Pennsylvania State AA High School Ice Hockey Championship
Bishop Canevin Crusaders vs Father Judge Crusaders April 10, 1990
Played at The Skatium, Havertown, PA.
IN THE NEWS:
April 12, 1993
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette
HAVERTOWN, PA. Josh Rooney wiped away the tears and summarized Canevin’s loss in the Class AA state hockey final this way: “It came like that…” He snapped his fingers. “And it went like that.” He snapped again. Canevin blew a two-goal, third-period lead yesterday in losing to Philadelphia Father Judge, 5-4, on a goal by Mike Tallarida with twenty seconds left. It was the school’s second-Class AA title in the past four years. “It hurts,” said Canevin Coach Greg Timmons. “All year long, we closed the vise on every team we played when we had a lead. I think we may have gone into a bit of a shell when we got up 4-2.” Canevin (22-4) appeared to be in command after a pair of early third- period goals snapped a 2-2 tie. Eric Tysarczyk of Father Judge (20-7-1) turned over the puck to Canevin’s Jim Palmer in the left faceoff circle. Palmer cut to the inside and tucked a backhander past goalie Dave Huffnagle 1:52 into the period. Two minutes later, Paul Sikorski split the Father Judge defense and scored off his own rebound. Things looked good for Canevin, largely because Father Judge was missing five players, including its top two goalies. Four were out due to academic suspension and another was suspended for kicking an opponent in the state semifinals. Huffnagle’s start was only his fifth this season. “We thought that with their only having 12 guys, that we’d wear them down and they’d be dead tired,” Timmons said. “That didn’t happen.” Just 1:12 after Sikorski’s goal, Father Judge’s John Palantine scored his second goal and, four minutes later, picked up his third. “I think the comeback kind of scared Canevin a little,” said Father Judge Coach Bill Connors. “They seemed to be running around after we tied it.” That was especially true of the last two minutes. Father Judge buzzed the Canevin net for six shots until Tallarida took a pass from Ken Kucera and slid a weak shot past goalie Jeff Haduch. Canevin opened the scoring 7:32 into the first period when Jeremy Swegman swatted home the rebound of Palmer’s shot. Father Judge countered 2:13 later on a 10-foot wrist shot by Greg Watkins. Matt Burlando tipped Rooney’s point shot to give Canevin another short-lived lead at 4:50 of the second period. Three minutes later, Palantine scored the first of his three goals and the teams were tied 2-2 after two periods. Blowing the lead was the toughest part of the defeat for Canevin, the South Hills League champion. “Even when we got up by two, they just kept coming at us,” Rooney said. “We didn’t give up or anything. It just seemed like they never stopped attacking.”
SCORING SUMMARY:
FIRST PERIOD: (Can) Jimmy Swegman, (Jim Palmer) 7:32, (FJ) Greg Watkins, (Unassisted) 9:44
SECOND PERIOD: (Can) Matt Burlando, (Rooney) 4:50, (FJ) John Palantine, (Unassisted) 7:45
THIRD PERIOD: (CAN) Jim Palmer, (Unassisted) 1:52, (Can) Paul Sikorski, (Unassisted) 3:00, (FJ) John Palantine, (Unassisted) 4:22, (FJ) John Palantine, (Unassisted) 9:05, (FJ) Mike Tallarida, (Ken Kucera) 14:40
SHOTS: Unavailable
GOALIES: (CAN) Jeff Haduch, (FJ) Dave Huffnagle
ROSTER:
Head Coach: Bill Connors
Assistant Coach: Chris Plymouth
Assistant Coach: Terry Dillon
Dave Huffnagle
Eric Tysarczyk
Dave Busk
Kenny Kucera
Jim Fyke
Brian Newton
William Arbertus
John Palentine
Douglas Ralston
William Ward
Chris Stenfnack
Bill Connors Jr.
Mike Viscue
Mike Proud
Eric Capozzoli
Greg Watkins
John Shimony
Mike Taharida
Jeff Hylan
