Newark, Del. — Senior Anthony Guerrieri was a primal force in net for Delaware Military Academy (7-2-0) on Friday night (Dec. 21) at the Patriot Ice Center, backstopping the Seahawks to a 4-1 win over Downingtown East (5-3-0) with a 38-save effort.
After being beaten only by Nicholas Rosati, who chipped the puck past DMA defender Braedon Dougherty at the blue line before firing the puck over Guerrieri’s stick from the bottom of the right circle 13:38 into the first period, the Seahawks’ netminder was dialled in for the final 32 minutes, turning in some masterful and acrobatic saves to keep the Cougars scoreless on 28 shots in the second and third periods.
Despite failing to beat Downingtown East goalie Matt Shandler on 12 first-period shots, four of which came on a power play 4:38 in and a further came on a failed Max Ruggerio breakaway nearing the midway point of the frame, the DMA offence provided reinforcement for Guerrieri in earnest in the second and third periods. Ruggerio redeemed himself 7:15 into the second, tying the game with a net-front one-timer off a Justin McGee feed from the left corner. Sophomore winger Aidan Danese gave the Hawks their first lead of the game with 2:19 left in the period, firing a 15-foot wrist shot past Shandler from the left side off a cross-ice pass from Lukas Cook.
The closing seconds of the middle period were marred by an altercation between the Cougars’ Dan Stankiewicz and the Seahawks’ Kameryn Starkey after Stankiewicz was stood up amid a chance to tie the game before the period concluded. Both players were issued double minors for roughing, and DMA regained their momentum as the third period commenced. Aaron Catron lifted the Seahawks to a 3-1 advantage 24 seconds into the final period with a rebound put-back, and Andrew Henry contributed a net-front backhand goal at 9:13.
On the Seahawks’ subsequent rush into the Downingtown East zone, a second dustup was borne of a Dougherty slash on Stankiewicz, but East was unable to capitalise on the two-minute two-man advantage that developed from the aftermath.
Shandler saved 34 of 38 shots in defeat for the Cougars.
In other ICSHL action:
Appoquinimink 5 (ENG), Sun Valley 3
After falling behind 3-2 through two periods, the Appoquinimink Jaguars (4-4-1) stepped up in the final six minutes to defeat Sun Valley, 5-3, at IceWorks in Aston, Pa.
With 1:46 left in the second period, Nate McGinnis lifted Sun Valley to their only lead of the game off a Brian States assist, but the Jaguars came back with a vengeance in the third. Conner DeGroot tied the game for Appoquinimink off a Jonny Schwarz assist with 5:53 remaining, and Schwarz added two goals himself — the second of which was an empty-net tally with 12 seconds left.
St. Mark’s 8, Marple-Newtown 0
The St. Mark’s Spartans (6-3-0) remain undefeated in Liberty South Division action following an 8-0 rout of Marple-Newtown at IceWorks.
Owen Boyle led the Spartans’ charge with a hat trick while Joey Centrone accounted for two goals and an assist. Billy Pierce had a light workload in net, turning aside nine shots to secure the shutout for St. Mark’s.
