This marks the final set of Flyers Cup rankings prior to the Flyers Cup Selection Show on Sunday, February 23. The show will air at 8 PM that evening on the Flyers Cup You Tube Channel.
The ‘second season’ in the Suburban High School Hockey League will commence on Monday, February 24. Six teams will qualify for the playoffs in the National Division (all are Class AA) and three more in the American Division (Class A).
Two National Division first-round games are set for Opening Night, with the third seed taking on the sixth seed and the fourth seed facing the fifth seed. The winners will advance to the semifinals on Wednesday, February 26 to join the top two seeds who will receive first-round byes.
The American Division semifinal, matching the second and third seeds, is also set for Wednesday, February 26th; the finals in both classes are set for the following evening, Thursday, February 27th.
SHSHL Playoff results will not impact the seedings and selections for the Flyers Cup tournament, which will be announced on Sunday, February 23, eight days before the start of the tournament.
Jaden Young made a big impression Wednesday night. He scored three goals and assisted on a fourth, as Central Bucks East downed Pennsbury 5-3 at Hatfield Ice in a SHSHL National Division matchup with significant postseason implications.
The win moved the Patriots past the Falcons into fifth place in the division standings. It also gave them a sweep of the two-game season series.
Young spoke to the significance of the occasion.
“This game was especially important,” the senior said. “We need to get as many wins as as we can. We need to win the games we need to win.
“In reality, we need to play our game every game regardless of who the competition is.”
Ethan Cenci gave East (7-9, 7-8 in the division) the lead with 2:43 left in the first period when he won a race for a loose puck on the right wing and went on to put a backhander past Falcon goaltender Brendan Millikan. Ben Dempsey made a 2-0 game with 29 seconds left when a rebound of Young’s shot squirted free.
Kevin DeRosa scored for Pennsbury (5-11, 5-10) 2:19 into the second frame but then Young stepped up, scoring two goals 20 seconds apart to give his team a 4-1 lead 3:22 into the period.
Jacob Sarver scored a power play goal for the Falcons with 2:39 left in the period but Pennsbury could get no closer. Young completed his hat trick 1:21 into the third period. Shane Hicks closed out the scoring for Pennsbury with 10:17 left in the game.
East coach Jeff Mitchell said his team’s quick start was huge in light of later stumbles.
“We got great momentum to start the first period,” he said. “We started taking a couple of penalties a let them back into the game; teams make us pay when we go down a man.”
Mitchell noted that Young’s back-to-back goals swung momentum in the Patriots’ direction.
“We doubled up on him within one shift,” he said. “That just goes to show just how big a difference maker {Young} can be.”
Cole Breen got the win in goal, stopping 15 shots along the way. Pennsbury coach Ryan Daley said Breen’s impact on the game was huge.
“We had a lot of great chances in the first period,” he said. “Their goalie had a great night. You just hope you score on some of the chances you worked so hard for. We just couldn’t get them to go in.
Pennsbury 0 2 1—3
C.B. East 2 2 1—5
First-period goals: Ethan Cenci (CBE) from David Brown, 14:17; Ben Dempsey (CBE) from Jaden Young and Brown, 16:31 (pp)
Second-period goals: Kevin DeRosa (P) from Chris Sarver, 2:19; Young (CBE) from Gavin Wilmer, 3:02; Young (CBE) from Cenci, 3:22; Jacob Sarver (P) from Chris Sarver, 14:21(pp)
Third-period goals: Young (CBE) unassisted, 1:21; Shane Hicks (P) from DeRosa, 6:43
James Boyle score a power-play goal 1:45 into overtime to give North Penn a come-from behind 4-3 win over Pennridge Wednesday night at Hatfield Ice.
The win lifted North Penn to 14-2 overall and 13-2 in divisional play. The Knights trail Council Rock South by one point in the division standings with three games remaining although South has a game in hand.
What’s there to say about Mr. Boyle,” said North Penn coach Kevin Vaitis. “One of the top players in the league, one of the top if not maybe the top defensemen in the league the guy brings it every game He lives for these games.”
