High School Ice Hockey:
Township Advances in Flyers Cup

Thursday, March 16, 2000

By Mike Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer

Buddy Anderson, Eric Marano and Mike Mazzucca scored two goals apiece as Washington Township defeated Conwell-Egan 9-6 in an opening round game of the Flyers Cup. Jon Bada led the Conwell-Egan attack with three goals and one assist. Mitch LaFleur opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game, converting a pass from Nick Caruso. Marano tied the game at 1-1 just over a minute later on a nice feed from Joe Pelle and Dan Fratantoro. Township would break the game open, scoring four goals in the next six minutes.

Pelle scored to give Township the lead for good at 2-1, and then Chris Andrews made it 3-1 with a quick wrist shot on a pass from Anderson. Anderson then scored a short-handed goal to make it 4-1. Mazzucca capped the outburst with two minutes left in the period and the lead was 5-1. Early in the second period Brian Tetley cut the deficit to 5-2 and then Bada scored a short-handed goal and suddenly it was 5-3. Mazzucca's second goal at the six-minute mark seemed to stem the tide, but Bada scored fifty-six seconds later and it was 6-4. LaFleur brought Conwell-Egan to 6-5 with less than five minutes left in the second period.

Just as it looked as if Township would fold, Anderson went end to end and scored unassisted to push the lead to 7-5, and then fifteen seconds later Joe Gori made it 8-5 heading into the third period. Marano scored at the ten-minute mark, as Township regained their four-goal lead at 9-5. Bada completed his hat trick late in the game, scoring short-handed, and despite out-shooting Township 33-26, they were on the short end of a 9-6 final.

Photos by Art Redd