Hatboro-Horsham notched a mercy rule win over Radnor in Monday’s Flyers Cup opening round game. Ben Reese recaps all the action. CB East also was a winner. Check out the recaps of all the games. PW/Henderson photos courtesy of Michael Rice Photography. Hatboro-Horsham/Radnor photos courtesy of Laura Rowe/Michael Rice Photography; photos of Downingtown West/Pennridge courtesy of Gregory Powell. Check back for galleries of both games. CLICK HERE to go directly to Suburban One Sports' ICE HOCKEY GALLERIES.
Flyers Cup Class A
HATBORO-HORSHAM 10, RADNOR 0
By Ben Reese
HATFIELD — Hatboro-Horsham’s ice hockey team is treading into new ground.
Two years ago, the Hatters weren’t.
They couldn’t put a full team on the ice, so they had to combine with William Tennent and Upper Dublin to play some non-league games against teams in the Suburban High School Hockey League.
Well, they have come back, all the way back. After winning the American Division title this season, the Hatters have now claimed a dominating victory in their first-round game of the Flyers Cup Monday, blanking Radnor in a mercy-rule game 10-0 at Hatfield Ice.
The key culprits for Hatboro-Horsham were Nathan Nemchinov and Vince Graziani. They combined to score seven goals and add six assists.
In fact, it seemed that every time Nemchinov scored, Graziani assisted and vice versa.
Hatters’ coach Shane Smith is very well aware of what he has in those two.
“They are the two keys to our team,” Smith said. “They’re what keeps the machine running.
“They are two of the highest goal scorers in our league. That’s the reason we are where we are.”
Graziani got things going for the twosome, scoring on a power play in the first period. Nemchinov came on strong in the second period with three goals and an assist on Graziani’s goal in the second. And Graziani assisted on two of Nemchinov’s three goals.
In the third, the Hatters only scored twice. But Nemchinov got the first and Graziani got the second, the game-ender, off an assist from guess who? Nemchinov.
“We’ve played with each other for two years,” Nemchinov said. “We know where we are on the ice at all times.
“We talk about communication and chemistry. When you play with some people who match your play, a lot of talking goes into it.
“When you make mistakes, you talk it over and you don’t make those same mistakes again. Improve every single game.”
In addition to the 10 goals scored by the Hatters, their defense was dominating. It swarmed all over the Radnor for the 40 minutes and 15 seconds of the game, allowing only 11 shots on goalies Patrick Murphy and Eric Miller.
“That’s our plan every game,” said Smith. “We were able to keep the pressure on them and give them a bunch of fits.
“Our boys are, especially down the stretch, (capable) of playing with two lines. I’m confident with the stamina that they’ve built up over the season that they’ll be able to withstand it.”
Graziani seems to like this style of play.
“We’re a good team,” he said. “We just came out and did what we did.
“We like to stay all over them, like to get pucks deep, like to get our forecheck going and put the puck in the net.”
But doesn’t that leave you open to breakaways by the other team?
“There are very good players in this tournament,” Graziani explained. “It’s hard to get back, but we’ve got good goaltending and good D back there.”
That much was obvious throughout the game. In fact, Radnor had only four shots on goal in the first period, four in the second and three in the third.
Luca Staffieri opened the scoring for the Hatters in the first period. He took a pass from Nemchinov and beat Raptor goalie James Danner at the 9:26 mark.
Graziani got his first goal at 14:31 on the power play with assists from Staffieri and Giovanni Bucci. Cole Meyer finished up the scoring in the first with only 37 seconds left in the stanza.
While things started off slowly for the Hatters in the second with Nemchinov getting an unassisted goal at 4:31, it got hot quickly later on.
At 10:22, Graziani netted his second goal and then at 14:03 Nemchinov got his second.
Thirty-two seconds later, William Moffa got into the act with a goal. Nemchinov completed his hat trick at 15:43 to make the score 8-0.
The third period just seemed like the Hatters were trying to end the game early. Nemchinov added his fourth marker at 2:54 and Graziani ended the game at 6:15.
Hatboro-Horsham will advance to the second round, facing Kennett, a team the Hatters beat 2-1 earlier this season, on Thursday, March 5, at 6:30 at Ice Line.
Radnor goes home.
Hatboro-Horsham 10, Radnor 0
Radnor 0-0-0 0
Hatboro-Horsham 3-5-2. 10
First period: 1, Luca Staffieri HH (Nathan Nemchinov) 9:26; 2, Vince Graziani HH (Staffieri, Giovanni Bucci) 14:31 PP; 3, Cole Meyer HH (Joseph Mangin) 16:23.
Second period: 4, Nemchinov HH (unassisted) 4:31; 5, Graziani HH (Nemchinov, William Moffa) 10:22; 6, Nemchinov HH (Graziani, Moffa) 14:03; 7, Moffa HH (Nemchinov) 14:35; 8, Nemchinov HH (Graziani) 15:43.
Third period: 9, Nemchinov HH (Staffieri, Moffa) 2:54; 10, Graziani HH (Nemchinov) 6:15.
Shots: Radnor 11, Hatboro-Horsham 38. Saves: James Danner (R) 28, Patrick Murphy (HH) 8, Eric Miller (HH) 3.
