Phantoms Cup

Phantoms Cup Recap Day One (Elementary & Varsity Division Semifinals)

(1) Northampton 8 | (4) Parkland 2

Northampton Returns to Elementary Finals

The Northampton Konkrete Kids thrived on Thursday night with a well-played 8-2 win against the Parkland Trojans in the Semifinals of the Elementary Division Phantoms Cup. This game was the Logan Pile and Nate Bryan show as both led the Northampton offense by each netting their own hat tricks. During an interview after the game, Bryan said, “We definitely had fun, and we are off to the championship.” The Konkrete Kids advance to the Elementary Phantoms Cup Final for the second-straight season. They will take on the Emmaus Hornets in the Championship Game on Tuesday, March 11 7:15pm at PPL Center.

 

(2) Emmaus 8 | (3) Easton 0

Shutout Effort Brings Emmaus to Elementary Championship Game.

The Emmaus Hornets put forth a great shutout effort and advanced to the Elementary Division Phantoms Cup Championship with an 8-0 win over the Easton Red Rovers. Emmaus’s offense had a tremendous performance that included goals from Max Holschwander, Matthew Supp, Nicholas Supp, Nathan Mankus, Brant Beebe, and Carson Diefenderfer. The Hornets will have their chance to win the Elementary Phantoms Cup on Tuesday, March 11 at PPL Center starting at 7:15pm where they will face defending champion Northampton.

 

(1) Bethlehem 5 | (4) Parkland 1

Fanning’s Four Goal Night Leads Bethlehem to First Finals Appearance

The first varsity game of the 2025 Phantoms Cup featured Bethlehem Area School District/Nazareth advancing to their first Phantoms Cup Final. In the first period, the fourth-seeded Parkland Trojans striked first with a goal from Madison Morris. From that point on, however, it was Bethlehem that took over the scoresheet. Logan Ritter made a great left wing pass to Chris Fanning to tie the game at one. Later, Brady Roche scored his first goal of the season on a shorthanded snipe. Throughout the rest of the game, Fanning took over and displayed his talent, scoring four times and pushing Bethlehem to the Finals for the first time in team history. Fanning spoke after the game and said, “It feels good to finally get passed that hump and we still have two more games to win.” Game 1 of a best-of-three series in the Varsity Division Phantoms Cup is on Monday, March 10 beginning at 8:45pm.

 

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Two (Middle School & Varsity Division Semifinals)

(1) Northampton 7 | (4) Nazareth 2

Northampton Advances to Middle School Phantoms Cup After Strong Offensive Effort

The Northampton Konkrete Kids advanced to the Middle School Phantoms Cup Championship for the second consecutive year after winning 7-2 over the Nazareth Blue Eagles. Forwards Carter Huber (2) and Anthony Noti (2) led the way by each recording a pair of goals as Northampton’s offense dominated the game with 45 total shots on goal. Nazareth would strike first with a tally from Michael Schmitz, but the Blue Eagles’ lead did not last long as the Kids proceeded to score 6 unanswered goals. Northampton will have a chance to win the Middle School Phantoms Cup for the second-straight year on Tuesday, March 11th at 8:30pm.

 

(2) Easton 5 | (3) Emmaus 2

Easton Holds-Off Emmaus in Middle School Semifinal

The Easton Red Rovers defeated the Emmaus Hornets 5-2 and moved on to their first-ever Middle School Phantoms Cup Championship. Early in the game, Luke Anastasio and Mason Fratantoro gave Easton a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission. The Hornets and Red Rovers both shared goals in the second, but by the end of the second, it was Easton that gained a 4-2 lead. In the third, MJ Norwood scored his second goal of the game on a breakaway that sealed the deal for Easton. The Red Rovers will now face-off against the defending champion Northampton Konkrete Kids in the Middle School Phantoms Cup Championship game on Tuesday, March 11th at 8:30.

