;10; Shaw (Pr) from Justin Dinsmore, 10:22; Savona (Pr) from Pico and Shane Dachowski, 11:20; Colin Dachowski (Pr) unassisted, 12:29

Shots: Pennsbury 26, Pennridge 46; Saves: Aaron McDaniel (P) 37, Jacob Winton (P) 25

Pennridge 3 C.B. East 3

The bubble of invincibility that has surrounded the Pennridge Rams all season long burst Thursday night.

Ethan Cenci’s goal with 1.3 seconds remaining in regulation gave Central Bucks East a 3-3 draw with the Rams at Hatfield Ice. It was the first blemish of the season for Pennridge, which now stands 11-0-1 in the SHSHL National Division and 12-0-1 overall.

Pennridge took a 2-1 lead into the third period but Jaden Young tied the game for East with 4:19 left in regulation off a Pennridge breakdown.

The Rams seemingly dodged a bullet when Tyler Manto beat Cole Breen with a rocket from the left circle with 2:11 remaining to put his team back in front. It was Manto’s second goal of the game.

But just 30 seconds later, he was sent to the box for roughing, giving the Patriots a power play. With 5.8 seconds showing on the clock, Manto’s teammate Shane Dachowski was whistled for cross checking, giving East a two-man advantage and, more importantly, the offensive zone faceoff it needed to set up the game-tying goal which came off a scramble in front of Pennridge netminder Jacob Winton.

Dachowski’s penalty also allowed the Patriots to start the overtime with a four-skater-to-three advantage.

Pennridge had seemingly more opportunities during the extra five minutes but the clock struck zero with the two teams and seemingly headed in opposite directions.

For the Patriots (6-3-1 overall and in the division) it was a result that felt like a win.

“I can’t explain how proud I am of the boys,” said East coach Jeff Mitchell, “for just sticking there at the end.

“We pretty much had a good momentum on the bench the entire game. It started to get a little chippy at the end of the second, getting into the third. We started to lose our way a little bit but the boys banded together.

We had pretty much production from all three lines. Not so much points, but getting the puck out and maintaining great possession. And Cole kept everything out he should have.”

Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna minced no words while accessing the performance of his own team.

“We were terrible tonight,” he said. “We took penalties that cost us, but when you play the way we did and let them hang around the way we did, it was only a matter of time.

“We did not deserve to win that game. Period. It was as bad as we’ve been all year. And it’s as angry as I’ve been all year.”

Pennridge 2 0 1—3

C.B. East 1 0 2—3

First-period goals: Corey Kosick (CBE) unassisted, 5:24; Andrew Savona (P) from Colin Dachowki and Kevin Pico, 5:49; Tyler Manto (P) from Colin Dachowki, 16:56

Third-period goals: Jaden Young (CBE) from Drew Trask and Ryan Gergen, 12:41; Tyler Manto (P) from James Embert, 14:49; Ethan Cenci (CBE) unassisted, 15:59

Shots: Pennridge 36, C.B. East 25; Saves: Jacob Winton (P) 22, Cole Breen (CBE) 33

Pennridge 6 C.B. South 5 OT

HATFIELD TOWNSIP—It was quite a comeback. Trailing 5-1 early in the third period, Pennridge rallied for a 6-5 overtime win over Central Bucks South Thursday night at Hatfield Ice in a SHSHL National Division encounter.

James Rush scored the winning goal 1:23 into overtime.

The win, the Rams’ 10^th without a blemish this season, comes 24 hours after Wednesday’s much-celebrated win over Council Rock South. From the Rams’ perspective, Thursday’s comeback win was just as emotional, a comeback fueled in part by an injury to a goaltender.

With 2:29 left in the second period and the Titans (6-3-1, 6-2-1 in the division holding a 2-1 lead, Pennridge netminder Jacob Winton was involved in a collision with a South player in his crease. After a lengthy delay, Winton, the only goaltender the Rams had dressed, remained in the game.

No penalty was called on the play but when play finally resumed the emotional temperature of the game rose exponentially.

“I don’t think he tried to run the goalie,” said the Rams’ Colin Dachowski, “but if your goalie goes down like that, you always want to have his back and come back for him.”

Winton himself seemed to be feeling the effect of the collision. Ryan Frey extended South’s lead with 56 seconds remaining in the second period before D.J. Lindenmuth and Joey Slobodrian connected two miutes apart in the third to give the Titans a four-goal lead with 11:05 remaining in regulation.

Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna knew Winton was struggling.

“He wasn’t right,” Montagna said. “I think three of the next five shots they scored on. I don’t know what [the collision] did. I think it kind of ignited some of them because they were upset that it happened. I’m not really sure what happened on the play. But it did wake us up a little bit.”

