Game Summary Page

Game Summaries for the 1998-1999 season appear below.

Opponent Score Summary

PennRidge W 6-2 C-West opened their season with a non-league game at PennRidge's rink north of Lansdale. Since some players could not attend, C-East donated some skaters and a goalie to round out the team. East forward Pat McCunney led with 3 goals, followed by Mark DeSanto, Kyle Cutcliff, and East's John Grossi with one each. East's goalie Andy Murray was instrumental in keeping the hard-skating PennRidge team out of the nets. C-West played their practice lineup so the coaches could evaluate skater's abilities. Springfield's 2nd and 3rd lines saw significant time in the 3rd period and managed to keep the opponent's score low. All players did a good job of backchecking and supporting the goalie. PennRidge will visit Springfield on November 29.

Interboro L 5-4 C-West lost a very tight game in their season opener to a persistent Interboro team. The Bucs scored first, but Springfield came right back to tie on a rebound goal by Mark DeSanto, who shifted to right wing. The puck came out in the slot and the left-handed shot found it right on his stick for the score. DeSanto had another goal in the second period. Springfield had some trouble clearing Interboro shooters from in front of the net, but bounced back from two more Buc goals to tie the score 4-4 in the 3rd period. Interboro scored with 31 seconds left in the game on a nice fake move by their 2nd line center. Also scoring for Springfield was David Acchione with two goals. Assists were tallied by Mike Batista and Mike Keenan (two). The coaching staff was pleased with the team's effort--they never gave up and kept skating hard. The effort kept the game very close right up to the final buzzer.

Chichester L 7-2 Springfield C-West lost a lopsided contest to a bigger, older, faster Chichester team (several of the reasons they will be moved to the "B" league). Goals came from Mike Battista (assisted by Kyle Hendrickson) and Mark DeSanto (assisted by Mike Ancone). However, the coaching staff would like to remind our players that challenging situations like this make for better hockey players! Special thanks to two "E" league players who were called up to replace C-West scratches due to injury. The head coach was away in Calif. for this one, so I don't have a more detailed summary.

Bonner L 4-1 Another challenge from another team that will be moved to the "B" league--but the coaching staff was really pleased with the team's effort and feels that they actually played a pretty close game! C-West had a couple of scratches due to injury or other commitments, but several players stepped up and double-shifted with enthusiasm. During the closely-played first period, Bonner scored first, but Springfield answered right back on a goal by Mike Battista. C-West kind of fell apart during the 2nd and 3rd period as far as playing positions, resulting in a lot of scoring chances for the talented Bonner shooters, as they scored twice in the 2nd and once in the third period. Springfield goalies Mark Wertman and Andy Murray were outstanding, backstopping their team with a number of unbelievable saves. This game was a real character-builder, and Springfield showed a lot of character!!

Coatesville L 5-1 The Cougars dropped another game to a larger, faster Coatesville team, although we were hoping to rebound after playing Chichester and Bonner back-to-back. The first period was pretty close, with Springfield staying right with the Coatesville skaters until the end of the period. The Red Raiders scored two goals during the final 3 minutes, taking the wind out of the Cougars' sails. Coatesville scored again 5 minutes into the second period, but Springfield got on the board with a breakaway goal by Mark DeSanto. C-West ended the second period and played much of the third chasing the puck around and not playing positions, resulting in more scoring chances for the Red Raiders. Springfield goalies Mark Wertman and Andy Murray again played strong games, but got burned on rebounds that were not cleared out or frozen in front of the goal.

PennRidge L 6-2 Another tough loss for the Cougars in a non-league game at the Springfield Township rink. During the first period, Springfield stayed with the PennRidge skaters and both teams had some good scoring chances. Goals for the Cougars were scored by Mike Keenan (unassisted) and David Acchione, off a nice feed from the other side of the net by Kyle Cutcliffe. Both Springfield goalies did a good job of jumping on rebounds and blocking screen shots. However, the PennRidge skaters kept bombarding the Cougar nets, and four more goals found their way in. PennRidge played a very physical game, showing Springfield that "non-check" doesn't necessarily mean "no contact". This was a good learning experience, especially for our defense in clearing the front of the net.

