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Quakers (Pa.) Break Through to Tier II Nationals

By Tom Robinson - Special to USAHockey.com, 03/11/15, 12:30PM MDT

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This marks the first trip to nationals for the players and coach of the West Chester, Pa.-based team

The Quakers relied on tough defense and goaltending to find success throughout the 2014-15 Delaware Valley Hockey League season.

Once the playoffs arrived, the West Chester, Pa.-based team became even stingier.

As a result, the Quakers are headed to Toyota-USA Hockey Youth Tier II 18U National Championships March 26-30 in Troy, Mich.

The Quakers grabbed the Atlantic District’s Eastern Pennsylvania spot at nationals by holding the Grundy Senators scoreless for the first 82:58 of their best-of-three playoff series on the way to a 4-0, 7-3 sweep Saturday at the Hatfield Ice Arena.

During the regular season, the Quakers allowed just 1.6 goals per game while finishing second of 11 teams in the 18UAA Division of the Delaware Valley Hockey League.

Goalie Jake Branyan did not allow a goal in the final four periods of the DVHL playoffs and then through nearly five periods of the Atlantic District series.

With Branyan leading the way, each of the Quakers players — and Eric Wolf, a youth coach for more than 20 years — are making their first trip to a USA Hockey National Championships.

“We have great D,” Branyan said. “I’ve had a lot of help all year. We’re fast and we’re good at getting the puck out of our end. Our D is good, so we’re able to keep the puck high.”

Branyan handled the 21 shots he saw in the district opener and did not allow a goal until a short-handed breakaway with 2:02 left in the second period of Game 2, with the Quakers already in front, 6-0.

“Especially in the first game, they weren’t able to get anything below the circles,” Branyan said.

Wolf credits Michael Churchvara and Kevin Cleary with leading the defense.

“They log a ton of minutes,” the coach said. “They are just selfless players who really bought in.

“A lot of times these guys were called on to do more in previous years, to lug the puck a bit. We asked them to actually do less of that; to move the puck and then join the play instead of being the play. That was really a difference maker for us.”

While leading a strong defensive unit, Churchvara and Cleary still provided plenty of offense. Cleary was second on the team in assists and tied for third in points during the regular season. Churchvara was third in goals.

Churchvara was one of four players to score goals in the district opener against Grundy. Steven Groff led the offense with a goal and an assist.

The forwards did their part in the game that clinched nationals, with a breakout offensive performance that put the game in control early.

Shawn Ryan, who led the team in goals during the season while ranking second to Matt Carreras in points, scored the first two goals. He connected from in front just 34 seconds in, then stole the puck in the slot and got off a quick shot for another goal at 3:54.

Steven McElroy added the next two goals 3:38 apart early in the second period and also had an assist in the game. Chris Rodier finished with four assists while Jack McTiernan had a goal and two assists.

The Quakers made their breakthrough after playoff losses last year to Warwick and York, which both wound up at nationals.

Ryan, McElroy and Timothy Muir are all back from that team.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.


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