The Lightning High School Hockey League (LHSHL) Overtime Podcast for Week Twelve recaps all eight of the league’s games that took place over the weekend, which also entails Berkeley Prep’s first regular-season win in four years.
STEINBRENNER-JESUIT
Steinbrenner’s points-streak came to end on Friday night, after the Warriors were shutout by the Jesuit Tigers 3-0. Jesuit goaltender Paul “Winter” Coats earned his first shutout on the year, while stopping all 16 of Steinbrenner’s shots. Though, it was Joshua Burke who led the way for the Tigers. Burke recorded his fifth hat trick on the season, and is now tied for the LHSHL lead in points (45; Justin Garr & Patrick Kenefick). Jesuit has now won back-to-back games for the fifth time this season, and finds itself nine points ahead of second place Wiregrass for first place in the Andreychuk Division.
PLANT-WEST MANATEE
Ellenton played the role of host for an intriguing one-goal game, which took place between the Plant Panthers and West Manatee. While Plant played with a short bench, that didn’t stop the Panthers from collecting two points and defeating West Manatee by a final score of 3-2. The Legend of Troy Burkhart backstopped the Cats to their ninth victory on the year, as Plant’s goaltender recorded 40 saves in the contest. Hamilton “Reese’s Pieces” Reese earned the hat trick and broke a tie-game (2-2) during the early stages of the game’s third period, and Plant was then able to hold off a surging West Manatee squad during the latter stages of the period too.
BLOOMINGDALE-PALM HARBOR
Bloomingdale continued to turn heads, as the Ice Bulls defeated the Palm Harbor Hurricanes 7-6 on Friday night at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy (TBSA). Alexander Higginbotham earned the win between the pipes for Bloomingdale, and Andrew “Big Bull” Miranda recorded his fifth hat trick on the year to help the Bulls win their sixth game this season. Bloomingdale’s Anthony Boromei and Chase Morin also found their way onto the game’s score sheet recording one goal each.
Palm Harbor’s Garrett “Toe Jam” Toenjes recorded another hat trick, but it still doesn’t seem to be enough for the Hurricanes. Palm Harbor has dropped its last three games and will look to rebound against Steinbrenner at TBSA this Friday night (8:15pm).
BERKELEY-JENKINS
Yes, the Berkeley Buccaneers won a game.
For the first time in four years the Bucs collected a “W” in the LHSHL standings, and were also able to shutout the George-Jenkins Eagles by a final score of 3-0 this past Friday night at the Brandon Ice Sports Forum (ISF). Berkeley’s Ronan Farmer opened up the scoring during the first period (12:21), which was assisted by Anuj Bhatia and Damascus Thorpe. Farmer’s tally stood as the game-winner, and it was followed up by a goal from James Horan (second period) and then another from Bhatia during the middle of the third period.
Though, freshman goaltender Heath Chancey may have stolen the show for the Bucs. The youngster made 41 saves on the night, and has proven that he belongs in the same category as one of the top goaltenders the LHSHL has to offer. Now, Berkeley finds itself just three points out of third place in the Lecavalier Division and a playoff position.
Berkeley’s next game is this Friday night when the Bucs host River Ridge for a 9:45pm start at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy (TBSA).
FREEDOM-SEMINOLE
A combined 14 goals were scored during the contest between the Freedom Patriots and Seminole Sharks at FHCI on Friday night (7-7). Two the LHSHL’s top forwards squared off, in Freedom’s Owen Barno, and Seminole’s Zach Katz, as the skaters were responsible for more than half of the game’s points combined. Barno found the back of the net twice, while chipping in two helpers to help Freedom notch seven goals on the night. Dylan Oconnor also had a four-point night (2G-2A) for the Patriots, as the sophomore scored in the second and third periods for the Red, White and Blue.
As for the Teal, Katz didn’t just earn another hat trick, but the senior netted five goals on the night. The accomplishment marked the fourth time this season that Katz recorded five goals in one game. Seminole also used both goaltenders to pick up the lone point in the standings; as Alexsys Fischetti made 16 saves on 19 shots and Hunter Neal stopped 14 of 18 shots that came his way.
RIVER RIDGE-DURANT
The Durant Cougars are on another winning-streak. Durant took down the River Ridge Knights by a final score of 3-1 on Friday night at FHCI. Aidan Kennedy opened up the scoring for Durant with a shorthanded goal at 9:02 of the second period. Forward Jordan Putnam also found the back of the net during the second frame, which would be enough to collect the “W” and stand as the game-winning goal. Additionally, Xander Wise added in the insurance goal for the Cougars which was assisted by Daniel Schilling and Dylan Southern.
River Ridge received its lone goal from Dylan Hultberg (assisted by Charles Davis), and Hultberg now has 29 points on the year to lead the Knights (13G-16A). Though, River Ridge has now lost three games in a row.
WIREGRASS-NEWSOME
It was a team effort for the Wiregrass Ice Hawks on Friday night when they took down the Newsome Wolves at ISF by a final score of 7-4. Six different skaters recorded a point for Wiregrass and, in fact, it wasn’t Josey Davis who led the way this time around. Forward Matthew McGovern earned the hat trick and chipped in two helpers to record a five-point night. Additionally, Alejandro Rivera found the back of the net and picked up two assists. But let’s not forget Wiregrass masked man, Justin White, who had over 40 saves to help the Hawks win their sixth game on the season and jump Jenkins for second place in the Andreychuk Division.
As for Newsome, Andrew Mankowski and Matthew Harrity each had two goals in the contest.
MITCHELL-EAST LAKE
Game of the Week
The LHSHL Game of the Week never seems to disappoint, and that stood true when the Mitchell Mustangs and East Lake Eagles faced-off at TBSA on Friday night. East Lake defeated its Bradley Division rival by a score of 3-1, but scoreboard read “2-1” for a majority of the contest; as the Eagles scored on an empty net (Mitchell goalie pulled) with 19 seconds remaining in regulation.
Michael Garvey was the lone goal scorer for Mitchell, and Tucker Tassone chipped in the assist for Garvey’s first goal on the year.
While East Lake’s leading goal-scorer in Just Garr was not present, the Eagles received scoring help from Eric Thompson and Nickolas Belanger, who both scored during the first period. Additionally, East Lake’s Anthony Samarkos picked up his third victory on the year.
East Lake also separated itself from Mitchell by seven points with the win. The two teams will reconvene this Friday night at the Clearwater Ice Arena for a 7:00pm puck-drop.
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