Garnet Valley W 5-4 What a way to win our first game!! The Cougars overtook previously-unbeaten GV with 25 seconds to go in the third, as David Acchione knocked in a centering pass from Kyle Cutcliff. Springfield also got goals from Mike Battista (unassisted), Cutcliff, and Brian Christopher; Acchione also scored previously in the third period. We had three skaters out due to a winter concert at the middle school, and used "borrowed" players from Springfield East. Thanks to Matt Gansky, Brian McBride, and Sean Burrill for helping out. Goalies Mark Wertman and Andy Murray were challenged several times on breakaways and scrambles in front of the net, but managed to keep out enough shots to make the difference at the end.

Marple Newtown L 5-4 A reverse of the Garnet Valley game. Springfield was leading 4-2 in the second, and looked to be in control at both ends of the ice. Springfield skaters Brian Rose, Brian Christopher, Dave Acchione, and Kyle Cutcliff got goals before the Cougars' shots started going wide of the net. Marple came back in the third with two goals and then went ahead on a breakaway with :04 left. Ouch. Still, the Cougars displayed some good passing, lots of hustle, and played the best first period so far. Keep up the good work! This one was real close.

Springfield East T 2-2 Cougars at the Spectrum!!! The two Springfield "C" teams faced off on Spectrum ice, prior to the Philadelphia Phantoms game on Dec. 18. Down 2-0 after two periods, West battled back with goals from Mike Battista and Brian Rose to end in a tie. Goalie Mark Wertman made numerous saves on breakaways, preserving the tie. The many parents, friends, and relatives of the players definitely enjoyed the show. The Phantoms even did their part and won.

Springfield East L 5-0 We met Springfield East again for a regular league game at the NHL rink in Aston, with quite a different result. Although we tried a different game plan to make sure there were no defensive lapses, East's primary skaters were too overpowering for West's defense. East's goalie Andy Murray (also our backup) was on his game, and didn't allow anything to get by despite several great scoring chances. After a strong first period in which East went up by only one goal, West became a little tentative and didn't win the races to the loose pucks. The coach's game plan of having the defensemen hanging back to prevent breakaways probably didn't help either, because none of the defense were able to get involved in scoring rushes. It's hard when it's 3 against 5. We need to capture some of that first-period aggressiveness and challenge EVERYONE who comes into our zone.

St. Pius W 4-1 Well, everyone showed up for this game! Against an admittedly smaller St. Pius team, the Cougars showed some of the passing, position-playing, and hustle that carried us throught the Spectrum game with Springfield East. Defenseman Brian Christopher scored two goals on matching backhand fakes, after breaking up the St. Pius rush. Mike Keenan scored after a scrum in front of the net (he went in, too, but after the puck!). Kyle Cutcliffe picked up the rebound of a Mike Battista shot from in front and scooped it over the St. Pius goalie. St. Pius got one back in the second period after our third line was out for a 4-minute shift. There were no scores in the third, so with 5 minutes to go, we shifted some players in to unfamiliar positions and different line combinations to let them experience something new. The scorekeeper didn't record shots on goal, so I can't calculate the goalies' GAA. I hope this win picked the team up a little bit (it certainly helped the coaches).

Strath Haven T 1-1 After going down a goal at 7:13 of the first, the Cougars came back and salvaged a tie with a very evenly-matched Strath Haven team. Both goalies played super games and were just about unbeatable, despite numerous scoring attempts. We had at least two shots that clanged off the posts and looked like they were in, but were waved off by the refs! Strath Haven just missed the net on a couple, so I guess we were lucky. Springfield dominated the play for most of the game and kept the puck in the offensive zone pretty well. There were only two breakaways the other way, saved by the diving defensive play of Brendan Lafferty and Kyle Hendrickson. Lafferty picked up a point on his assist for Mike Keenan's score at 10:22 of the third (not too soon!). The second and third periods featured our new defensive look (Offense 1 with Defense 2, Offense 2 with Defense 3, Offense 3 with Defense 1), which helped even things out as the game progressed and guys got tired.

Upper Darby L 7-2 This was a scrimmage(non-league)game with UD, arranged by one of the coaches we met at the coaches' clinic in Sept. UD's team was mostly "B" players (since they don't field teams in all 3 levels like Springfield), and they dominated the third period. Still, we were even with them (2-2) after the first, and had several good scoring opportunities. It was free ice time and a chance to play against a better team. Hope everyone had fun. No, kids, it doesn't count on our record!

