High School Ice Hockey:
Township Overwhelms St. John Neumann

Sunday, October 24, 1999

By Mike Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer

Eight different players scored for Washington Township as they skated by St. John Neumann 10-1 in a JVA division game in the SJHSIHL played on Sunday. Township opened the scoring in the first period as Mike Smetaniuk jumped on a loose puck and fired home the shot just beyond the left face-off circle and it was 1-0. A few minutes later Joby Passanate scored off the face-off with Mike Schauffele assisting to make it 2-0.

Township seemed to be clicking on all cylinders as they kept constant pressure in Neumann's end. With just under four minutes left in the period, Nick Stefanopulos made it 3-0 with Schauffele and Passanate assisting and the Pirates were in control at 3-0. Neumann had an opportunity to get on the board as they went on the power play in the last two minutes but Schauffele scored a short-handed goal and the lead was 4-0. Ian Potter would score two straight goals for Township to start the period assisted by Mark Capone and John Spallino and the lead grew to 6-0.

Neumann finally got on the board as they had a two-man advantage and Ken Sarkiliglo tallied right at the end of the first penalty with Chris Gagliardi assisting to make the score 6-1. But the Minutemen's offense kept firing the puck, outshooting Neumann for the game 42- 9 and scoring four goals in the final three minutes of the game with Spallino, Jason Pelle, Stefanopulos and Peter Layman closing out the rout at 10-1.