The 19th CPIHL regular season has concluded, with some of the tightest races in league history foreshadowing what should be a highly competitive postseason. There were virtual ties at the top in Tiers I and II.
The playoffs get underway in all three tiers Friday night (weather permitting). Tier III has not only picked up a new name for its hardware – the Rothrock Cup – but the flight’s 4-team field will be double-elimination for the first time, joining the format enjoyed by the other tiers.
Click here to view the Viola Cup (Tier II) bracket
Here’s the take on what to be watching for on the ice in Tier II:
TIER II VIOLA CUP
Defending champion: West York
We know one thing for sure – there will be a new Viola Cup champion come March 1. Defending champ West York was decimated by graduation and struggled to a 3-15 season, missing the eight-team playoff bracket. This bracket should be a brawl, with nearly a half-dozen teams fully capable of running off with the Viola. But we’ll start at the top.
Manheim Twp. (14-2-2, 30 points) has fully rebounded from a couple of sub-par seasons (including an ill-fated campaign in Tier I) with a vengeance. The Blue Streaks don’t have a lot of flashy scorers, just hard-nosed ones. Erik Stager was the club’s biggest producer, with 19 goals and 11 helpers for 30 points. Ethan Beauchamp (13-10-23) is a slippery playmaker and Alex Mahajan (6-15-21) adds size and grit down the middle. What the team relies on most, however, is solid defense and top-notch goaltending from Brandon Davis. Davis stood tall in net this winter with a 2.83 goals against average and a knack for making the big stops. The club was docked its Tier II top seed (they tied with Penn Manor and held the tiebreaker) by mutual agreement, the result of league sanctions stemming from a bench violation (20 skaters) in Jan. 7’s 8-5 win over the Comets. They’ll draw seventh-seeded Cedar Crest instead of No. 8 Ephrata.
Penn Manor (14-2-2, 30) likewise rose from mediocrity the year before with a lineup that can find the back of the net. Matthew Gue (25-23-48), Jason Green (18-31-49) and Nick Young (24-20-44) paced a prolific squad that saw 10 skaters notch 17 or more points. Goalie Owen Finefrock had a 3.17 GAA and an .823 save percentage. The Comets tied their first two games of the season, as if trying to find their footing, then took off. They suffered a season-ending 5-3 loss to Lampeter-Strasburg that cost them the outright Tier II crown. We’ll find out if that was a hiccup or a trend on Friday. The opponent that night, eight-seed Ephrata, has some skilled playmakers and speed. Not a gimme.
Will the real RedLand (13-5-0, 26) please stand up? Arguably nobody in the tier (you might get one from Penn Manor fans, but that’s about it) can match this club’s playmaking and sniping ability by its top line, consisting of Brett Gummo (34-33-67), Mike Bacior (20-35-55) and Zach Cooper (12-22-34). But the Patriots, Viola finalists a year ago, were plagued at times with lulls in their play that cost them. Two nights after losing to Cedar Crest, a telling 6-3 win over Manheim Twp. on Jan. 30 reaffirmed their ability to dominate on a given night. Now, they’ve just got to put it together for two weeks. They are certainly capable.
Annville-Cleona (12-4-2, 26) The Little Dutchmen boast the top scorer in the tier in Cody Brightbill (35-35-70) and strong complementary threats in Tanner Fitting (16-31-47) and Andrew Jocham (17-24-41), along with human tree Daulton Kapp (12-13-25) to patrol the ice. Cody Keller put up a 2.72 GAA. They also beat Red Land twice, tied Manheim Twp. twice and lost to Penn Manor twice. See how tough it is to call this bracket? The Dutchmen draw L-S on Friday. They beat the Pioneers 2-1 on Jan. 21 in their only meeting, so there’s that.
Lampeter-Strasburg (12-6-0, 24) has been playing solid hockey down the stretch, as encapsulated by a big 5-3 win over Penn Manor on Monday which denied the Comets the outright title. The Pioneers are paced by Dylan Garrett (16-22-38) and the tier’s most offensive defenseman in Kyle Martin (23-14-37). Nick Mummau (20-13-33) is another legit option. The club is on a four-game winning streak and is another threat to make a run. The hot club is always a trendy postseason pick. L-S fits the bill.
Palmyra (8-7-3, 19) did an incredibly admirable job of rising from the ashes of a winless campaign a year ago, which was an embarrassing thorn in the side of a proud program. The Cougars have plenty to be proud of, and the future looks bright. Still, this flight may be too rough-and-tumble at the moment for a big run. Nick Stoner (21-18-39) and Alex Daley (10-20-30) pace the offense, which boasts a blossoming third sniper in freshman Zach Yingst (12-9-21). A 3-3 draw with Cedar Crest last week was one of the hardest-hitting, best-played games of the season in Tier II. Efforts like that give the Cougars an outside shot. Issue is, they’ll have to do it for two weeks.
There’s a lot to like about Cedar Crest (8-9-1, 17). The Falcons have a top scoring threat in Kyle Harris (22-19-41) and who what many might call the best all-around player in the entire circuit in Jake Horacek (33-12-45), a member of the national U-16 program. But for whatever reason, the club has had trouble putting it together consistently. A midseason lull (five straight losses) in December cost the club dearly. They’ll get a second shot at Manheim Twp. in three nights Friday in the first round. The Crest hung tough for two periods before losing 4-1 on Wednesday. It’ll take 48 minutes to pull the upset Friday. Capable, but not a fave.
Ephrata (7-9-2, 16) picked up a forfeit win Wednesday over West York. The last time the Mounts won a game on the ice was Jan. 18. The team has snipers in Chase Weik (21-21-42) and Steve Zuziak (21-16-37), with speed on the wings and some playmaking skills. They beat Palmyra twice and were 0-1-1 against Penn Manor. But a smaller squad (12) works against them here, for the long playoff haul. Not to be dismissed out of hand, however
Almost a pick ‘em here. You could go with any of the top five and not draw a dismissive look. Have to pick one, though, and it’s Red Land. That top line -- part of last year’s finalists, so they know what it takes -- can be an irresistible force when on its game.
The Pick: RedLand
In the mix: Penn Manor, Manheim Twp., Annville-Cleona, Lampeter-Strasburg
Longshots: Palmyra, Cedar Crest
More:
CPIHL Playoff Preview: Tier I Bears Cup
CPIHL Playoff Preview: Tier II Viola Cup
CPIHL Playoff Preview: Tier III Rothrock Cup
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