Neshaminy holds off North Penn
HATFIELD TWP. >> Four different players scored for Neshaminy Wednesday night as the Skins skated to a 4-2 victory over North Penn in a Suburban High School Hockey League non-division battle.
Goalie Nick Ebbinghaus continues to emerge for the Knights: he made 38 saves in the contest, keeping North Penn within a goal until late into the third period.
“I thought he just played outstanding,” Knights coach Kevin Vaitis said. “He kept us in it to the very end.”
Neshaminy had the 42-19 edge in shots but Ebbinghaus was a stopper for the Knights.
“He didn’t play last year because of the pandemic and stuff like that so I think he’s getting his legs underneath him,” Vaitis said. “I think this is the best that he’s played so far this year. So he’ll continue to build on that – he’s gonna be a big strength for us going deeper into the season.”
Justin Yothers scored just 30 seconds into the contest to give NP a 1-0 lead, but then Neshaminy scored three in the first to take control.
A power-play goal by Michael Knipple (Ryan DeMatteo assist) evened things up at one apiece, and then the Skins skated ahead when Daniel McColgan set up Jack Halloran for the go-ahead goal. Noah Seewagen scored from Nolan Geria, making it 3-1 at the end of the first.
The two teams battled through a scoreless second period.
North Penn had sudden life in the third, when John Stinson scored, off a pass from Yothers, to tighten things to 3-2.
But with 1 minute, 20 seconds to play, Neshaminy locked it up when Jacob Adami put away an empty-net goal.
Said Vaitis: “Goalie pulled, we thought we’d win a draw but they beat us to the puck and they were able to get that empty netter and seal the game.”
Still, the Knights, missing multiple players on Wednesday, stayed in it.
Ben Mostochuk, Alex Cravener and Sam Mostochuk backboned a strong defense.
“Everybody kinda pitched in — defenders and forwards, and that’s what we needed tonight,” Vaitis said. “We have a big game against CB South (Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Hatfield Ice) coming up so hopefully we can get everybody back and give them a good game.”
