BRISTOL—Monday marked the start of a new season for Holy Ghost Prep. The afternoon offered glimpses of the type of hockey team it hopes to become.
Anthony Valeriote scored three goals and five other players scored one goal each as the Firebirds bested Devon Prep 8-3 in a non-league encounter at Grundy Arena.
The day’s events gave Holy Ghost Prep coach John Ritchie some insights into where his team is with the APAC opener against La Salle now less than a week away.
“I think we needed a convincing victory,” he said, “and to just get started off on the right foot for this season. I think we came out and did that for the most part.”
Valeriote made sure the Firebirds got off to a good start; he scored the first goal of the game from the low slot just 37 seconds after the opening faceoff. But the Tide, who took the ice Monday having won two games against Class AA opposition, responded three-and-a-half minutes later when Kieran Crossan beat Jack Unger in the Holy Ghost Prep net.
Valeriote put the hosts back in front with 7:58 left in the period before the Firebirds broke the game open in the second frame. Mike Previtera, Valeriote, Joe Kaufmann, and Brian Kinniry all scored goals in a span of 2 minutes, 12 seconds, sending Tide goaltender Grant Gale to the bench and putting the hosts in complete control with a 6-1 lead with 7:09 still left in the second period.
For the Tide, which are in just their third season of ice hockey, it was another step in the evolutionary process. Devon Prep coach Matt Fabrizio spoke about what it was like to take the ice against an APAC opponent. The Tide compete in the Prep/Catholic Division of the Inter County League where they are aligned with Father Judge, Salesianum, Haverford School, and a co-op team that blends Bishop Shanahan and Coatesville.
“I think the biggest difference is the speed of the game,” Fabrizio said. “The way that a Holy Ghost plays, the way their feet never stop moving, the way they backcheck, the way attack the zone, the way they send their forwards crashing to that far post, is all a lesson.
“As the game went on, we got stronger, but when we watch that game film, they’re going to watch [Holy Ghost Prep.] I want them to watch what they do and learn from that.”
Holy Ghost Prep’s Joe Kaufmann battles Devon Prep’s Danny Pucci in Wednesday’s game (photo: Robert Barnes)
Braydon Russo scored for the Tide before the second period ended and Crossan pocketed his second goal of the game 87 seconds into the third session before Logan Barnes and Spadaccino added additional goals for the Firebirds.
Ritchie expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance.
“We were missing a big piece up front for this game due to injury,’ he said, “but I thought we did a nice job of picking up. the slack. I know we have four lines that can contribute and produce. So, offensively we did a great job, Defensively, we have to clean up.”
Senior defenseman Ryan Lippy, the Firebirds’ captain said he and his teammates played with self-assurance.
“We played really confident,” he said. “We moved the puck well and we played how we should be playing. But we had a couple mistakes which led to goals and I think we can pick it up next week.”
Devon Prep 1 1 1—3
Holy Ghost Prep 2 4 2—6
First-period goals: Anthony Valeriote (HGP) unassisted, :37; Kieran Crossan (DP) from Braydon Russo and Logan Reaney, 4:08; Vaeriote (HGP) from Joe Spadaccino, 7:58
Second-period goals: Mike Previtera (HGP) from Logan Barnes and Valeriote, 4:57; Valeriote (HGP) from Chase Logue and Joe Kaufmann, 5:17; Kaufmann (HGP) from Logue 5:59; Brian Kinniry (HGP) from Kaufmann, 7:09 (pp); Russo (DP) from Crossan and Reaney, 13:13
Third-period goals: Crossan (DP) from Russo, 1:27 (pp); Logan Barnes (HGP) unassisted, 1:54 (sh); Spadaccino (HGP) from Brady Flynn and Logue, 15:28
Shots: Devon Prep 27, Holy Ghost Prep 52 Saves: Grant Gale (DP) 33 and Aidan Wright (DP) 11; Jack Unger (HGP) 24
-Rick Woelfel, hockeyhappenings.com