 

(2) Saints 5 | (3) Northampton 2

Lehigh Valley Saints Overcome Defending Champions

 After a solid effort, the Lehigh Valley Saints took down the two-time defending champion Northampton Konkrete Kids 5-2 in the Varisty Division Semifinals. In the beginning of the first period, David MacIssac passed the puck off the board to Porter Fegley who scored to gives the Saints a 1-0 lead. The Kids wasted no time to respond as Nick Kotch’s wrist shot went in to tie the game 1 shortly after. In the second, Dominic Natosi scored a pair of goals to give the Saints a 3-1 lead. Ian Brawn got the Kids back in the game with a rebound goal to give the Kids life late in the second. The third period remained tight until Saints’ Captain MacIssac scored a huge insurance goal that put his team back up by two goals. An empty netter from Alec James sealed the deal for the Saints, who advanced to the Varsity Phantoms Cup Championship Final for the second year in a row. They will take on Bethlehem Area School District/Nazareth in the best-of-three Championship series beginning on Monday, March 10th at 8:45pm.

 

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Three (Junior Varsity Semi-Finals and Varsity Finals Game 1)

Northampton 9 | (4) Easton 4

Northampton’s Offence leads the way to the Finals and a 9-4 win.

The Northampton Konkrete Kids have done it again! Winning 9-4 over the Easton Red Rovers! The Kids forward core was the main topic of this game at PPL Center. Northampton goal scorers included Blaze Nederostek, Carsen Rader, Jackson Repetz, Spencer Ault, Colin Becker, Caden Kish, and two goals from Shane Grubbs. For the Red Rovers, Calvin Tesis had a hattrick and Chase Rivera got on the board too. Northampton advances to the JV Phantoms Cup Final for the fourth straight season and will have a chance to win their third Cup in four years.

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Four (Elementary Finals and Middle School Finals)

 

Parkland 4 | (3) Emmaus 3 OT

Trojans Preval in late comeback Overtime win!

The Parkland Trojans survive a thrilling playoff game winning 4-3 in overtime against the Emmaus Hornets. This was one of the most exciting games of the 2025 Phantoms Cup so far as both Parkland and Emmaus put on a show! Both goalies in Chase Beck and Aiden Minnick played outstanding tonight. So was Jason Ware for Emmaus, scoring twice on the night. In the final minutes, Parkland was trailing 3-2 and with 2 minutes left, Brody Phillips came up clutch tying the game at three! For the second time in Phantoms Cup history, we would have sudden death overtime. It didn’t take long for the game to end, as Jackson Bus ripped the puck into the back of the net for the epic win! This Trojans victory ended the Emmaus Hornets quest in winning back to back Phantoms Cups. The Parkland Trojans will take on the Northampton Konkrete Kids in the 2025 JV Phantoms Cup Final on Wednesday, March 12. Puck drop at 6:30pm at PPL Center.

 

 Bethlehem/Nazareth 2 | (2) Saints 1

 Bethlehem/Nazareth holds off Saints and goes up (1-0) in Series.

Bethlehem/Nazareth secures a very important game one winning 2-1 over the Lehigh Valley Saints. The offense of Lehigh Valley had many quality chances but the outstanding goaltending of Aiden Kortbawi made a lot of big stops saving 24 of 25 shots on net. A few minutes into the first, Garrett Riffert on the side of the net passed the puck to Colin Tiers who backhanded it in. Later, Bethlehem/Nazareth would go on the powerplay, and Chris Fanning released an Al Macinnis like slap shot from the high slot to give his team a 2-0 lead.  The Saints responded as their captain David MacIsaac, scored to get Lehigh Valley back into the game. The rest of the game was tight but no more pucks went into the net. Bethlehem/Nazareth wins a crucial game 2-1. They go up 1-0 in a best of 3 game series. Game 2 will be on Wednesday, March 12. Puck drop at 8:30pm at PPL Center.

 

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Four (Elementary Finals and Middle School Finals)

 

(1) Northampton 5 | (2) Emmaus 4

Konkrete Kids Win Elementary Phantoms Cup with late Bryan Goal!

