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Lower Moreland 14, Upper Dublin 2

By Rick Woelfel, 01/10/19, 11:00PM EST

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The Lions are unbeaten in their last eight games

HATFIELD TOWNSHIP—They may be few in numbers, but the Lower Moreland Lions are making an impact in the Suburban High School Hockey League's American Division. The Lions have just 12 players on their roster and had just seven skaters in uniform Monday night but their offense was as potent as ever in a 14-2, two- period win over Upper  Dublin at Hatfield Ice.

Coleman Peppelman and Vincenzo DeMaio scored four goals each to lead the way for Lower Moreland, which moved into first place in the division with a 4-1-3 divisional mark (6-1-3 overall). The Lions, despite their lack of numbers, are unbeaten in their last eight starts and are averaging nine goals a game.

The result was determined within moments of the opening puck drop. Much of the opening period was played in the Flying Cardinals' defensive zone.

Lower Moreland  scored 12 goals in the opening frame. Upper Dublin (3-7, 0-7 in league play) was outgunned but Flying Cardinal netminder Liam Nixon did some good work between the pipes, making 25 saves in the opening period before adding five more in the second frame.

The Flying Cardinals got on the scoreboard when Ari Nordlinger found the back of the net 71 seconds into the second session and the teams traded goals until the contest was halted at the period's conclusion via the 10-goal mercy rule.

The Lions backed off the throttle in the second frame but Peppleman noted that having a sizable lead allowed he and his teammates to work on some of the game's finer points. "We try to build up our defense," he said, "from giving up a lot of goals and offensively I think we're pretty solid."

Peppelman, one of just two seniors in the lineup on Wednesday, stressed the importance of staying focused in a one-sided game to avoid developing bad habits.

"That's when you try to get the kids who don't get the puck as much, get it to them," he said, "and have them build up from there, just set them up and get them ready for the next game."

Lower Moreland coach Gus Salfitti was focused on puck possession. "We have about four or five guys that can protect the puck," he said. "They keep possession. Their passes are nice and crisp and they're to a target ... They use a big chunk of the ice."

In addition to Peppelmans's and DeMaio's  four-goal efforts, Adam Bostock scored twice while collecting an incredible seven assists for a nine-point night. Peppelman added three assists to finish with seven points while DeMaio's two assists gave him six points on the evening.

 

 Lower Moreland 12

Upper Dublin 0 2—2

First-period goals: Vincenzo DeMaio (LM) from Adam Bostock, 1:37; Coleman Peppelman (LM) unassisted, 2:01; Bostock (LM) from DeMaio, 5:04; Devin Green (LM) from Peppelman, 5:44; Peppelman (LM) from DeMaio, 7:07; DeMaio (LM) from Bostock, 7:23; Peppelman (LM) from Bostock, 9:33 (pp); DeMaio (LM) from Bostock, 11:35; Green (LM) from Bostock, 13:03; Arthur Rubinstein (LM) from Peppelman, 13:33; Peppelman (LM) unassisted, 14:02; DeMaio (LM) from Bostock and Peppelman, 15:51 (pp).

Second-period goals: Ari Nordlinger (UD) from Chris Barbera and Andrew Kearney, 1;11; Bostock (LM) unassisted, 2:35; Noah Gazzara (LM) from Bostock and Green, 7:35; Oren Serafin (UD) unassisted, 10:08.

Shots: Lower Moreland 44, Upper Dublin 17; Saves: Jacob Lungrin (LM) 15, Liam Nixon (UD) 30.

Records: Lower Moreland (6-1-3, 4-1-3 SHSHL American Division); Upper Dublin (3-7, 1-7)