The winning goal came North Penn enjoying a four-skaters-to-three advantage after the Rams’ Nick Young received a double-minor penalty 62 seconds into the extra session. There were 18 penalties called in the game, 11 against the Rams
Declan Laehy tied the game for North Penn with 1:33 left in regulation after the Rams’ Nathan McKean gave Pennridge (10-5, 9-5) a 3-2 lead with four seconds left in the middle period. Daniel Cabrales and Samuel Norton added goals for North Penn. Shane Dachowki and Nolan Shaw scored for Pennridge.
Andrew Norton got the win in goal, stopping 38 shots en route.
The loss was Pennridge’s fourth one-goal setback of the season.
“We deserved better,” said Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna. “I just told these guys we’re four plays away from being a [one-loss hockey team].’
Shane Dachowski has been making an impact in the SHSHL for four seasons now. He’s played four seasons of varsity hockey for Pennridge and has been part of two Flyers Cup/state-championship teams.
Last year he was fourth in the National Division (fifth overall) in scoring with 27 regular-season goals and 33 assists for 60 points.
This year, as a senior Dachowski has harrowed his focus. He’s stepped away from AAA-level club hockey to devote his time and energy to the Rams.
“I quit because it was my senior year,” he said. “I figured I’m just going to college for school and stuff and there was no real point in me playing AAA travel hockey.
“I would just be traveling everywhere, every weekend. And I just wanted to chill out this year and hang out with my friends. Travel hockey doesn’t give you a lot of time for that.”
Dachowski notes that the atmosphere at a high-school game can’t be replicated elsewhere.
“It’s the game aspect of high school hockey compared to club,” he said. “Because with high school games you have all your friends from school come. Parents and grandparents come to the games I just think it’s way more exciting.”
Dachowski started playing hockey at age 6, following in the footsteps of his brother Colin, who is 18 months his senior. The brothers were encouraged by their cousin Cole Pluck, who is now a senior at North Penn. Because of the difference in their ages, the Dachowski brothers were high-school teammates for three seasons but were club teammates only once; that was last season.
By the time Shane was 10 his ability was becoming apparent. So was his passion for hockey.
“I just thought it was the most fun I had playing any sport,” he said. “Because I played a lot of sports but hockey was just the most fun for me and it helped that I was not that bad at it.”
Dachowski has always been recognized for his offensive skills. Through January 23 he had accumulated 28 goals and 22 assists for 50 points, tops in the National Division.
Anyone who has watched him play will attest to the fact that Dachowski makes little effort to hide his emotions when he’s on the ice. This can be a blessing or a curse depending on the circumstances and has led to his share of trips to the penalty box.
Dachowski point out that his emotions are a big part of who he is aa a hockey player.
“{His emotions} definitely have gotten in my way,” he said but showing emotions and getting some penalties, that’s always been a part of my game. I feel like if that wasn’t part of my game, I wouldn’t produce as much. It’s just the way I play; aggressively. It kind of fuels me I guess.”
Ironically, Dachowski is not outgoing by nature. Now, as a senior and as an elite player, he finds himself cast in a leadership role, one he is still getting comfortable with. But as he has matured as a hockey player he has grown as a person.
Shane Dachowski
Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna calls Dachowski “The most misunderstood player I’ve ever coached.
“He’s learning what it means to be a leader,” Montagna said, “and it’s a work in progress.
“What I’m most proud of with him is he’s never had to be vocal before. Telling guys, especially the young guys that it’s okay. Not big-timing them.
“It’s not easy to be a leader and asking him in his senior year to do something he’s never done, he’s growing into that every single week. That’s really what I’m proud of him for.”
Dachowski understands the responsibilities that come with his stature.
“I would say this year I became a little bit more of a talker,” he said, “because of not having my brother there. Me and him were always known for setting examples but this year I’ve changed and been a little bit more of a talker.”
Dachowski played on state-championship teams as a freshman and again last season. He reflects on how close the players on those teams were with each other.
“Especially a couple years ago it was the closest team I’ve ever been a part of,” he said. “All of us grew up playing hockey together and then we moved to the same area.
