ICE HOCKEY

South Finally Breaks Through Yet Another Hot Goalie for the Win

Council Rock South and Central Bucks East prepare to faceoff in their final matchup of the regular season

By: CR South News
STAFF WRITER

BRISTOL, PA - I’ve mentioned before in this column how it seems that every goaltender that Council Rock South has faced this season has been at the top of their game. Tonight, was no exception. This time it was Central Bucks East’s Matt Mangiacapre putting on a show and stifling the Council Rock offense for two-plus periods. His Patriot teammates gave him a good effort also, blocking shots and passes, and limiting opportunities, but Council Rock was not to be denied and finally burst through with four goals in the latter half of the third period.

Initially the game was a bit slow, probably favoring East, and each team had some chances, but neither seriously threatening. The Golden Hawks would eventually get their offense going and the chances began to mount on Mangiacapre. South missed several opportunities with shots high and wide, or had shots blocked by Patriot defenders, keeping the game scoreless. The Central Bucks goaltender faced seventeen shots in the period, many being high quality chances, and he was equal to every one.

The second period began much like the first, initially each team getting some chances, but then the ice tilting in favor of Council Rock a few minutes in. East would get a power play on a South roughing penalty, but Council Rocks Chase Tovsky had the best scoring opportunity, shorthanded, skating in alone on Mangiacapre who made the save. Returning to full strength, the Golden Hawks would pour it on as the Patriots were beginning to look fatigued and their play could be best described as listless. The Hawks had multiple scoring chances, resulting in net mouth scrambles and rebound opportunities, but Mangiacapre and his team were able to clear the puck and continue to hang on to a scoreless tie as the second period came to a close.

At this point, Council Rock fans were nervously wondering if Mangiacapre would single-handedly lead his team to a tie, if not a win, in a game that the Hawks dominated. Central Bucks players were likely invigorated by their goalie’s performance, and the fact that they were very much in the game with the third period underway. East picked up a power play on a Kevin Koles penalty and had their best scoring chances of the night, but the Hawks netminder, Carson Lopez, was equally as sharp for his team as well, and made some big stops when called upon. Halfway through the period the score was still nil, but Hawks captain Koles opened the floodgates for Council Rock. Koles alertly jumped on a lead pass attempt in the Patriots defensive zone, like a defensive back would a quarterback's pass, and skated the puck right down the slot. With East players skating towards the other end, Koles walked in on Mangiacapre almost untouched, deked to the goalies far side, and deposited the puck into the net to a collective sigh of relief from the South crowd. Central Bucks went back to the power play on a Jake Weiner penalty, his second undisciplined penalty of the night, and would get a few scoring chances that Lopez was equal to, but the best opportunity again went to Council Rock South, this time Blaize Pepe failing to convert a breakaway chance on Mangiacapre. It was Koles who lit the lamp for the Golden Hawks second tally of the evening with a great individual effort, first maneuvering through traffic in the right circle, then quickly darting from behind the Patriots goal for the stuff attempt and his second goal. Jeremy Rayher would score shortly after, cleaning up a rebound chance after an Ilya Kudzinau shot bounced to him in the crease area, pretty much putting the game out of reach for the offensively challenged Patriots. South got one more goal when Lopez hit Koles with a long outlet pass at the Patriots blue line. Koles skated into the left circle, lost the puck momentarily, but regained control to make a pass to Weiner at the goal line. Weiner walked out in front of the Central Bucks goal unmolested and slipped a shot five-hole through Mangiacapre to round out the scoring at four to nothing.

For the Council Rock faithful, this game was, in a word, frustrating. The longer the game was scoreless, the tighter the Hawks players gripped their sticks. They missed the net too many times, couldn’t get to, or finish, rebound chances, and found themselves forcing plays instead of being patient. They played a quality game at both ends, they did what they needed to do to win, but when you dominate a team and run into a hot goalie, you have to make the best of your chances. All the credit to Mangiacapre and his team, who seemed to have their sticks in the lanes to block shots and get to rebounds first, they did a great job staying in the game and frustrating the Hawks. One of the pitfalls of being at the top of the division is that everyone wants to knock you down, everyone brings their ‘A’ game…at least every goalie that plays against Council Rock South does. Unfortunately for Mangiacapre, he couldn’t do it himself and the Golden Hawks eventually prevailed.


3 Stars of the Game

• 1- Matt Mangiacapre - Almost beat the Hawks by himself with close to 60 saves, an impressive performance from the East goaltender
• 2- Kevin Koles - He was quiet for much of the night, but finally said enough is enough and scored his team's first two goals with two great individual efforts
• 3- Carson Lopez - Had a third of the number of shots as Mangiacapre in posting a shutout, but early in the third period, with the game still scoreless, he made several key saves. If he gives up a goal, East gets a huge boost

GAME RECAP

1ST PERIOD
NO SCORE
2ND PERIOD
NO SCORE
3RD PERIOD
0:00 CR SOUTH #8 Kevin Koles (even strength) (unassisted)
0:00 CR SOUTH #8 Kevin Koles (even strength) (unassisted)
0:00 CR SOUTH #10 Jeremy Rayher (even strength) (#72 Ilya Kudzinau)
0:00 CR SOUTH #18 Jake Weiner (even strength) (#8 Kevin Koles)