The Upper Moreland club hockey team made history over the weekend.
The Golden Bears won their first ever Flyers Cup game in dramatic fashion when Kyle Landis netted the game-winning goal in double overtime against Garnett Valley in a 3-2 win.
It was the opening game of the tournament for 8-seed Upper Moreland, who will now face top-seeded West Chester East in the quarterfinal round on Monday night at Iceline in West Chester. The puck drops at 6:30 p.m.
Upper Moreland qualified for the Flyers Cup for the first time last season, but lost in the opening round. That experience helped carry the team forward this year.
“It was great for a lot of the kids,” head coach Jim Stampler said before the tournament. “We were one-and-done, but it came down to the last couple seconds of the game and lost in overtime. It was a great learning experience for the kids. A lot of the guys didn’t know what the Flyers Cup was. This year, this is what the kids were really shooting for. They wanted to get back in and get further this year.”
The game provided plenty of drama as Upper Moreland trailed in the final minute of regulation. Colton Arizini’s goal with 18 seconds left helped send the game to overtime where Upper Moreland was eventually able to win it.
Garnett Valley outshot Upper Moreland 45-31, but the stellar play of goalie Jared Burch – 43 saves – helped lift the team to the quarterfinals. Matt Iehle collected a goal and an assist for UM, while teammates Jordin Holmes and Nick Park picked up an assist apiece.
Team Roster
25 Jordin Holmes, D
19 Matthew Baumgardner, F
87 Nick Park, F
21 Matthew Iehle, F
95 Kyle Landis, F
7 Joshua Barber, D
10 Matthew Shilling, D
20 Matthew Mastrogiovanni, F
28 Colton Arizini, F
30 Jared Burch, G
39 Christine Goold, F
71 Jacob Harrison, F
77 John Lowry, F
88 Matthew Beck, D
89 Jake Park, D
91 Colin Burch, F
97 Nathan Bennett, F
11 Matthew Fritz, F
29 Darrien Olson, G
31 Patrick Beissel, G
69 Nicholas Johnson, F