Ridley L 3-2 A clean, evenly-matched game against Springfield's arch-rival, the Green Raiders from Ridley. Only one penalty the entire game! Oh, my, we had so many scoring chances with loose pucks in front of their net, but just couldn't get the job done. Ridley scored 2 in the first on a couple of cheesy breakaways (our defense still gives it up from time to time), leaving goalie Mark Wertman on his own.

Haverford Gold W 6-0 A decisive win. A game where most things seemed to be working (wingers on the boards ready for outlet passes, defensive coverage in front of the net--the little things). Coaches pleased (but unsure why it all came together--maybe a 7:45 game is better than 6 PM). Great teamwork, passing, position-playing followed an early score by the reliable Kyle Cutcliff. Springfield bombards the Gold net, and Jimmy Kennedy scores on a screen shot from the point. Kyle Hendrickson, playing forward, bats in a rebound for his first goal of the year! Kennedy scores again after switching positions with Kyle! Haverford is down, and starting to get upset (elbows, trips, etc.). Cougars keep blasting the puck at the net (shots on goal 33 vs. 7), and Mike Keenan tips one in. Brian Christopher tries to take it in alone against the entire Gold team (fails, 3 times); finally scores on a rebound from Keenan. Can't wait to play Haverford Red next week!

Haverford W 6-1 The Cougars survived a first-period scare and won decisively. We outshot Haverford by a 3-to-1 margin. The game started with their minds elsewhere, as Haverford scored on a breakaway just 14 seconds into the game (maybe it was the Metallica CD in the locker room before the game, which we won't try again). The Cougars tried to get back on track and plastered the Haverford goal, but they managed to hold the lead, and play remained scoreless until Dave Acchione stuffed in the rebound from a Mike Battista shot at 2:25 of the second. A see-saw battle for the lead ensued. We finally got the go-ahead from Mark DeSanto, who drilled in a Kyle Hendrickson shot from the point at 5:49 with linemates Mike Keenan and Jim Kennedy positioned in the slot waiting to snap up any rebounds. Haverford crumbled after this, and Dave Acchione scored a hat trick with two more goals at 8:51 and 9:17 (assists by Battista, Cutcliff, and Mike Raymond), and it was 4-1. During the third, Mike Raymond showed his scoring touch by whipping a shot past the waffling Ford goalie after carrying the puck in from center ice. The Eric Souder-Jason Gibbs-Brendan Hendrickson line effectively pestered the Haverford forwards and had several great scoring chances, with Souder missing the net by millimeters during the second period. Brian Christopher was finally rewarded at 9:20 of the third when he lofted a shot over the shoulder of Haverford’s goalie for Springfield’s 6th goal.

Springfield East L 4-1 Springfield C-West came out on the short end of a 4-1 battle with Springfield C-East, but the contest was much closer than the score indicated. Skating without Brian Rose, Brendan Lafferty, Kyle Cutcliff, and Mark DeSanto, West’s shortened bench displayed some amazing hustle and teamwork to keep the game almost within reach until time ran out. Mike Keenan picked up the first goal of the game by banking in a shot off opposing goalie Andy Murray’s pads at 5:50 of the first, assisted by Dave Acchione. West was able to hold off numerous scoring attempts until East scored with 41 seconds to go in the first. C-West goalie Mark Wertman was sturdy, stopping several tough shots with glove, stick, feet, or whatever else was handy. West’s forwards got some experience with different linemates as the coaches tried to spread out the workload. Center Dave Acchione combined with wingers Mike Battista, Eric Souder, and the always-hustling Keenan for some real quality chances in front of East’s net. West also got excellent games from Mike Raymond and Jason Gibbs, centered by Brendan Hendrickson. Jim Kennedy, moved back to defense after a few great games as left wing, teamed with Kyle Hendrickson to make life difficult for East’s forwards as they crossed the blue line. Brian Christopher and Mike Ancone, as the other defensive pair, got a real workout but stepped up to the task, and managed to generate some good offense in the process.

