Weekend Roundup - October 18-19

8U Mites

10U A Squirts

From Coach Chris: 10UA faced off against an undefeated Reading Jr. Royals team on Sunday.  The boys came out buzzing, ending the first period in a 1-1 tie with the first place team in our division.  We continued to fight hard against a skilled and talented team, but a couple of quick goals at the start of the 3rd period took the wind out of our sails, ultimately resulting in a loss.  I was proud of the way we battled through the first 2 periods even after some tough calls from the ref's.  We talked a lot about facing adversity and how we manage through it, and the never quit attitude that we need to continue to push through when things don't go the way we want them to, especially mid game.  Looking forward to our last regular season matchup against them later this season.

10U B Squirts

Our team went on the road last weekend to Exton. The team came out strong, scoring two goals in the first period by Finn and Jack. Despite a hard-fought effort and a final-minute goal by Jack in the third period, we came up just short with a 3–5 loss.

Congratulations to Bentley, our MVP of the weekend, for his hustle on the ice and continued improvement!

12U A American PeeWee

From Coach Mike: The Peewee A team hosted Central Penn on Saturday afternoon, and the team was ready to go.  Energy was high in the locker room, in warmups, and that carried right over to puck drop.  The game featured strong defense and goaltending for most of the first period by both teams.  However, we were able to break through with a goal by Gunnar Niehoff, with about 3 minutes left in the first.  The second period was a continuation of the first, but our JBH kids really controlled the pace of play, outshooting the Panthers 16-6.  Gunnar added another goal, assisted by Chase Bolin, to give us the 2-0 lead heading to the third.  This was Gunnar's day, as he tallied again, netting his third goal of the day, for his first hat trick of the season!  Brayden Adams was stellar in net and carried a shutout well into the third period.  Unfortunately, a defensive breakdown led to a 3-0 fast break and Central Penn was finally able to get on the scoreboard.  With a couple minutes left, Ryan Rewkowski added an empty net goal to seal things up.  It was a goal of ours to get quality shots on net, and we did just that, outshooting Central Penn 49-23.  Their goalie played well, but we just kept firing pucks and sticking to our gameplan.  Final score JBH 4 Central Penn 1.

12U B hit the road to PNY for a match up against the Quakers on Saturday. The weather was gorgeous, we wish we could warm up outside there but understand why we can’t. The kids were pumped and ready to hit the ice, and both teams came out strong from the start. The Quakers kept us on defense for most of the first period, asserting control over the puck and managing to get 10 shots on goal to our 3. Andrew Kulp was a beast in the net, blocking 9 of those in the 1st. Both teams were hyped going in to the 2nd, us wanting to tie up and surpass, them wanting to extend that lead. Any time kids get pumped and refs are slow on the whistle, things get spicy and that trend continued with some pretty physical hockey. With intensity increasing on all sides, we were able to triple our shots on goal but unfortunately the same went for the other side. Quakers managed to sink 3 on us by the end of the 2nd, and we were in full blown catch up mode after we had a goal not counted because the puck bounced out. The 3rd period started off with tensions high, and on a breakaway one of our skaters got sandwiched between two opponents and went down, hard. We knew it was a big hit on open ice and thought he just needed a minute to compose himself, but when asked to get up and head to the bench he wasn’t able. Fortunately for us, PNY is just about the only rink in the league that keeps a medic on staff, and she was quick to check him over, ultimately determining further intervention would be necessary. Both teams, us and the Quakers, along with rink staff, deserve credit for their composure and sportsmanship during this incredibly tense and stressful time. After medics cleared the ice everyone headed to their locker rooms to call it a day. 

We want to give a shout out to the Quakers team for not only checking on us the following day, but their kids asking if there was any way possible to give us the win in the hopes it would boost the spirits of our injured player. Their parents and coaches deserve a pat on the back for the care the team showed ours, and their well wishes are deeply appreciated. 

Our skater is good, he was thoroughly checked out and received the all clear. He’s going to be sore for a while, but no serious injury occurred and he’ll be good as new in no time.

