Havertown, Pa. — Only three days removed from a 4-0 victory in their Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League (ICSHL) season opener, the St. Mark’s Spartans (2-0-0) completed their season sweep of the Harriton Rams (0-2-0) with a dominating 11-1 rout on Monday (Oct. 29) at the Skatium.
Eight Spartan skaters scored goals in the tour de force, which saw St. Mark’s outshoot the Rams, 40-12.
In the third minute, captain Joey Centrone succeeded in manufacturing a breakaway opportunity from just inside the red line, but was ultimately denied by a Liam Cunningham glove save. The rest of the period proved far less kind for the Harriton netminder, as five of St. Mark’s 19 shots in the opening period found the back of the net.
On the eighth St. Mark’s shot of the game, defenceman James Morrison unleashed a long wrist shot from just inside the blue line to earn his first seasonal goal, only to be followed up by a Will Ralsten net-front redirect of a feed from his brother Lance at the left point at 5:23. Territorial domination continued for the Spartans, who kept the Rams without a shot for the first 8:02, who added three more first-period tallies by way of close-range goals all round.
Lance Ralsten, who contributed three assists in addition to two on Friday, lifted the Spartans to a 6-0 lead 4:28 in the second period with a close-range backhand through Cunningham’s five-hole. Nathan Morris followed up with a similarly gorgeous chance at 6:53, generating a breakaway from his own blue line by chipping the puck to the Harriton line, chasing it down, and walking it in for a successful wrist shot 10 feet from the cage. Cunningham was replaced by Jacob Kopelman after allowing his seventh goal of the game.
Up 7-1 through two periods after an Ethan Milani put-back late in the second gave the Rams their lone goal of the season to date, the Spartans cooled their jets but made the most of the opportunities they generated. Centrone and Will Ralsten both registered their second goals of the game, Jimmy Paoli notched a net-front put-back, and Graham Kline’s second goal of the night, which lifted the Spartans to an 11-1 lead with 1:39 to go, ended the contest by virtue of the ICSHL mercy rule.
Billy Pierce had a quiet night between the pipes for St. Mark’s, saving 11 of 12 shots faced.
St. Mark’s next takes on in-state rival Delaware Military Academy on Friday, Nov. 9.
Kennett 5, Appoquinimink 2
Newark, Del. — The Kennett Blue Demons (1-0-0) kicked off their season with a 5-2 win over Appoquinimink (0-1-0) at the Patriot Ice Center.
Thomas Halsted led the Demons with two goals and an assist, while Christo Walker added a pair of goals and Kyle Robertson potted one as well. Nathan Panchisin and Jack Anderson both scored for the Jaguars in the third period to cut into a 5-0 second-intermission deficit.
Tyler Richman earned the win in net for Kennett, recording 34 saves on 36 shots.
Kennett hosts Owen J. Roberts on Friday (Nov. 2), while Appoquinimink returns to action a week later, hosting Interboro on Nov. 9.
