Home
Ephrata shows comeback chops
- 27 February 2006
Most coaches will tell you that playing from behind isn't a good thing.In the case of the Ephrata High School hockey team, however, trailing turned out to just what the team needed.
The Mounts fell behind 3-1 after the first period in their Central Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League Tier II playoff game against Elizabethtown Monday night at the Lancaster Ice Rink.
The dose of reality was the tonic the Mounts needed as Ephrata scored six unanswered goals in the final two periods to defeat the Bears 7-3 in the Lancaster/Lebanon/Berks South Division championship game.
The victory sends the Mounts (16-1-1) to the LLB title game against Cedar Crest (8-7-3), which won the LLB North Division with a 7-2 win over Cocalico (13-4-1). Ephrata and Crest will play at 8:15 p.m. Friday at the Lancaster Ice Rink (directions) for the chance to meet the York/Mid-Penn winner (Red Land or Kennard-Dale) for the CPIHL Tier II title or Viola Cup.
Defenseman Nicholas Fetter clears the puck for Ephrata,
with goalie Devon Williams in the background.
© Deb Grove / Intelligencer Journal
with goalie Devon Williams in the background.
© Deb Grove / Intelligencer Journal
Shane Allen and Brandon Pike each had two goals for Ephrata. Allen added four assists to give him a six-point game. Jeremy Martin provided the game-winning goal with 3:34 to play in the second period.
Matt Fasick, who had a hat trick in E-town's win over Penn Manor last week, turned the trick again Monday against Ephrata but it wasn't enough as Ephrata's speed, particularly from Allen and Pike, wore down the Bears (14-4).
Fasick struck early for E-town, scoring from a sharp angle about a minute into the game and then again with Allen in the penalty box for roughing. Jeff Bohler Jr. got one back for Ephrata but then Fasick scored again off of Zach Lokey's touch pass.
"Each time we've been scored on first this season, we've played more aggressively,'' said Ephrata coach Keith Allen. "It's dangerous to play that way but it's worked for us.''
Ephrata's comeback may have started with its goaltender, Devon Williams (20 saves). In the first minute of the second period, Williams stopped Lokey's shot with his mask and then got a pad on the rebound attempt by Dillon Filpas. Less than a minute later, Pike drew the Mounts within one, scoring from 15 feet out.
Mountaineers goalie Devon Williams makes a stop on E-town's Matt Fasick,
who scored all three of the Bears' goals.
© Deb Grove / Intelligencer Journal
who scored all three of the Bears' goals.
© Deb Grove / Intelligencer Journal
The Mounts tied the game on a rush by Shane Allen and Pike. Pike went wide and fed the puck to Allen for an easy redirection goal.
"Ephrata picked it up a notch,'' said E-town coach Brian Singer. "We play only four defensemen and all four carry the puck so it can be tough on them.''
Martin gave Ephrata a 4-3 lead late in the second off of assists from Allen and Bohler.
Allen then scored on a slapshot from just over the red line to push the Mounts' lead to 5-3. Wanner added a third-period goal as did Pike, getting his second of the game.
"We didn't shoot the puck as much as we should have,'' said Singer, whose team managed only eight shots in the third period. "We were trying to dance it in a little too much.''
We here at www.ephratamounts.com are proud sponsors of the Dodgeball for Diabetes tournament.