North Penn 5, Central Bucks West 3

It took the North Penn Knights a while to get going Wednesday night. But once they got their engines going it was full speed ahead.

Jake Nelson, Tony Tuozzo and Jake Albano scored third-period goals to propel North Penn to a 5-3 non-league win over Central Bucks West at Hatfield Ice. The win extended North Penn’s winning streak to five games and improved its record to 8-2-3 overall. The result will not count in the Suburban High School Hockey League Class AA standings but will factor into the seedings for the Flyers Cup tournament in March. The Knights and the Bucks (6-6) will play their league game against each other on February 20 to conclude the regular season.

The first three goals of Wednesday’s affair were of the shorthanded variety. Chris Trefz started things off for West at 5:54 of the first period when he scored off a two-on-one situation following a turnover at the West blue line. The goal came while the Bucks’ Matt McCarthy was in the box serving a hooking penalty.

Pavel Serhiayenka, who assisted on Trefz’s goal, scored one himself with 2:17 left in the opening period on another shorthanded situation, one that arose when the Bucks drew a bench minor for too many men on the ice. Serhiayenka put in a rebound of Jake Lang’s original shot off a two-one-one situation; North Penn goaltender Andrew Zanoni could not be faulted on either goal.

The Knights got on the board exactly two minutes into the second frame on Ryan Cunningham’s shorthanded effort.
Roughly three minutes after that the pace of the game picked up, which worked to North Penn’s advantage. Jared Albano tied the game at the 12:47 mark of the middle period, the first even-strength goal of the game.

Jake Nelson put the Knights in front with a power-play goal just 21 seconds into the final period. Lang responded for the Bucks with a power-play goal of his own at 4:12, but the Knights had the upper hand from there.

“I thought (North Penn) played hard,” said West coach Dave Baun. “They played well, they played hard, they skate hard. But, the game that they play isn’t our game.

“Puck movement is our game. And when our team can move the puck well and skate hard without it, like we did in the first period and half of the second, then we’re a good team. But, as the guys get tired, they sort of lose it a little bit and they default into some other game that isn’t our game.”

Tuozzo, a freshman, scored what proved to be the winning goal for the Knights 9:06 into the third period during a scramble that developed at the doorstep of West goaltender Anthony Kennard. The goal came while Lang was in the box for the Bucks serving a double minor (tripping/unsportsmanlike conduct).

“(Tuozzo) has played well all season for us,” said North Penn coach Kevin Vaitis. “He’s sort of moved up, playing with Albano and (Nathan) Oh the last couple games and he’s contributed, gone out there and worked hard, done the things that we’re asking him to do, and he got rewarded with the game winner tonight.”

Tuozzo said he’s making the adjustment to varsity hockey. “After a couple games I kind of got used to it,” he said. “I know where I should be, know where not to go and stuff like that. It’s very different.”

Albano scored his second goal of the evening for the Knights with 3:57 left in the game to provide insurance.

North Penn had a 47-21 edge in shots. West goaltender Jeremy Kennard made 42 saves. the loss snapped a four-game West winning streak.

C.B. West 2 0 1—3

North Penn 0 2 3—5

First-period goals: Chris Trefz (CBW) from Pavel Serhiayenka, 5:54 (sh); Serhiayenka (CBW) from Jake Lang, 14:43 (sh).

Second-period goals: Ryan Cunningham (NP) from Nathan Oh, 2:00 (sh); Jared Albano (NP) from Tony Tuozzo, 12:07.

Third-period goals: Jake Nelson (NP) from Tyler Greenstein, :21 (pp); Lang (CBW) from Serhiayenka and Trefz, 4:12 (pp); Tuozzo, from Albano, 4:06; Albano (NP) unassisted, 12:53.

Shots: C.B. West 21, North Penn 47; Saves: Jeremy Kennard (CBW) 42, Andrew Zanoni (NP) 18.

Records: Central Buck West (6-6), North Penn (8-2-3)

Pennridge Holds Off North Penn 5-4

HATFIELD TOWNSHIP— Two of the top teams in the Suburban High School Hockey League demonstrated Thursday night why they earned that distinction.

It was Pennridge that prevailed, by building a three-goal lead in the third period before hanging on to defeat North Penn 5-4 in a Class AA game at Hatfield Ice.
It was the fifth straight victory for the Rams, who improved to 5-1-1 overall and 4-1 in league play. The loss was first in league play for the Knights (5-2-1, 4-1) who saw a three-game winning streak snapped.

It was the second regular season meeting between the two teams, who played to a 4-4 tie in a. non-league encounter on November 9

Pennridge defenseman Jeff Manto scored his first goal of the season Thursday night. He said the win over an elite opponent was a signal to the rest of the league. “We’re trying to prove we’re the best team in the league,” he said. “We are trying to stand out.”

The first period featured close checking at both ends and limited offensive opportunities; the teams combined for just 14 shots. Nathan Oh opened the scoring for North Penn with 3:30 left in the period but it took Michael Walker just 21 second to respond for the Rams.

Michael White gave Pennridge a 2-1 lead just 30 seconds into the second frame, only to see Jake Nelson tie the game for North Penn just 51 seconds later. Manto’s shot from just inside the blue line during a power play put the Rams up for good with 3:35 left in the period.

Eric Slater scored his Class AA-leading 17th goal of the season 5:48 into the third period to put Pennridge up 4-2. But by that point, the Knights had demonstrated an ability to keep Slater and Walker more or less under control. Blake Stewart extended the Pennridge lead with 5:09 left and Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna was quick to point out the importance of having multiple offensive threats

“We were able to win on a night when they neutralized Eric and Michael,” he said. ” They got their goals but (North Penn) really did a good job neutralizing Eric and Michael.”