Sun Valley L 4-0 Springfield C-West ran into a stone wall in the form of a bigger, faster Sun Valley team, and was shut out in a 4-0 loss. Sun Valley’s goalie had a very strong game and stopped 25 Springfield shots. The Cougar defense held the opponents to only one goal in the first, but Sun Valley kept the pressure up and was able to chip away and find the net three more times. Sun Valley’s speed contributed to several near-breakaways, but exceptional determination and hustle by Jason Gibbs and Mike Keenan disrupted their scoring chances. Forwards Mark DeSanto, Dave Acchione, Kyle Cutcliff, and Mike Battista tried very hard to score in some real battles around the net, but the huskier Sun Valley “D” was able to prevent any real threats to score. Springfield’s Mike Raymond and Jim Kennedy did some excellent work along the boards, either advancing the puck or breaking up a Sun Valley rush. Brendan Hendrickson and Mike Ancone also displayed a good, never-give-up attitude which should help the Cougars in the playoffs. Defensemen Brian Rose and Kyle Hendrickson teamed up again and had strong games in the corners, winning those important battles along the boards. Brian Christopher and Brendan Lafferty had several good shots from the point but couldn’t get them through the Sun Valley defense. Goalies Mark Wertman and Andy Murray were steady but fell victim to a bombardment from the Sun Valley forwards.

Interboro W 5-2 The kids really came through for our last game of the season and bested Interboro big-time. A couple of our big guns were held scoreless, but goals from Mark DeSanto, Mike Raymond, Mike Battista, Brian Christopher, and Dave Acchione were very appreciated as we pulled away in the third period. Interboro came within one goal (2-1) at the beginning of the second, and it looked like the momentum might be turning. However, a couple of players (Mike Keenan and Kyle Hendrickson on D, Jason Gibbs, Kyle Cutcliff, and Mike Battista) worked their butts off to interrupt Interboro's forwards. Mark Wertman came through in goal on several BIG saves. It was all over in the third. Interboro got a cheesy goal right at the end (0:21 to go) but it wasn't enough to dampen anyone's enthusiasm.

