Tag: Tyler Skroski

C.B. South 3 Neshaminy 2

BRISTOL—A hockey team trying to find its way took a big leap forward Thursday night. Aidan Gaffney scored two goals as Central Bucks South surprised previously unbeaten Neshaminy 3-2 Thursday night at Grundy Arena.

It was the first win for the Titans in seven starts this season (1-5-1 overall, 1-1 in Class AA divisional play.

Assistant coach Tyler Skroski noted it was a team win in the truest sense of the term.

“We relied on our older guys, our seniors were coming through,” he said. “Our top players were coming through. That’s a full team win.”

The Titans also got a big contribution from a younger guy; freshman goaltender Jason Magaruh, who was credited with 50 saves.

Dan Kvechner gave South the first lead of the night just 2:28 into the opening period. Jacob Adami responded for the ‘Skins (4-1-1 overall 1-1 in the division) at the 12:50 mark on a shot from the right circle on which Magaruh was screened and it seemed the hosts were getting a handle on things. 

 But Gaffney put South ahead for the second time just 1:32 into the second period.

“The mindset was just north-and-south hockey,” he said. “We wanted to get pucks in deep and shoot everything we possibly could.”

The Titans skated themselves into a corner at the start of the third period. Kvechner was set off for tripping after 43 seconds. When Justin Montagna was flagged for the same offense at 1:25 South found itself skating two men short. When J.J. Hathaway tied the game for Neshaminy at the 2:22 mark the ‘Skins still had a full minute of power-play time left.

But Magaruh bolstered by his defense corps, held form.

“He’s a young goalie,” Gaffney said. “We’ll always support our goalie no matter what.

Gaffney’s game-winning goal came with 2:20 left in the game off a faceoff.

The ‘Skins enjoyed a 52-36 edge in shots on goal. Neshaminy coach Matt DeMatteo lamented the fact that an abundance of his team’s shot attempts never got to the net.

“I think that their defense stepped up,” he said. “Not that their goalie didn’t play well. We had trouble getting pucks through to him. We got some shots on, but they blocked a ton of shots.

 “I think that was their game plan going in to load up the middle and block shots. We just had trouble getting the pucks through to the goalie.”

Gaffney believes the win will be a springboard for the Titans and give them momentum. 

“Definitely,” he said. “It’s definitely a turnaround. “We’re looking to turn it around for the rest of the games and I definitely think we can.”

C.B. South 1 1 1—3

Neshaminy 1 0 1—2

First-period goals: Dan Kvechner (CBS) from Matt Crouch, 2:28; Jacob Adami (N) from J.H. Hathaway, 12:50

Second-period goals: Aidan Gaffney (CBS) from Justin Keilman and Aydin Theirolf, 1:32

Third-period goals: Hathaway (N) from Max Gallagher, 2:26 (pp); Gaffney (CBS) from Adam Cusick, 12:40

Shots: C.B. South 36, Neshaminy 52; Saves: Jason Magaruh (CBS) 50, Brian Nelson (N) 33

Council Rock South 5, Central Bucks South 3

Council Rock South stepped up at a key moment Thursday night. The result was a 5-3 win over Central Bucks South in a SHSHL Class AA game at Hatfield Ice Arena.

Gavin Nisenzon provided two goals and an assist and Kevin Koles also scored two goals to help his team to its second straight win.

But it was the Golden Hawks’ effort in the third period that made the difference.

The game featured two distinct segments. For two periods and change the teams battled on essentially even terms to a 2-2 standoff. 

Nisenzon and Julian Sarne registered goals for the Golden Hawks while D.J. Bray and Matt Crouch found the back of the net for the Titans.

 But 3:45 into the third period, emotions boiled over in the form of a fight that resulted in four players being accessed a total of 51 penalty minutes. Three players, the Golden Hawks’ Matt Constantini and Kyle Boss and the Titans’ Bray received game misconducts and the contest was delayed approximately 20 minutes while student spectators were removed from the building.

Following the delay the Titans had a five-minute power play but couldn’t do anything with it. They then found themselves shorthanded at the 11:19 mark when Crouch was called for two penalties during the same sequence, a slash and a trip.

Koles put the Golden Hawks in front just 24 seconds later on a shot from the right circle that beat Titan goaltender Dominic Varacallo and Nisenzon gave his team a 4-2 lead with his second goal of the night with 2:57 left in regulation.

Aidan Linso made it a one-goal game when he scored for the Titans with 1:46 still left but Koles scored into an empty net with five seconds remaining.

Council Rock South assistant coach Colin Murphy credited his team for maintaining their momentum after the delay, when the emotional energy in the building all but evaporated.

“The incident definitely charged us up a little bit more,” Murphy said. “I think losing their fans kind of killed their momentum and they lost the upper hand.”

Murphy noted the Golden Hawks were able to regroup despite losing two key players. “I know with our guys, their big thing was the ‘next man up’ mentality,” he said. They realized that we lost two guys and figured they needed to step up and keep their composure.”

Titans assistant coach Tyler Skroski pointed to his team’s failure to convert on its four power-play chances. “We did some good things tonight,” he said, “but when you fail to generate scoring opportunities on power plays, especially a five-minute major, you’re going to struggle to win games.

“It’s early in the season and we’re looking forward to fixing it as a team.”

C.R. South 1 1 3—5

C.B. South 2 0 1—3

First-period goals: Gavin Nisenzon (CRS) unassisted, 7:38; D.J. Bray (CBS) from Dan Kvechner, 9:11; Matt Crouch (CBS) from D.J. Lidenmuth and Aidan Gaffney, 15:06

Second-period goal: Julian Sarne (CRS) from David Vergules, 3:20 (pp)

Third-period goals: Kevin Koles (CRS) From Nisenzon and Sarne, 1:43 (pp); Nisenzon (CRS) from Sarne, 14:03; Aidan Linso (CBS) unassisted, 15:14 (sh); Koles (CRS) from Chase Trovsky, 16:55 (pp), (en)

Shots: Council Rock South 28, Central Bucks South 26; Saves: Carson Lopez (CRS) 23, Dominic Varacallo (CBS) 23