14U A American Bantam

14U JBH played the Delco Phantoms on Saturday at home. They went into the game looking for their second win of the season. First period Chase Watkins started off with the first goal with an assist from Ernesto Boyd. Pippa Hall got the second goal with an assist from Chase Watkins. Second period started with a 2-0 lead. Andrew Nicholson made it 3-0 with an unassisted goal. Pippa Hall got her second goal with an assist from Andrew Nicholson. At the beginning of third period, we had a 4-0 lead. Ethan Grosser scored with an assist from Andrew Nicholson making it 5-0. Delco scored making the score 5-1. It is always fun to get the win at home. McKayla Mellon was in net and had an awesome game.

Go Blue Hens!!!!

16U A American Midget

Saturday afternoon the 16U A American boys faced the undefeated Wilmington Nighthawks. It’s always something to look forward to when you’re playing a team consisting of a lot of kids you know well, either from past teams, school, or hockey camps. Knowing we had a shorter ice slot than usual, we hit the ice pumped up and ready to get things moving. The first period was a continual volley of back and forth, with both teams fighting for puck control and succeeding in breaking up plays to prevent any scoring opportunities. 2nd period had us running hard defense right out of the gate, with Nighthawks managing to knock 3 past Brody Szyjka after hammering him with far more shots on goal than our defense line would have liked. They kept us on the run in the 3rd, knocking in 2 more before we finally stepped up and answered back. Oscar Wiebke snuck one past on a sweet backhanded spin off a pass from Tristan Fischer, scoring our first goal of the game and Josh Revis got a buzzer beater shot off thanks to a pass from Jeet Patel with :01 left on the clock. With a final score of 5-2, we were happy we stopped a shutout and know what to expect the next time we play. 

Up next the team travels to Voorhees for a game against Flyers Youth.

16U A National Midget

The 16A National boys hit the ice early Sunday morning for their first matchup of the season against Delco White — and it was all Blue Hens from the drop of the puck.

The scoring opened midway through the first period when David Lavieri buried one on the power play, setting the tone for a dominant performance.

The second period was all Delaware. Jackson Simon found the back of the net twice — once on the man advantage with an assist from Jaxson Mackenzie, and again later off a setup from Jason Tamin. Landon Austin joined the scoring action as well, netting an unassisted goal in the final two minutes to make it 4–0 heading into the third.

While the goal light stayed off in the final frame, the Blue Hens defense made sure the scoreboard did too. They didn’t allow a single shot on goal in the third period and gave up just 10 total shots all game, securing Jacob McBee’s first shutout of the season.

On the other end, credit goes to Delco netminder Brandon Wright, who faced a staggering 58 shots and held strong, allowing just four to slip past.

Next weekend brings a big test for the boys with a late home game Saturday night against Genesis, followed by a road trip to Wilkes-Barre on Sunday to take on the Jr. Penguins. Having already notched wins over both teams earlier this season, the Hens’ focus will be on teamwork, discipline, and staying humble to keep the momentum rolling.