FINAL RECORD 6-9-1 GF: 45, GA: 50


Opponent	Score	Summary
PennRidge	W 6-2	C-West opened their season with a non-league game at PennRidge's rink north of Lansdale. Since some players could not attend, C-East donated some skaters and a goalie to round out the team. East forward Pat McCunney led with 3 goals, followed by Mark DeSanto, Kyle Cutcliff, and East's John Grossi with one each. East's goalie Andy Murray was instrumental in keeping the hard-skating PennRidge team out of the nets. C-West played their practice lineup so the coaches could evaluate skater's abilities. Springfield's 2nd and 3rd lines saw significant time in the 3rd period and managed to keep the opponent's score low. All players did a good job of backchecking and supporting the goalie. PennRidge will visit Springfield on November 29.
Interboro	L 5-4	C-West lost a very tight game in their season opener to a persistent Interboro team. The Bucs scored first, but Springfield came right back to tie on a rebound goal by Mark DeSanto, who shifted to right wing. The puck came out in the slot and the left-handed shot found it right on his stick for the score. DeSanto had another goal in the second period. Springfield had some trouble clearing Interboro shooters from in front of the net, but bounced back from two more Buc goals to tie the score 4-4 in the 3rd period. Interboro scored with 31 seconds left in the game on a nice fake move by their 2nd line center. Also scoring for Springfield was David Acchione with two goals. Assists were tallied by Mike Batista and Mike Keenan (two). The coaching staff was pleased with the team's effort--they never gave up and kept skating hard. The effort kept the game very close right up to the final buzzer.
Chichester	L 7-2	Springfield C-West lost a lopsided contest to a bigger, older, faster Chichester team (several of the reasons they will be moved to the "B" league). Goals came from Mike Battista (assisted by Kyle Hendrickson) and Mark DeSanto (assisted by Mike Ancone). However, the coaching staff would like to remind our players that challenging situations like this make for better hockey players! Special thanks to two "E" league players who were called up to replace C-West scratches due to injury. The head coach was away in Calif. for this one, so I don't have a more detailed summary.
Bonner	L 4-1	Another challenge from another team that will be moved to the "B" league--but the coaching staff was really pleased with the team's effort and feels that they actually played a pretty close game! C-West had a couple of scratches due to injury or other commitments, but several players stepped up and double-shifted with enthusiasm. During the closely-played first period, Bonner scored first, but Springfield answered right back on a goal by Mike Battista. C-West kind of fell apart during the 2nd and 3rd period as far as playing positions, resulting in a lot of scoring chances for the talented Bonner shooters, as they scored twice in the 2nd and once in the third period. Springfield goalies Mark Wertman and Andy Murray were outstanding, backstopping their team with a number of unbelievable saves. This game was a real character-builder, and Springfield showed a lot of character!!
Coatesville	L 5-1	The Cougars dropped another game to a larger, faster Coatesville team, although we were hoping to rebound after playing Chichester and Bonner back-to-back. The first period was pretty close, with Springfield staying right with the Coatesville skaters until the end of the period. The Red Raiders scored two goals during the final 3 minutes, taking the wind out of the Cougars' sails. Coatesville scored again 5 minutes into the second period, but Springfield got on the board with a breakaway goal by Mark DeSanto. C-West ended the second period and played much of the third chasing the puck around and not playing positions, resulting in more scoring chances for the Red Raiders. Springfield goalies Mark Wertman and Andy Murray again played strong games, but got burned on rebounds that were not cleared out or frozen in front of the goal.
PennRidge	L 6-2	Another tough loss for the Cougars in a non-league game at the Springfield Township rink. During the first period, Springfield stayed with the PennRidge skaters and both teams had some good scoring chances. Goals for the Cougars were scored by Mike Keenan (unassisted) and David Acchione, off a nice feed from the other side of the net by Kyle Cutcliffe. Both Springfield goalies did a good job of jumping on rebounds and blocking screen shots. However, the PennRidge skaters kept bombarding the Cougar nets, and four more goals found their way in. PennRidge played a very physical game, showing Springfield that "non-check" doesn't necessarily mean "no contact". This was a good learning experience, especially for our defense in clearing the front of the net.
Garnet Valley	W 5-4	What a way to win our first game!! The Cougars overtook previously-unbeaten GV with 25 seconds to go in the third, as David Acchione knocked in a centering pass from Kyle Cutcliff. Springfield also got goals from Mike Battista (unassisted), Cutcliff, and Brian Christopher; Acchione also scored previously in the third period. We had three skaters out due to a winter concert at the middle school, and used "borrowed" players from Springfield East. Thanks to Matt Gansky, Brian McBride, and Sean Burrill for helping out. Goalies Mark Wertman and Andy Murray were challenged several times on breakaways and scrambles in front of the net, but managed to keep out enough shots to make the difference at the end.
