Three one-sided victories at Lancaster Ice Rink led to large offensive numbers in Central Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League action last Friday and Sunday nights.
Hempfield and Lampeter-Strasburg, a pair of Lancaster County powerhouses, remain tied atop the Tier 2 standings after both steamrolled the opposition Friday night.
The Black Knights (11-1-0, 22 points) blitzed Annville-Cleona 10-1 in the first game back after holiday break, their sixth win a row. Junior defenseman Evan Matthews led the way with a goal and four assists for a five-point performance. Another junior defenseman, Ted Granbois, finished with four points on a goal and three assists for Hempfield.
The Pioneers (11-1-0, 22 points) also cruised to victory, their 10th straight, by rolling past Red Land 9-3. Another defenseman put up five points as senior Kyle Martin had a hat trick and two assists. Senior forward Dylan Garrett (goal, three assists) and junior forward Nick Mummau (four assists) both finished with four-point nights.
Be sure to circle Feb. 5 on the calendar, when Hempfield and Lampeter-Strasburg meet head-to-head in what’s shaping up as a battle for the regular-season division title. The Black Knights squeaked out a 4-3 win against the Pioneers in their only other meeting back on Nov. 8.
On Sunday, Penn Manor stayed right on the heels of Tier 3-leading Susquehanna Township by drubbing West York 10-0 behind a five-point game from Kyle Petoni. The junior forward scored two goals and set up three others. Sophomore forward Lindy Vicari chipped in a pair of goals and two assists for his own four-point night.
One other performance of note Friday night came in a Tier 3 game between Carlisle and Northern York. Junior Quinn Poirier (12 saves) and sophomore Katrina Homovich (10 saves) combined on a shutout as the Thundering Herd (9-2-0, 18 points) blanked the Polar Bears 6-0 at Twin Ponds West in Mechanicsburg.
Junior defenseman Seth Pennebaker fueled the Carlisle offense with a three-goal effort, keeping the Herd even with Penn Manor in the Tier 3 standings, just two points behind Susquehanna Township.
CONTACT: dsottile@pennlive.com
ON TWITTER: @davesottile