By John Knebels
WEST CHESTER – After the Flyers Cup AAA seeding was announced two weeks ago, St. Joseph’s Prep ice hockey players were incensed.
How, they wondered, could they have been deemed a sixth seed in a seven-team tournament? Perhaps it was purely mathematics that determined the format, but deep down, it didn’t matter. They – the defending Cup champions – were sixth, ahead of only seven-seed Roman Catholic.
“We were fueled,” said junior Jim Craig.
On Thursday night at Ice Line in West Chester, the Hawks tapped into what appears to be an overflowing tank. Behind five different goal scorers, a rugged defense, and clutch goaltending, the Prep defeated two-seed Malvern Prep, 6-2.
The Hawks will meet top-seed La Salle in the Cup final 7:00 Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia.
“Our team has been on the ropes all season,” said senior Nick Corrado. “Backs have been against the wall. We are the sixth seed. We beat the third seed (Cardinal O’Hara, 4-0), then the second. Once we get a lead, we play with some swagger.”
The Hawks had lost to Malvern twice already, and early on, it appeared that another defeat loomed. The Friars took a 1-0 lead in the opening minutes, a power play goal by senior Nick Martino. But the Prep responded with a tally by junior Austin Amato.
Two minutes later, senior Owen Moke ignited the Prep’s boisterous crowd with a power play goal, but Malvern tied the game at 2-2 off a mad scramble with 10:16 remaining in the second period.
St. Joe's Prep vs. Malvern Prep Game Highlights by John Knebels:
From that point, SJP played like a team possessed. With key open-ice plays – via either a hard check, break-up, or heady decision – by senior Nick Ciampitti, senior Evan Cassidy, senior Mike Urbani, senior Frank Verrati, senior twins Richard and Mark Stahl, freshman Vince Borgesi, and the aforementioned Craig and Corrado, the Prep played like the higher seed.
While senior goalie Dan McGill stood tall and allowed no rebounds, consecutive goals by Corrado, Borgesi, senior Owen Kelly, and an empty netter by Moak put an emphatic exclamation mark on the Hawks’ most important win since beating Seneca Valley last year for their first-ever state title.
“I’m really appreciative of my defensemen,” said McGill. They’re great players and really helped me out back there.”
Moke said the Hawks “took advantage of all the opportunities we had.” He was asked to assess the “difference” that explained the one-sided triumph.
“I’ve been playing for Prep for four years and they’ve beaten up on us sometimes,” said Moke. “Sophomore year they knocked us out of the playoffs, so it was real personal for me.
“I think we just wanted it more. We had a mission. They put us as a sixth seed, and we were not happy with that.”
SJP goalie Dan McGill lauds his defense:
SJP's Nick Corrado talks about the turning point of his team's victory:
Up next is rival La Salle, which has bested the Hawks four times thus far.
“We’re not going to let it happen a fifth time,” said Corrado.
(John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)