The Northampton Konkrete Kids after a high scoring game, climb back on top winning their second straight Phantoms Cup 5-2! Logan Pile was able to get a hattrick in the first period alone as Northampton had a 4-0 lead entering the second. But the game was far from over. The Emmaus Hornets refused to give up hope. Throughout the second and third periods, Emmaus persevered and came all the way back down 4-0 and tied the game at 4! This comeback would have been impossible if not for the goals from Matthew Supp, Jackson Fegely, Connor Allen, and Grayson Beck. Despite the Hornets great effort, it wasn’t enough. Within the final five minutes of the game, Nate Bryan for Northampton, scored a clutch top shelf goal for the K Kids! That goal would become the game winner for Northampton to win it all again! The Northampton Konkrete Kids are back to back Phantoms Cup Champions! “It’s very fun, last year was the first youth championship and this year now we’re going back to back its just a fun experience to play in PPL Center!” (Logan Pile).

 

(1) Northampton 8 | (2) Easton 5

Northampton Earns Phantoms Cup in Middle School Division

After a high scoring matchup at PPL Center, the Northampton Konkrete Kids keep their winning ways and become the Middle School Division Phantoms Cup Champions 8-5! This win however was not without a strong effort. For a portion of the game, both Northampton and Easton shared the scoring. In the first period, MJ Norwood and Rocco Annunziata scored for Easton while Anthony Noti, Deegan Berry, and Doug List scored for Northampton making it a 3-2 lead for the Kids. In the second, Jaxson Gibbons tied the game for Easton, but Carter Huber had something to say about that. Huber tucked in two goals for Northampton making it a 5-3 lead for the Kids. Blake Flowers and Doug Lisk added to the Konkrete Kids lead during the third. Luke Anastasio and Mason Fratantoro scored for Easton but it wasn’t enough for the Red Rovers to make a comeback. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, gloves, helmets, and sticks went flying into the air. A well deserved victory for Northampton as they win 8 straight games to end this year. They are back to back Phantoms Cup Champions!

 

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Seven (Varsity Division Game 3)

(1) Northampton 5 | (3) Saints 2

Comeback Kids Conquer Varsity Division’s Phantoms Cup 

The Northampton Konkrete Kids took down the Lehigh Valley Saints 5-2 in Game 3 on Wednesday night to claim the Phantoms Cup for the Varsity Division. After trailing 1-0 in the series, the Kids were able to regroup in Games 2 and 3 to complete the comeback and repeat as back-to-back Phantoms Cup Varsity champions. Forward Enzo Tita continued to dominate offensively for Northampton, posting a hat trick which summed up an excellent tournament that ended in championship glory. In what was a tight contest early on that initially featured a 2-0 lead from the Kids, the Saints battled back to tie the game at 2 by the end of the first period. Northampton would regain the lead in the second on a power play goal from Senior, Bryce Schache, and take a 3-2 lead into the intermission. In the third, Konkrete Kids’ goaltender Bailen Smargassi shut down the Saints’ 11 shots (36 saves total) while Tita sealed the deal with his final two goals to bring the Phantoms Cup to Northampton again. Following the win, Tita exclaimed, “It was fun, everybody’s energy was super-high the whole game. Even through the ups-and-downs, everybody was pretty fired-up, smiling, and having some fun—which, I’m big on that. (It’s) fun playing in a game like that where it means everything.” “These guys have worked extremely hard all year at practice, meetings, everything that we’ve had, everything that we’ve talked about. It’s finally come to pass that the trophy is ours,” said coach Brian Ruff after the celebration, “They earned it, and hopefully they’re enjoying it—maybe not now, but when they try to go to sleep tonight, I hope they can’t sleep because I know I won’t be able to.”

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Six (Elementary & Middle School Championships)

(1) Northampton 9 | (2) Parkland 4

Konkrete Kids Cruise to Elementary Division Phantoms Cup

The Northampton Konkrete Kids are kings of the Phantoms Cup in the Elementary Division after defeating Parkland 9-4 on Tuesday night. Hat tricks from Nate Bryan and Logan Pile led the way for the Konkrete Kids offensively, while netminder Greyson Dolan made some spectacular saves in the crease to contain Parkland’s open scoring chances. Blake Jacoby, Sawyer Repetz, and Finnegan McGinley all added goals as well for Northampton in the win. Early on, the Northampton offense exploded in the first period, outscoring Parkland 6-1 which included a natural hat trick from Bryan. The Trojans would show signs of life in the second while down 7-1, as Reid Messa found the back of the net twice and would later complete a hat trick of his own in the third. However, the Kids proved to be too much as they pulled away with a large lead and the championship glory that came as the final horn sounded. “I’m ecstatic for the kids, I’m happy for the parents that have stuck with us since the kids were small,” coach Brian Ruff exclaimed after the win, “They stuck with the program and believe in what they’re doing and what we’re doing out there. This whole championship is as much for the parents as it is for the kids and for us.”

