March 25, 2007
Class A Flyers Cup Ice Hockey Championship
By Chris Goldberg
FOR THE INQUIRER
It was the perfect script for
revenge for the West Chester
Henderson ice hockey team.
The Warriors, swept in two
games in their league finals
weeks earlier, stunned top-seed-
ed Kennett, 4-2, yesterday to
claim their first Class A Flyers
Cup championship at Ice Line
in West Chester.
Alex Cottle scored one goal
and added two assists while
sophomore goalie Rob Mattern
(29 saves) earned Flyers Cup
most-valuable-player honors for
Henderson (18-5-2). The War-
riors advance to the state cham-
pionship April 7 against Pen-
guins Cup winner Freeport at
Ice Works in Aston.
The teams were meeting for
the sixth time this year. They
went 1-1-1 during the Inter-Coun-
ty Scholastic Hockey League A
Division regular season, but
Kennett (21-2-2) won both
games to take the league play-
off and earn the top seed.
“We were probably the only
ones who thought they could
beat them,” Mattern said. “They
beat us in that two-game series;
both games were close, but they
were the better team.
“But here, we were the better
team.”
Henderson took its first lead
late in the second period yester-
day when Billy Latta took a long
pass off the boards from Cottle
and beat Greg Tinkoff (16
saves) on a breakaway.
Mattern was at his best in the
final period, stopping Kennett’s
top scorer, Jamie Berlin, first
on a breakaway and then twice
on point-blank shots off a two-
on-one break. The Warriors
gave Mattern a two-goal cush-
ion when B.J. Blaker blasted a
slap shot on the short side past
Tinkoff on a power play with 6
minutes, 50 seconds to play.
Mattern then made several
key saves on Jesse McClane
and Kennett standout Tim Mc-
Garry. Finally, Kennett, also
looking for its first Flyers Cup
title, drew within 3-2 when Mc-
Garry put home a power-play
goal with 1:07 left off a feed
from Conner Ciallella.
But Henderson iced it sec-
onds later when Christian Ber-
en picked up a loose puck off a
face-off in the Warrior zone and
scored on an empty net.
“Rob’s been awesome the
whole run. That’s why he’s the
most valuable player,” Cottle
said of Mattern.
Kennett took a 1-0 lead midway
through the first period when
freshman Matt Piacentino scored
on a wrist shot. Henderson tied it
when Cottle scored unassisted
early in the second period.
Henderson……… 0 1 3 — 4
Kennett…………..1 0 1 — 2
Henderson goals: Alex Cottle, Billy Latta, B.J. Blaker, Christian Beren.
Kennett goals: Matt Piacentino, Tim McGarry.
Saves: H-Rob Mattern 29, K-Greg Tinkoff 16.
