High School Ice Hockey:
Kelly's Hat Trick Leads Chiefs Over Eagles

Friday, October 22, 1999

By Mike Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer

Kyle Kelly scored three goals to lead Cherokee over West Deptford 6-4 in a SJHSIHL game played at Hollydell on Friday night. With the outstanding play of goaltender Phil Guinto, it looked like West Deptford might steal one as he denied Cherokee early on. The Chiefs came out and dominated the first six minutes, putting constant pressure on Guinto for most of the first half of the period that was spent in the West Deptford zone. Finally at the eight-minute mark, Bob Cook scored for the Eagles on the first shot of the game with Jay Bratton getting the assist.

Then with two Chiefs in the penalty box, Cook scored again to give West Deptford a 2-0 lead as he was set up by Chuck Clendenning and Matt Moore. Despite being outshot 11-3 the Eagles led 2-0. Cherokee capitalized on the power play with about three minutes left in the period as Kelly notched his first on a feed from Paul Caruso and Pat Birney. The Eagles began the second period by scoring an early goal as Pat Foster banged it in with John Way assisting and the lead was back to two goals at 3-1.

The game seemed to turn when Caruso picked up a loose puck and scored for the Chiefs to make it 3-2. Thirty seconds later, Kelly scored his second of the game to tie the score at 3-3. Kelly completed his hat trick with about five minutes to go in the second period with Pat Henderson and John Benskin assisting and the 4-3 lead. Sean Zhacewski scored a short-handed goal early in the third period for Cherokee to make it 5-3. The Eagles cut the lead to 5-4 as John Way scored. But about ninety seconds later, Henderson put the game away as he scored on a breakaway and Cherokee held on for the 6-4 victory.

Photos by Art Redd