“It was so awesome because we all hung out every single day and even last year when it was more seniors and everyone who was on the {2022 team} team, we were all still super close. We still do everything together as much as we can.”
But Dachowski’s high-school career is drawing to an end. Four weeks remain in the regular season with the SHSHL playoffs and the Flyers Cup tournament to follow. The occasions he’ll have to put on a Pennridge uniform are becoming few.
Those who have read this far would not be surprised to learn he plans to give it his all in the time he has left.
“My goal obviously is to get deep into the Flyers Cup and provide as much for me team as I can,” Dachowski said, “and just go out there every game like it’s my last because you don’t know when it could be your last game especially being a senior.”
In some aspects, mid-January is the most difficult part of the high-school hockey season. The postseason is still a month away and the players are feeling the grind of the long campaign, particularly if they also play club hockey.
Amidst this atmosphere, Pennridge and Central Bucks South squared off Thursday night at Hatfield Ice in a SHSHL National matchup with potentially long-range implications.
It was the Titans who ground out 4-3 win. Ryan Frey and Jeff Kvecher scored goals 40 seconds apart early in the third period to give South its 11th victory of the season against five setbacks (11-2 in divisional play).
The Rams, who are listed fifth in the newest Class AA Flyers Cup rankings, slipped to 10-4 overall and 9-4 in the division.
It marked the second time the Titans have bested the Rams; the first was a 5-4 overtime win on November 7. In Kvecher’s view, the caliber of the opponent made Thursday’s win particularly satisfying.
“That’s a tough team,” he said of Pennridge. “They put a lot of pressure on us. They have some great guys that can wheel and we did a great job of shutting them down.
“We also sent a message to the league, and the Flyers Cup, that we’re a top team.”
Thursday game came 72 hours after many of the participants completed a full weekend of club tournament play, a circumstance that required an enhanced level of focus.
“Everyone had to dig deep,” Kvecher said. “Everyone was tired, everyone’s legs were tired. We dug deep and we were able to get the win.”
The Titans once more had to come from behind. Pennridge’s Nolan Shaw delivered the only goal of the first period, a power-play effort 3:51 after the opening faceoff that came while South’s Joe Slobodrian was serving a two-minute sentence.
Kvecher and Slobodrian scored power-play goal two-and-a-half minutes apart to give South the lead 5:09 onto the second period before Ryan Burke tied the game for the Ram three-and-a-half minutes later.
Ryan Frey put the Titans in front for good 49 seconds into the final period. Kvecher extended his team’s lead just 40 seconds later and the insurance proved valuable and necessary; Josh Kelly scored for Pennridge with 8:14 remaining. But Jake Matkowski in the South net and his mates in front of him stood tall the rest of the way.
Josh Sklar was in charge behind the Titan bench Thursday night, replacing the absent Shaun McGinty. He said his team had the energy it needed in the third period.
“They definitely had a little more spring in their step, a little more energy,” he said. “They brought the energy all game long but toward the end [two third-period goals] pushes the boys to finish the game out.”
The Titan had a 47-25 edge in shots. Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna says the Titans’ up-tempo style regularly gives his team problems.
“C.B. South is a bad matchup for us,” he said. “They’ve always been a bad matchup for us. They’re deep, they’re good defensively.
“I say this every time we play them; they’re going to get a lot of shots on us by design … We changed defensively how we were going to do things. I thought we did a really good job defensively keeping pucks out of dangerous area. But, they’re a tough team to play.”
Pennridge 1 1 1—3
C.B. South 0 2 2—4
First-period goal: Nolan Shaw (P) from Nick Young and Landon Bishop, 3:51 (pp)
Second-period goals: Jeff Kvecher (CBS) from Ryan Frey and Joe Slobodrian, 2:34 (pp); Slobodrian (CBS) from Frey, 5:09; Ryan Burke (P) from Shane Dachowki and Jared Garber, 8:42.
Third-period goals: Frey (CBS) from Dominic Gibson and Jamison Crouch, :49; Kvecher (CBS) from Peter Herring and Ryan Montagna, 1:29 (); Josh Kelly (P) from James Rush and Dachowski, 8:46
Shots: Pennridge 25, C.B. South 47; Saves: Jacob Winton (P) 43, Jake Matkowski (CBS) 22
HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—There was little to choose between Council Rock South and Pennridge Wednesday night. The contest was not decided until its final seconds.