Having veteran goaltender Luke Stranick between the pipes didn’t hurt the Rams’ chances. “When you make mistakes, you don’t have to worry about them ending up in the net all the time,” Montagna said. “He’s the rock back there, he’s the given on our team.”

Trailing by there goals, the Knights were in no mood for a concession speech. Luke Van Why scored with 1:25 remaining and then, with their goaltender out, the Knights received a power-play chance when Manto drew a roughing call with 48 seconds left. Jared Albano beat Stranick at the 15-second mark and the Knights swarmed again following the ensuing faceoff before the final buzzer came to the Rams’ aid just as Tyler Greenstein, North Penn’s sniper-in-chief, was teeing up a shot from the high slot.

“The guys continued to battle to the very end,” said North Penn coach Kevin Vaitis. “We never give up. We got down 5-2 with a couple minutes left and could have easily packed it in, but the boys continued to battle.”
North Penn 1 1 2—4
Pennridge 1 2 2—5
First-period goals: Nathan Oh (NP) from Jared Albano and Will Hughes, 12:30; Michael Walker (P) unassisted, 12:51.
Second-period: Michael White (P) unassisted, :30; Jake Nelson (NP) from Josh Kaufhold,
1:21; Jeff Manto (P) from Nick Eissler, 12:25 (pp).
Third-period goals: Eric Slater (P) from Matt Guinette, 5:48; Blake Stewart (P) from Michael Walker, 10:51; Luke Van Why (NP) from Ryan Cunningham and Nelson, 14:35; Jared Albano (NP), from Tyler Greenstein and Oh 15:45.
hots: North Penn 26, Pennridge 27; Saves: Nick Ebbinghaus (NP) 22, Luke Stranick (P) 22.

By Rick Woelfel

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AHA Showcase About More Than Hockey

The Athletes Helping Athletes Showcase has become a fixture in local hockey circles. For the eight teams involved, (Central Bucks South, Central Bucks East, Father Judge, North Penn, Souderton, William Tennent, Hatboro-Horsham, Archbishop Wood) it is an opportunity to tune up for the season to come.

But it also an opportunity to promote the Athletes Helping Athletes effort as AHA founder Rick Leonetti explains.

“When the (AHA) kids come in here, I know they’re excited to be here,” Leonetti said Monday night. “I know the teams are excited to have them all which is even more beneficial. The parents get to sit back and watch the kids (participate in a ceremonial puck drop) and be a part of the team.

“Some of the teams let the let kids go into the locker room before the game. It’s an exciting thing because the kids get to do something typical.

“We have some high-school kids coming tonight that will host them and sit with them and talk to them. Whether they’re into the hockey games or not, the girls that are here tonight will sit with them and talk to them about everything under the sun.”

The showcase is now in its fifth season. North Penn coach Kevin Vaitis has brought his team to the showcase since Year Two.

“There are a few of my players that have been here since we started,” he said. “It just something that shows them that there’s more to ice hockey. Having some of these athletes here and cheering us on up against the glass, it’s really a thrill for them and it’s a great experience for us to kind of give back to them.”

The tournament will continue at Revolution Ice Gardens through October 26.

C.B. South 9, North Penn 5 12-20-17

WARWICK— It took Central Bucks South some time to get going against North Penn Wednesday night. The Titans made up for lost time however, by scoring five goals in the second period to post a 9-5 win over the nights in a Suburban High School Hockey League matchup at Revolution Ice Gardens.

It was the second victory for South over North Penn in just under a month; the Titans scored a 7-0 shutout on Thanksgiving Eve, but this one counted in the Continental Division standings. South improved to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the division while the Knights slipped to 4-3 and 3-1.

Matt Stoll paced the Titans with four goals and an assist. “We beat North Penn 7-0 the last game we played them,” he said. “We came into this game ‘Okay, maybe this should be an easy game but you never really should think that.”

The Knights jumped in front just 36 seconds the first period when John Kaufhold scored on a. forehanded from theft circle on the first shot of the game. When Jared Alebano scored on the Knights’ fourth shot at the 7:13 mark, South goaltender Tim White departed in favor of Oscar Levin.

South coach Shaun McGinty was perplexed with his team’s slow start. “We can’t do it,” he said. “We had a slow start tonight and gave them an opportunity to put in two on us. But it’s good for these boys to have the adversity and push through and come together as a team.”

The Titans finally erupted in the second frame when Evan King, Reis Braccio, Colin Abbonizio, and Tyler Boylan scored goals in a span of 7 minutes, 27 seconds to give their side a 4-2 advantage.

We came out and played the way we wanted to in the first period,” said North Penn coach Kevin Vaitis. “But it’s tough to keep that team off the scoreboard.

Brian Leinheiser scored for North Penn to make it a one-goal game again with 3:19 left in the middle period With 1:18 left in the period, the Titans lost Braccio, who drew a five-minute penalty for a check from behind plus a game misconduct for taking the Knights’ George Boyle into the boards directly in front of the North Penn bench. Boyle lay face down on the ice for more than two minutes before being helped to the dressing room.

“There’s no place in the game for a hit like that,” Vaitis said. “I thought it was not needed.”

Vaitis indicated that Boyle was not seriously injured on the play.

South extended its lead when Stoll scored his first goal, a shorthanded effort that came with 36 seconds left in the period.

Jared Albano scored fro North Penn 2:53 into the third period to bring his team within a goal at 5-4 but Alex Glushek answered for the Titans 59 seconds later. North Penn’s last goal came off the stick of Jake Nelson at the 5:08 mark but Stoll scored three consecutive goals to finish the scoring.

The Titans outshot the Knights 35-34. Levin finished with 25 saves in 40:43 of action.

North Penn 2 1 2—5

C.B. South 0 5 4—9

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