Marple Newtown	L 5-4	A reverse of the Garnet Valley game. Springfield was leading 4-2 in the second, and looked to be in control at both ends of the ice. Springfield skaters Brian Rose, Brian Christopher, Dave Acchione, and Kyle Cutcliff got goals before the Cougars' shots started going wide of the net. Marple came back in the third with two goals and then went ahead on a breakaway with :04 left. Ouch. Still, the Cougars displayed some good passing, lots of hustle, and played the best first period so far. Keep up the good work! This one was real close.
Springfield East	T 2-2	Cougars at the Spectrum!!! The two Springfield "C" teams faced off on Spectrum ice, prior to the Philadelphia Phantoms game on Dec. 18. Down 2-0 after two periods, West battled back with goals from Mike Battista and Brian Rose to end in a tie. Goalie Mark Wertman made numerous saves on breakaways, preserving the tie. The many parents, friends, and relatives of the players definitely enjoyed the show. The Phantoms even did their part and won.
Springfield East	L 5-0	We met Springfield East again for a regular league game at the NHL rink in Aston, with quite a different result. Although we tried a different game plan to make sure there were no defensive lapses, East's primary skaters were too overpowering for West's defense. East's goalie Andy Murray (also our backup) was on his game, and didn't allow anything to get by despite several great scoring chances. After a strong first period in which East went up by only one goal, West became a little tentative and didn't win the races to the loose pucks. The coach's game plan of having the defensemen hanging back to prevent breakaways probably didn't help either, because none of the defense were able to get involved in scoring rushes. It's hard when it's 3 against 5. We need to capture some of that first-period aggressiveness and challenge EVERYONE who comes into our zone.
St. Pius	W 4-1	Well, everyone showed up for this game! Against an admittedly smaller St. Pius team, the Cougars showed some of the passing, position-playing, and hustle that carried us throught the Spectrum game with Springfield East. Defenseman Brian Christopher scored two goals on matching backhand fakes, after breaking up the St. Pius rush. Mike Keenan scored after a scrum in front of the net (he went in, too, but after the puck!). Kyle Cutcliffe picked up the rebound of a Mike Battista shot from in front and scooped it over the St. Pius goalie. St. Pius got one back in the second period after our third line was out for a 4-minute shift. There were no scores in the third, so with 5 minutes to go, we shifted some players in to unfamiliar positions and different line combinations to let them experience something new. The scorekeeper didn't record shots on goal, so I can't calculate the goalies' GAA. I hope this win picked the team up a little bit (it certainly helped the coaches).
Strath Haven	T 1-1	After going down a goal at 7:13 of the first, the Cougars came back and salvaged a tie with a very evenly-matched Strath Haven team. Both goalies played super games and were just about unbeatable, despite numerous scoring attempts. We had at least two shots that clanged off the posts and looked like they were in, but were waved off by the refs! Strath Haven just missed the net on a couple, so I guess we were lucky. Springfield dominated the play for most of the game and kept the puck in the offensive zone pretty well. There were only two breakaways the other way, saved by the diving defensive play of Brendan Lafferty and Kyle Hendrickson. Lafferty picked up a point on his assist for Mike Keenan's score at 10:22 of the third (not too soon!). The second and third periods featured our new defensive look (Offense 1 with Defense 2, Offense 2 with Defense 3, Offense 3 with Defense 1), which helped even things out as the game progressed and guys got tired.
Upper Darby	L 7-2	This was a scrimmage(non-league)game with UD, arranged by one of the coaches we met at the coaches' clinic in Sept. UD's team was mostly "B" players (since they don't field teams in all 3 levels like Springfield), and they dominated the third period. Still, we were even with them (2-2) after the first, and had several good scoring opportunities. It was free ice time and a chance to play against a better team. Hope everyone had fun. No, kids, it doesn't count on our record!
Ridley	L 3-2	A clean, evenly-matched game against Springfield's arch-rival, the Green Raiders from Ridley. Only one penalty the entire game! Oh, my, we had so many scoring chances with loose pucks in front of their net, but just couldn't get the job done. Ridley scored 2 in the first on a couple of cheesy breakaways (our defense still gives it up from time to time), leaving goalie Mark Wertman on his own.
Haverford Gold	W 6-0	A decisive win. A game where most things seemed to be working (wingers on the boards ready for outlet passes, defensive coverage in front of the net--the little things). Coaches pleased (but unsure why it all came together--maybe a 7:45 game is better than 6 PM). Great teamwork, passing, position-playing followed an early score by the reliable Kyle Cutcliff. Springfield bombards the Gold net, and Jimmy Kennedy scores on a screen shot from the point. Kyle Hendrickson, playing forward, bats in a rebound for his first goal of the year! Kennedy scores again after switching positions with Kyle! Haverford is down, and starting to get upset (elbows, trips, etc.). Cougars keep blasting the puck at the net (shots on goal 33 vs. 7), and Mike Keenan tips one in. Brian Christopher tries to take it in alone against the entire Gold team (fails, 3 times); finally scores on a rebound from Keenan. Can't wait to play Haverford Red next week!