16U AA Midget 

From Coach Jesse: 16UAA was scheduled to play a MAHA game against Cranford Sunday afternoon in the newly overhauled Rust.  Unfortunately they emailed Wednesday that they had too many injuries and had to forfeit.  So, we scrambled and found a worthy opponent for a non league game.  The Haverford Hawks accepted and we were set for a MAHA/AHF showdown.  The Hawks are a good team from an organization I grew up playing against. They always field strong teams.  It was our first game in the Rust.  The boys like the new rink, the fans not so much.  Complaints about the black netting and not being able to find the puck or take pictures.  The Hawks started the scoring off on a goal where we pushed the puck carrier wide and outside but he snuck a sneaky shot off at the goalie to make it 1-0.  It was a very close back and forth game.  Not too physical, but when you are one of our bigger players and hit a smaller player, not maliciously or intent to injure, just a big dude that can move, it looks bad and you get a penalty for your size.   The refs gave Charlie Huber a roughing penalty.  I put out our top PK forwards in Ethan (Chants) Chantler, and Chris (Wingstop) Howie.  These two along with any D pair I put out play excellent position and will lay it on the line to block shots.  Wyatt Gooch blocked a shot that almost put him down but he toughed it out like a dog and finished his shift by icing the puck out of the zone basically on one leg.  Chants and Wingstop communicated and Chants went low to apply pressure.  He made the Hawks mishandle the puck with his pressure and eventually caused a turnover which he recovered and buried.  Outstanding teamwork, effort, and finish.  So we are  tied 1-1.  On another kill, it was Wingstops turn.  He picked up the puck on a clear and beat the defender for a breakaway which he deeked the goalie and beat him for a beaut of a goal.  CHIPS! Our next goal, Chips saw Riley with his spidey sense and made a ridiculous pass through traffic which Riley buried a one timer from Ovi’s spot. What a play and execution.  Up 3-1, big Charlie Huber entered the zone on a flyer and was given space that he took.  He beat the goalie 5 hole for a PP goal and we went up 4-1.  The Hawks battled back and got one on us.  Then Holmzy got another tap in on a pass from J$ to make it 5-2.  This game was very competitive.  We made a couple terrible decisions after that goal and gave them a 5-3 PP with over 4 minutes left.  The PK did all they could but the Hawks pulled the goalie to make it a 6-3 advantage.  Hopefully the boys learned a valuable lesson after almost giving the game away.  That being said, since we hit rock bottom a couple of weeks ago, we are undefeated and starting to roll. I love that on any given day any player can be the guy which is indefensible. We are starting to click going into the strength of our season. Next up a big 3 game weekend all at home.  We have a revenge match against the Union Thunder Saturday before noon, and then an evening match against a hungry Montclair team. Sunday we look into the belly of the beast at home against Genesis. We will not look past any of the games and will focus on the current task. Our goal is always to go 1-0 for the game we are playing.

18U AA Midget 

The Delaware Jr. Blue Hens hit the road to iconic Lake Placid, NY, this past weekend to compete in the CAN/AM Challenge Cup. The team played four hard-fought games, finishing the tournament with a 2–1–1 record and earning the bronze medal. Along the way, they showcased skill, teamwork, and a true love for the game both on and off the ice.

The Hens opened the weekend strong with a commanding 6–1 win over the Great Neck Bruins. Nathan Ponden led the scoring with two goals, assisted by Enrique Boyd and Dylan Schenk on the first, and Schenk again on the second. Brennan Austin added one with help from Blake D’Itaila and Zayne Mackenzie, who also netted a goal of his own. Schenk found the back of the net with assists from Ponden and Mackenzie, and David Funk Jr. sealed the win off a setup from Dylan Crandall. Goaltender Ryne Dominick was sharp between the pipes, stopping 10 of 11 shots.

In Game 2, the Hens faced a tough matchup against Rinx and came up just short in a 3–2 loss. Funk Jr. opened the scoring with help from Ponden, while Aydan Savery added another assisted by Boyd. Dylan Morrison made several key stops, turning aside nine shots in the effort.

The third game of the weekend brought plenty of excitement, ending in a 4–4 tie against the Fredonia Steelers. Tyler Heffington scored twice, with assists from Brennan Austin, Boyd, and Savery. Boyd added a goal of his own, and Cian Harp chipped in late with a tally assisted by Ethan Lannon. Dominick was busy in net, facing 23 shots and keeping the game within reach.

The Hens closed out the tournament in style, taking home the bronze medal with a 2–1 win in a rematch against Rinx. Zayne Mackenzie opened the scoring with help from Harp, and Brennan Austin buried the game-winner off a pass from James Austin. Morrison capped off the weekend, stopping 14 of 15 shots in the victory.

Off the ice, the Jr. Blue Hens made the most of their Lake Placid experience. The team shined in the skills competition, winning the relay race (Gavin Mellon, Enrique Boyd, Tyler Heffington, and Blake D’Itaila), while Brennan Austin was a finalist in the shootout, and Dominick came within one save of taking home the goalie title. The boys also took time to visit High Falls Gorge and watched Olympic ski jumpers practice - creating memories that went well beyond the rink.

The Hens will now return home and shift their focus to a single home matchup this Saturday against Cranford Hockey Club at the University of Delaware’s Gold Arena, with puck drop at 5:00 PM.

In Other News...

Please see the attached graphic for information on a Veterans Day Minicamp offered by CV3 Hockey Development:

Thanks for reading! If you have any feedback about the Weekend Roundup, or have any suggestions for future editions, please email them to Morgan.wiebke@gmail.com

Sorry for the delay in posting - Jim