Blue Demons get physical with the Warriors

Kennett battled league leading Methacton but fell in league bout 

By Dave Conard, Sports Editor, KennettTimes.com

Kennett senior Zach Della Vecchia lays a hit on a Methacton play along the boards.

ASTON — Kennett faced a daunting task as they took to the ice at Ice Line Quad Rinks for the first time since their surprising 4-4 tie with Ches-Mont League National division powerhouse West Chester Henderson.

The Blue Demons (3-6-2 overall, 1-6-2 league) were riding that momentum as they headed into a rematch with league leading Methacton, who won the last meeting 8-0.

The Warriors have had a simple game plan all season long, take the play to opposition and use their size and strength to their advantage.

Methacton has always been a physical team, but this year has taken it to a new level as they utilized that that physicality to get teams out of their rhythm, forcing the oppositions into making mistakes.

Thus far the Warriors (10-1-1) have been able to capitalize on the opposition getting caught up in the peripheral activities, leading them to first place in the Ches-Mont league American division.

After allowing a goal on the first shot on net, Kennett buckled down and battled back to knot the game at one as team leading scorer, senior Jeff Tinkoff scored a power play goal off of a rebound of Scott palmer’s shot, putting it past net minder A.J. Michael (9-0-1, 2.48 GAA) with 2:49 left in the first period.

Blue Demons captain Scott Palmer assisted on one goal and scored another.

“We have to avoid getting caught up any of their stuff,” said Kennett head coach Francis Mcgarry in his pre game talk to his Blue Demons. “They like to be chippy and take some liberties with the body, we have to play our game.”

Methacton regained the lead in the second period with a couple of goals from sniper Chris Rodriguez-Peters (17 goals. 18 assists), but the Blue Demons were not ready to go quietly into the brisk December night as sophomore Jack Moore snagged his first goal of the season on an assist by fellow tenth grader Tommy Dougherty, who added a tally of his own less than two minutes later to cut the Warriors lead to 4-3 as the teams prepared for the final period.

Methacton took advantage of three power plays in the third, as Ryan McNamara (11 goals, 12 assists) scored to goals and league-leading scorer Jamie Lukas (19 goals, 18 assists) posted another, to secure the 7-3 win for the Ches-Mont league American division leaders.

Goal tender Nick Schiebbeo (1-5-2, 4.63 GAA, .868 save percentage) who faced 45 Methacton shots, and the Kennett squad will take on Downingtown East on Friday January 6^th at Iceline Quad Rinks at 7:45pm

Methacton            1            3            3            -7

Kennett            1            2            0            -3

Shots on goal

Methacton            13            16            16            -45

Kennett            4            2            10            -16

Tommy Dougherty posted his third goal of the season against Methacton.