Andrew Savona, with help from Kevin Peco, got Pennridge back in the game with a pair of shorthanded goals just 18 seconds apart to make it a 5-3 game with 9:43 left in regulation.

Pico scored a goal of his own during a power play to make it a one-goal game with 7:56 still left, the key question was whether the Titans could stymie the Pennridge assault.

Savona gave an emphatic answer when he completed a hat trick and tied the game with 4:19 remaining.

Rush’s winning goal came on his team’s only shot of the extra session.

South coach Shaun McGinity said his team’s lack of experience in pressure situations led to its undoing.

“Individuals allowed themselves to become individuals rather than team,” he said, “and we had about a minute-and-a-half of a lapse. Pennridge, being the team they are with the experience they have, they were able to capitalize on two shorthanded goals.

“Once that ball starts to roll. It’s a challenge for young players to gather themselves back together.

“I’ll take the onus on that; I’ve got to do a better job of helping them regain that focus.”

Coming just a day after the emotional won over Council Rock South, Montagna praised his team’s resolve.

“It’s really difficult, after last night’s emotion, to go down 5-1 and somehow summon the energy and emption to rally like they did,” he said. “That’s as good a rally as you’re ever going to see especially coming off last night,

Pennridge 0 1 4 1—6

C.B. South 0 3 2 0—5

Second-period goals: Jeff Kvetcher (CBS) unassisted, 7:54; Nolan Shaw (P) unassisted,9:29; Sean Cutter (CBS) from Kvetcher and Jake Kunkle, 13:55; Ryan Frey (CBS) from Ryan Montagna,16:04

Third-period goals: D.J. Lindenmuth (CBS) unassisted, 3:50; Joey Slobodrian (CBS) from Aidan Linzo, 5:55; Andrew Savona (P) from Kevin Pico, 6:59 (sh); Savona (P) from Pico, 7:17 (sh); Pico (P) from James Rush and John Mikolich, 9:04 (pp); Savona (P) from Mikolich, 12:41

Overtime goal: Young (P) from Colin Dachowski, 1:23

Shots: Pennridge 35, C.B. South 41; Saves: Jacob Winton (Pr) 36: Dominic Varacallo (CBS) 29

Council Rock North, Pennridge, Pay Tribute to Greg McDonald

HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—The usual Opening Night atmosphere was missing at Hatfield Ice Wednesday night. Which, considering the circumstances, was entirely understandable.

Council Rock North took the ice against Pennridge in the wake of the passing of Greg McDonald, the Indians’ former coach, who lost a battle with cancer on October 10.

Both teams wore helmet decals displaying McDonald’s initials and observed a moment of silence in his honor prior to the opening faceoff.

At the start of the 2021-22 season, McDonald was charged with resurrecting the North program. Over the next two years he had an immense impact on his players on and off the ice.

Shawn Dorsey is succeeding McDonald as the Indians’ coach.

“Greg was a phenomenal person,” he said. “He cared so much about our kids and gave so much to our organization.

“Not just time with our kids, but giving up time with his kids in order to advance our players.

“Not only on the ice, but the impact that he had on them off the ice. Being positive members of the community, being good people. He instilled all of that in them.”

Dorsey called McDonald’s passing “A massive loss.

“Our kids are still feeling it,” he said. “But, at the same time, the impact that he made on our kids is very evident in their response; how they’re handling all of this. They’ve kind of gone to work and are working as hard as they can in honor of Greg.”

McDonald had planned to step from behind the vatsity bench this season and coach North’s middle-school team instead.

Blair Greiner is the President of the Council Rock North club.

“Greg was so passionate about these kids,” she said. “He even helped us interview Shawn.’

Greiner noted that McDonald was committed to his players’ future success apart from hockey.

“He wanted them to be leaders,” she said. “He wanted them to grow in their development, to be gentlemen, and just be good members of society, honestly.

“He was a champion for every single kid. The hard-to-reach kids, he always championed for.”

Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna crossed paths with McDonald at both the high-school and club levels.

“The coaches all know each other,” he said. “It’s a little bit of a fraternity. We know each other in a lot of different areas, whether it’s coaching in high school, club, whatever it is. When one goes, everybody feels it.”

Montagna “I think that’s why he was around as long as he was,” he said. “He didn’t have to come back here and get [the C.R. North] program on the path that he did. The best think you could say about him is everybody knew who he was. You can’t say that about every coach.”

The Game: Pennridge broke a 2-2 tie by scoring three straight power-play goals in the second period and went on to a 7-3 win. Andrew Savona scored two goals for the Rams and assisted on two others.

Jackson Accardi scored twice for the Indians.