Haverford	W 6-1	The Cougars survived a first-period scare and won decisively. We outshot Haverford by a 3-to-1 margin. The game started with their minds elsewhere, as Haverford scored on a breakaway just 14 seconds into the game (maybe it was the Metallica CD in the locker room before the game, which we won't try again). The Cougars tried to get back on track and plastered the Haverford goal, but they managed to hold the lead, and play remained scoreless until Dave Acchione stuffed in the rebound from a Mike Battista shot at 2:25 of the second. A see-saw battle for the lead ensued. We finally got the go-ahead from Mark DeSanto, who drilled in a Kyle Hendrickson shot from the point at 5:49 with linemates Mike Keenan and Jim Kennedy positioned in the slot waiting to snap up any rebounds. Haverford crumbled after this, and Dave Acchione scored a hat trick with two more goals at 8:51 and 9:17 (assists by Battista, Cutcliff, and Mike Raymond), and it was 4-1. During the third, Mike Raymond showed his scoring touch by whipping a shot past the waffling Ford goalie after carrying the puck in from center ice. The Eric Souder-Jason Gibbs-Brendan Hendrickson line effectively pestered the Haverford forwards and had several great scoring chances, with Souder missing the net by millimeters during the second period. Brian Christopher was finally rewarded at 9:20 of the third when he lofted a shot over the shoulder of Haverford’s goalie for Springfield’s 6th goal.
Springfield East	L 4-1	Springfield C-West came out on the short end of a 4-1 battle with Springfield C-East, but the contest was much closer than the score indicated. Skating without Brian Rose, Brendan Lafferty, Kyle Cutcliff, and Mark DeSanto, West’s shortened bench displayed some amazing hustle and teamwork to keep the game almost within reach until time ran out. Mike Keenan picked up the first goal of the game by banking in a shot off opposing goalie Andy Murray’s pads at 5:50 of the first, assisted by Dave Acchione. West was able to hold off numerous scoring attempts until East scored with 41 seconds to go in the first. C-West goalie Mark Wertman was sturdy, stopping several tough shots with glove, stick, feet, or whatever else was handy. West’s forwards got some experience with different linemates as the coaches tried to spread out the workload. Center Dave Acchione combined with wingers Mike Battista, Eric Souder, and the always-hustling Keenan for some real quality chances in front of East’s net. West also got excellent games from Mike Raymond and Jason Gibbs, centered by Brendan Hendrickson. Jim Kennedy, moved back to defense after a few great games as left wing, teamed with Kyle Hendrickson to make life difficult for East’s forwards as they crossed the blue line. Brian Christopher and Mike Ancone, as the other defensive pair, got a real workout but stepped up to the task, and managed to generate some good offense in the process.
Sun Valley	L 4-0	Springfield C-West ran into a stone wall in the form of a bigger, faster Sun Valley team, and was shut out in a 4-0 loss. Sun Valley’s goalie had a very strong game and stopped 25 Springfield shots. The Cougar defense held the opponents to only one goal in the first, but Sun Valley kept the pressure up and was able to chip away and find the net three more times. Sun Valley’s speed contributed to several near-breakaways, but exceptional determination and hustle by Jason Gibbs and Mike Keenan disrupted their scoring chances. Forwards Mark DeSanto, Dave Acchione, Kyle Cutcliff, and Mike Battista tried very hard to score in some real battles around the net, but the huskier Sun Valley “D” was able to prevent any real threats to score. Springfield’s Mike Raymond and Jim Kennedy did some excellent work along the boards, either advancing the puck or breaking up a Sun Valley rush. Brendan Hendrickson and Mike Ancone also displayed a good, never-give-up attitude which should help the Cougars in the playoffs. Defensemen Brian Rose and Kyle Hendrickson teamed up again and had strong games in the corners, winning those important battles along the boards. Brian Christopher and Brendan Lafferty had several good shots from the point but couldn’t get them through the Sun Valley defense. Goalies Mark Wertman and Andy Murray were steady but fell victim to a bombardment from the Sun Valley forwards.
Interboro	W 5-2	The kids really came through for our last game of the season and bested Interboro big-time. A couple of our big guns were held scoreless, but goals from Mark DeSanto, Mike Raymond, Mike Battista, Brian Christopher, and Dave Acchione were very appreciated as we pulled away in the third period. Interboro came within one goal (2-1) at the beginning of the second, and it looked like the momentum might be turning. However, a couple of players (Mike Keenan and Kyle Hendrickson on D, Jason Gibbs, Kyle Cutcliff, and Mike Battista) worked their butts off to interrupt Interboro's forwards. Mark Wertman came through in goal on several BIG saves. It was all over in the third. Interboro got a cheesy goal right at the end (0:21 to go) but it wasn't enough to dampen anyone's enthusiasm.
FINAL RECORD	6-9-1	GF: 45, GA: 50

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