Site Editor posted on February 23, 2009 22:45
Fast starts are is usually what defines a Cherokee big game, but tonight Moorestown scored twice in the opening two minutes and never looked back as they defeated Cherokee 8-3 in the last game in the winners bracket. Moorestown is now in the driver’s seat and will have to wait until next Monday before they play another game. Shawnee will play Washington Township on Wednesday night at 8:30 at Voorhees, and the winner of that game will play Cherokee on Friday, at a rink to be announced. Whomever wins Friday will have to beat Moorestown twice in order to become the champion, a tough task just to win one, but two??
Back to the game, Mike Eni opened the scoring with the first of his three goals, as he went end-to-end and his shot beat Alex Zucker and in the opening minute Moorestown led 1-0. Just sixteen seconds later Shane Brennan made it 2-0, with Eni and Ben Smith getting the assists. The key for Moorestown was to smother forward Frank Garvey the catalyst and spark on Cherokee’s top line, and every time Garvey had the puck, there was 2 men surrounding him, and this strategy worked for the entire game as Garvey and his line were held scoreless.
Cherokee had an opportunity to cut into the lead late in the period with a 2 man advantage for forty seconds, but could not capitalize, and we headed into the second period with Moorestown still ahead 2-0. Jason Spieker broke through for Cherokee scoring on the power play four minutes into the second period to cut the lead to 2-1. Just about three minutes later Moorestown struck again scoring twice in less than two minutes, first Alex Hashmi made a great pass on a 2-on-1 as he held the puck till the last minute and hit Tyler Woyshner right along the side of the net and his goal made it 3-1. Moments later Hashmi scored a power play goal to make it 4-1. Cherokee got one back before the period ended as Mike Ligekis scored from in tight to make it 4-2. The third period was a mirror of the first two as Moorestown scored two goals twenty seconds apart, both by Eni to take a commanding 6-2 lead.
Moorestown would strike once again at the eight minute mark as Eric DeStefano put home a rebound for a 7-2 lead. Cherokee would score a power play goal by Pat Mohnacs but Woyshner got his second goal with twenty four seconds and Moorestown was one win away from the title.
Notes: While playing at a larger rink in Pennsauken might generate a few dollars more, I still prefer the over-flow crowd at either Voorhees or Hollydell.
Written by Mike Costantino
More playoff game photos