Council Rock North 1 1 1—3

Pennridge 2 3 2—7

First-period goals: Nolan Shaw from Ian Brouse (P), 3:04; Kevin Pico (P) from Andrew Savona and Joe Mikulich III, 4:18; Jackson Accardi (CRN) unassisted, 8:34

Second-period goals: Accardi (CRN) unassisted, 3:37; James Rush (P) from Shane Dachowski, 6:14 (pp); Tyler Manto P) from Mikulich III, 13:02 (pp); Savona (P) from Dachowski and Rush. 15:58 (pp)

Third-period goals: Dachowski (P) from Savona, 2:45; Nick Hahn (P) from Ivan Bondra, 5:30; Savona (P) unassisted, 14:42

Shots: C.R. North 26, Pennridge 38; Saves: Ian Goldberg 31, Jacob Winton (P) 23

Philadelphia Blind Hockey Event Brings Awareness to Vision Issues

Some high-school hockey players got a new view of their sport and some life lessons along with it Thursday night. Players from nine area high-school teams participated in the inaugural Philadelphia Blind Hockey 3 on 3 Blind Awareness Tournament at Hatfield Ice.

Proceeds from the evening benefitted the Philadelphia Blind Hockey organization.

Each team participated in two 24-minute cross-ice scrimmages while wearing googles designed to simulate various forms of vision loss (goaltenders were blindfolded).

For Central Bucks South senior captain D.J. Lindenmuth, it was a unique experience.

“It was something I’ve never experienced,” he said. “I was playing basically blinded at some points with barriers in my vision, but it was a great time. Everyone had some fun.”

Lindenmuth tried on an assortment of versions of the goggles. One pair simulated cataracts. Another gave the players a sense of the effects of diabetes on eyesight.

Lindenmuth noted how skating with reduced vision impacted his perception of the ice.

“If definitely changed the game for sure,” he said. “You’ve got to use your ears a lot more to make sure you know where you are on the ice. It’s more or less listening, and knowing where your teammates are knowing where you need to go, where the net’s at.”

Pennridge senior Kevin Pico said he and his teammates tried on an assortment of goggles to get an overview of different types of vision loss. On the ice their sense of hearing helped them adapt to their new surroundings.

“You’ve be quiet and listen to [the puck] so you can hear the jingles of the [ball bearings] inside of it,” Pico said.

Central Bucks South coach Shaun McGinty stressed the importance of his team being part of the event.

“[Flyers Cup Committee President] Eric Tye invited us to do this and I didn’t even ask my board’s permission,” he said. “I just said ‘We’re in.’

“It wasn’t a thought process for me. It was ‘We’re in, whatever I can do.’ Part of community service is understanding what you have, and giving up your time.”

Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna took note of the atmosphere at Hatfield Ice, both inside and outside the Blue Rink.

“This is incredible,” he said. “We’re really proud to be a part of this. I know the players are. They can’t believe the event they put together out here. It’s really, really, cool to watch.”

Montagna had no shortage of athletes who wanted to take part in Wednesday night’s event before he selected 10.

“They all volunteered for this,” he said. We had more guys that wanted to do this than we had room. I think that’s what I’m most proud of.

“They’ve loved working with these kids [at Philadelphia Blind Hockey clinics], they’ve loved working with this program. It’s gotten bigger and bigger for our players and we hope be a part of it moving forward.”

Pico says being part of Thursday night’s event gave him a new appreciation for what visually impaired people dal with on a day-to-day basis.

“You’ve got to give them respect,” he said. “[Playing hockey while visually impaired] It looks a lot easier than it is and once you actually try, you realize how hard it is.”

Lindenmuth says that participating in the tournament is part of the Titans’ commitment to giving back.

“I think that it shows that our club does things for the community,” he said. “They want everyone to notice [Philadelphia] Blind Hockey. And just raise awareness and have a good time.

“Hockey is one big family. Everyone looks out for each other.”

McGinty was asked what life lessons he would like his players to take away from Thursday night’s experience.”

“To not take things for granted,” he said. “To understand that you’re given a gift and you’re an able-bodied person. There’s kids out here trying to do what you do and they should be excited to come to the rink and they should never think to themselves ‘I don’t want to go to practice tonight or ‘What time is practice over?’ The moment they’re thinking that, they’re taking it for granted.

“I tell my boys all the time, your four years of high school go by so fast but to come out here tonight put it in the perspective of something that could be taken away from you or something your born with a vision or some other disability.”

• In addition to Central Bucks South and Pennridge, the teams that participated in the event included Haverford, Springfield Delco, Malvern Prep, Holy Ghost Prep, Father Judge, North Penn, and Penncrest.

Find out more about Philadelphia Blind Hockey

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

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

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