(1) Northampton 7 | (3) Nazareth 5

Northampton Claims Phantoms Cup in Middle School Division

The Northampton Konkrete Kids Middle School squad won their first Phantoms Cup on Tuesday night in a 7-5 win over Nazareth. Dueling hat tricks for Northampton’s Anthony Noti and Nazareth’s Declan Walty made for and back-and-forth contest down the stretch, but in the end, the Konkrete Kids found a way to buckle down and hang on to claim the title. After leading 2-1 at the end of the first period, the Kids found their scoring rhythm early in the second with three-straight goals from Noti, Jackson Repetz, and Caden Kish to go up by four goals. The Blue Eagles made it competitive late in the period by getting within one before Berry and Noti sealed the deal for Northampton in the final frame. Goaltender Desmond Murray came up with big stops throughout on numerous Nazareth breakaways to back his team to the championship victory. “I (had) to stay focused. I was dialed-in,” Murray said following his performance. “It’s great,” Kish added while trying to encapsulate the feeling of winning the Phantoms Cup with a grin, “I can’t even explain it—it’s just unexplainable.”

 

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Five (JV Division Championship, Varsity Game 2)

(1) Northampton 2 | (2) Emmaus 4

Hornets Buzz Past Konkrete Kids to win JV Division’s Phantoms Cup

For the first time since the tournament’s inception, the Emmaus Hornets won the Junior Varsity Division’s Phantoms Cup title after defeating the back-to-back defending champion Northampton 4-2 on Monday at PPL Center. Two first period goals from Jason Ware put Emmaus in the driver’s seat for the remainder of the game before Jacob Mineweaser and Silas Wellhoener tacked on two more goals each in the second. Goaltender Aidan Minnick shut down a late comeback attempt from Northampton in the third period, turning away 19 total shots and backing the Hornets to the championship victory. Regarding his team’s effort during the game and throughout the season, coach Douglas Kirk stated, “These kids had a good season all-around. They played with injuries throughout the season, but it’s good to have them all back playing all week. We lost one of our players last game, but they worked through that and effectively controlled the game.”

— Varsity Division Finals, Game 2 —

(1) Northampton 7 | (3) Saints 2

Tita’s Four Goals Sparks Northampton in Game 2 Win

The Northampton Konkrete Kids handled business with their backs against the wall in an elimination game on Monday night against the Lehigh Valley Saints, winning 7-2 and evening the series at 1. After trailing 1-0 at the end of the first period, the Kids would answer back with a massive second period of their own that featured six goals. The electric performance was sparked by hands of forward Enzo Tita, who netted four goals, and led the offensive surge. Gaven Mollenkof also would add two goals in the second to give life to Northampton and extend the series to a third and final game. The Konkrete Kids will face the Saints in Game 3 of the Varsity Division final to determine the winner of the Phantoms Cup on Wednesday, March 13 at 7PM.

 

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Four (Middle School Division Semi-Finals, Varsity Game 1)

(1) Northampton 11 | (4) Easton 1

Northampton Trounces Easton on Hat Tricks from Dolan and Noti

The Northampton Konkrete Kids took down the Easton Red Rovers with an explosive 11-1 victory on Thursday night in the Phantoms Cup Middle School Division Semi-Finals. Both Jameson Dolan and Anthony Noti recorded hat tricks, while Carter Huber netted two goals of his own in the blowout win. Altogether, the Konkrete Kids piled on 48 shots offensively en route to advancing to next Tuesday’s Middle School Final against Nazareth. It’s a clean sweep of the Semi-Final games across the board for Northampton, who will be represented in each division’s Phantoms Cup Championship.