WEST CHESTER HENDERSON 6, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2
The Colonials saw their season end in Monday’s opening round of the Flyers Cup Tournament at Hatfield Ice.
Henderson struck first on a goal by Harrison Aller, and that 1-0 score stood until Cooper Kanze connected on the equalizer
with an assist from Dan Molony with 2:55 remaining in the period. Aller connected on his second goal just seconds later, this one shorthanded that gave Henderson a 2-1 lead after one.
Atnhony Barthol’s goal three minutes into the second period made it a 3-1 game, but Kanze pulled the Colonials to within one with a power play goal with 4:14 remaining in the period. It was a 3-2 game heading into a final period that belonged to Henderson. The Warriors – who held a 49-20 advantage in shots in the contest - closed out the game with three unanswered goals.
West Chester Henderson 2-1-3 6
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-1-0 2
Shots: WCH 49, PW 20; Saves: Ian Stefanovski (WCH) 18, Lucas Bennett (PW) 43.
First period: 1. Harrison Aller H (Miles Donnelly) 14:24; 2. Cooper Kanze PW (Dan Molony) 2:55; 3. Harrison Aller WCH (Anthony Barthol/Declan Dowd) 2:47.
Second period: 4. Anthony Barthol WCH (Declan Dowd/Harrison Aller) 14:14; 5. Cooper Kanze PW (Daniel Guller/Brandon Wooldridge) 4:14
Third period: 6. Declan Herr WCH (Miles Donnelly/Declan Dowd) 16:11; 7. Miles Donnelly WCH (Declan Dowd) 3:47; 8. Anthony Barthol WCH, 1:17.
Class AA
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 6, CONESTOGA 3
The Patriots found themselves on the short end of a 2-0 score early in the second period, but back-to-back goals by Cole Kleindienst (Joseph Rhett Walter/Ethan Cenci assists) and Moris Ostrobrod (Alex Wilson/Braedon Hahn assists) evened the score late in the period.
A power play goal by Conestoga’s Henry Spottiswoode with 2:19 remaining in the period sent the Pioneers into the final period with a 3-2 lead.
CB East – after managing just nine shots through the first two periods – took 10 shots in the third period, scoring on four of them. Samuel Gottesman (Cole Kleindienst assist) scored the equalizer a minute into the period, and with just under 14 minutes remaining in the final period, Evan Asimakopoulos turned an Alex Wilson pass into a goal that gave the Patriots a lead they would not lose.
Ethan Cenci’s power play goal (Asimakopoulos/Wilson assists) gave the Patriots a 5-3 advantage with 12 minutes remaining. Cenci’s empty net goal gave the Patriots their final margin of victory.
Conestoga held a 32-19 edge in shots, an advantage that was negated by the 29-save effort of Cameron Young in goal for the Patriots.
Central Bucks East 0-2-4 6
Conestoga 1-2-0 3
Shots: CBE 19, C 32; Saves: Cameron Young (CBE) 29, Max Haimson (C) 13.
First period: 1. Henry Spottiswoode C (Sawyer Getz) 1:37.
Second period: 2. Michael Roberts C (James Stagnaro/Henry Spottiswoode) 16:18; 3. Cole Kleindienst CBE (Joseph Rhett Walter/Ethan Cenci) 8:04; 4. Moris Ostrobrod CBE (Alex Wilson/Braedon Hahn) 6:28; 5. Henry Spottiswoode C (Michael Roberts/Noble Johnson) 2:19.
Third period: 6. Samuel Gottesman CBE (Cole Kleindienst) 15:59; 7. Evan Asimakopoulos CBE (Alex Wilson) 13:44; 8. Ethan Cenci CBE (Evan Asimakopoulos/Alex Wilson) 12:18; 9. Ethan Cenci CBE, 00:21.
DOWNINGTOWN WEST 6, PENNRIDGE 2
Downingtown West opened up a 4-0 lead after two periods and upped its advantage to 5-0 before the Rams got on the scoreboard with back-to-back goals, but that would be the extent of their comeback attempt. 
Their season came to an end with a 6-2 loss to West at Ice Line on Monday.
Ryan Burke scored the Rams’ first goal with 10:25 remaining to make it a 5-1 game, and it was 5-2 when Landan Bishop Scored three minutes later, using a Kaden Gunning assist.
Downingtown West held a 45-37 advantage in shots over the Rams.
Pennridge 0-0-2 2
Downingtown West 1-3-2 6
Shots: P – 37, DW 45; Saves: Andrew Slutsky (P) 39, Justin Adams (DW) 35.
First period: 1. Brady Cusa DW (Braden Maya) 8:10.
Second period: 2. Braiden Maya DW (Mark Bronshteyn/Peter Budaj) 15:19; 3. Mark Bronshteyn DW (Peter Budaj) 3:53; 4. Nick Tode DW (Peter Budaj) 1:16.
Third period: 5. Nick Tode DW (Peter Budaj) 13:20; 6. Ryan Burke P, 10:25; 7. Landan Bishop P (Kaden Gunning) 7:16; 8. Aiden Rager DW (joey Reis/Brady Cusa) 00:56.
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