Jeremy Rayher’s shortanded goal with three seconds left in overtime gave South a 6-5 win at Hatfield Ice Arena.
Rayher’s goal, his 16th of the season, concluded the first meeting of the year between the Golden Hawks and the Rams. The two teams split four games a year ago with South prevailing in the SHSHL National Division championship game before falling to the Rams in the Class AA Flyers Cup finale.
Ironically, Rayher and Pennridge goaltender Jacob Winton are club hockey teammates.
“I was chirping at him during [club team] practice all week,” Rayher said. “I missed him [Tuesday].
“He made a couple saves but there was no pressure. I played it like he was a regular goalie and made a move and tucked it in.”
Both teams had moments of brilliance and moments that were something less. The Hawks (11-1 overall, 10-0 in the division) used goals from Daniel Filippov and Jake Weiner to build a 2-0 lead 83 seconds into the second period but squandered their advantage by surrendering a pair of shorthanded goals to Shane Dachowski that tied the game with 9:58 remaining in the second frame.
“The two shorties really killed us,” said South coach Joe Houk. “Nobody ever scores shorthanded goals against us and they got two of them. It was mental breakdowns there.”
The goals came fast and furious for the reminder of the period. Jordan Sarne have the Hawks a 3-2 lead for a time but Dachowski and James Rush scored goals one minute, 14 seconds apart to give Pennridge (9-3, 8-3) its first and only lead of the night at 4-3 with 4:54 left in the period.
Weiner’s second goal of the night tied the game with 2:20 left in the second session before Jonah Weston put South in front once more 5:01 into the third. Nick Young tied the game for the Rams off a turnover with 4:45 left in regulation.
Winton and Trey Prozzillo, his South counterpart, had some difficult moments during the course of the evening but both stepped up in overtime. The Rams got a power-play chance when the Hawks’ Jagger Smith was flagged for hooking with 1:52 left in the extra session, giving the Rams a four-skaters-to-three advantage. Rayher’s game-deciding goal came an offensive right-wing faceoff and an ensuing scramble in front of the net. Houk told his team to be aggressive even though it was shorthanded.
“I told them ‘Don’t sit back,’” he said. “Because if the puck goes out of the [South defensive zone] it’s a one-on-one or two-on-two. It’s not a four-on-three. We looked like the ones who were on the power play.”
Pennridge coach Jeff Montagna celebrated his team’s effort, and the way it has rebounded from a shutout loss to north Penn si days before Christimas.
“I’m proud of the way we played tonight, he said. “All I asked of these guys before the game was to compete.
“We were outclassed [against North Penn.] I didn’t think we showed up. And to come out against our biggest rival tonight, come back from 2-0 down and play as well as we did and have opportunities to win the game, that’s all I can ask for.
• South had a 47-38 advantage in shots … The Rams’ three losses have come against Central Bucks South, North Penn and Council Rock South. Two of the three have come in overtime.
C.R. South 1 3 1 1—6
Pennridge 0 4 1 0—5
First-period goal: Daniel Fillipov (CRS) from Peter Pereborow and Jake Weiner, 13:50 (pp)
Second-period goals: Weiner (CRS) from Pereborow, 1:23; Shane Dachowski (P) unassisted, 3:10; Dachowski (P) from Jared Garber and Nick Young, 7:02 (sh); Jordan Sarne (CRS) from Jeremy Rayher and Peterborow, 8:37 (pp); Dachowksi (P) from Josh Kelly and Landon Bishop, 10:52; James Rush (P) from Kelly, 12:06; Weiner (CRS) from Wesley Mallon, 14:40 (pp)
Third-period goals: Jonah Weston (CRS) from Sarne, 5:01; Young (P), unassisted, 12:15
Overtime goal Rayher (P) from Filippov, 4:57
Shots: C.R. South 47, Pennridge 38; Saves: Trey Prozzillo (CRS) 33, Jacob Winton (P) 41
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