Pennridge holds off CB East

Rams learn from past mistakes, finish strong in first round of Flyers Cup

HATFIELD TWP. >> When Central Bucks East scored early in the third period to pull within 3-2 Tuesday night, it wasn’t hard for the Pennridge ice hockey team to feel a bit of déjà vu.

Last Wednesday in the SHSHL AA semifinals, the Rams took a two-goal lead into the third period before Pennsbury rallied to hand them an overtime defeat.

“We were in the same position last week in the playoffs and we just kept panicking and making mistakes that we shouldn’t of,”

Pennridge’s Blake Stewart said. “So remain calm – learn from last week.”

Stewart providing a steadying hand for the Rams in the Flyers Cup AA first-round contest, answering No. 7 CB East’s tally with a goal of his own just 71 seconds later. The strike put the 10th seed back up two and the margin stayed that way as Pennridge advanced with a 4-2 victory at Hatfield Ice.

“You got a two-goal lead going into third again tonight, they get one really early again and again it’s like you really got to bear down there,” Rams coach Jeff Montagna said. “And when your senior captain, again a minute later, steps up and buries that, I think that took a lot out of CB East from that point moving forward, I really do.”

Pennridge built a 3-0 lead with a strong first period, Aidan Boyle collecting a goal and an assist as the Rams found success with a simple formula of getting pucks and players to the front of the net.

“We knew we aren’t going to beat them with a bunch of pretty goals,” Boyle said. “We just had to get to work, work harder than them and that’s what we did.”

The Patriots struck for the second period’s lone goal then cut

MIKE CABREY — MEDIANEWS GROUP Pennridge’s Aidan Boyle scored one of the Rams’ three first-period goals in the their 4-2win over Central Bucks East in the Flyers Cup AA first round on Tuesday.