(2) Parkland 2 | (3) Nazareth 5

Goulet’s Hat Trick, Walty’s Two Goals Advances Nazareth to Middle School Final

The Nazareth Blue Eagles have found their way to the Phantoms Cup Middle School Championship following a 5-2 victory over Parkland on Thursday at PPL Center. Forward Braedan Goulet netted a hat trick and Declan Walty scored two goals in the win for Nazareth. Regarding his performance and advancing to the championship, Goulet stated, “[It feels] amazing. I’ve always dreamed of this, so it’s a big ‘W’ for us.” The Blue Eagles Middle School team will play Northampton on Tuesday, March 12 as the only group amongst the divisions to represent Nazareth for a championship during this year’s tournament finals.

 

— Varsity Division Finals, Game 1 —

(1) Northampton 3 | (3) Saints 8

Saints March out to 1-0 Championship Series Lead

The Lehigh Valley Saints fully earned a hard-fought win in Game 1 of the Varsity Division Finals to hand Northampton its first loss of the season 8-3 on Thursday night. Alec James, Parker Tatum, and Henry Long all had two goals each, while netminder Michael Heitzer stopped 30-of-38 shots to help the Saints claim the 1-0 series lead. A five-goal jolt in the second period that included tallies from Ethan DiLello and captain David MacIsaac sparked the Saints’ offense in the victory that put the team one win away from hoisting the Phantoms Cup. Game 2 of the Varsity Division Championship series will take place on Monday, March 11 at 7:30PM.

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Three (Elementary Division Semi-Finals)

(1) Northampton 9 | (4) Nazareth 3

Northampton Rolls into Elementary Championship Game on Bryan’s Natural Hat Trick

The Konkrete Kids Elementary squad soared on Wednesday night with a commanding 9-3 victory over Nazareth in the Semi-Finals of the Phantoms Cup. After Nazareth jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, it was Nate Bryan that sparked Northampton offensively by netting a natural hat trick and later adding an assist to round out a four-point night. The Kids continued peppering the Blue Eagles’ netminders throughout, adding 6 more goals—two from Logan Pile—and racking up 40 total shots before all was said-and-done. Northampton will face the back-to-back defending champion Parkland for the Phantoms Cup Elementary Division crown at PPL Center next Tuesday.

(2) Parkland 5 | (3) Emmaus 4

Late Rally Lifts Parkland to Elementary Championship

The Parkland Elementary team won 5-4 in a thriller against Emmaus on Wednesday night at PPL Center. In a game that featured a strong goaltending battle early on, with big saves at each end from Parkland’s Brundage and Emmaus’s Mientus on multiple breakaways, the Trojans entered the third period with a 3-2 lead over the Hornets. With time winding down, Emmaus was able to regroup and claim a brief 4-3 lead on Hudson Green’s second of the game before Emery Buczak answered with the tying goal for Parkland. In the end, it was Reid Messa that found the difference-maker with over a minute remaining in regulation to seal the victory for the Trojans while completing a hat trick in the process. The Trojans will now defend their Elementary Division title for the third-consecutive year against Northampton on Tuesday, March 12 at 6PM.

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Two (Varsity Division Semi-Finals)

(1) Northampton 5 | (4) Nazareth 1

Full-Team Effort Puts Northampton Varsity back in Championship Series

Northampton Varsity finds itself once again in the Phantoms Cup Championship series after defeating Nazareth 5-1 on Tuesday night at PPL Center. Defenseman Andrew Raudabaugh’s two goals as well as a four-point showing from forward Lorenzo Tita (1G, 3A) marched the Konkrete Kids’ offense past the Blue Eagles and into the Final. At the other end of the ice, netminder Bailen Smargiassi backed the Kids defensively, stopping 29-of-30 shots he faced. Head coach Brian Ruff commended his team for the all-around effort and looked ahead at the Game 1 of the Varsity Championship by stating, “We’re going to have to go into the game ready to battle just as hard as we did tonight, maybe harder.” Northampton’s sights are now set on repeating as Phantoms Cup Varsity Champions beginning Thursday, March 7 against the Lehigh Valley Saints.

(2) Bethlehem 2 | (3) Saints 7

James’s Hat Trick Leads Saints to Varsity Championship

The Lehigh Valley Saints are heading to the Phantoms Cup Varsity Championship following a dominant 7-2 win against Bethlehem on Tuesday night. The Saints’ offense controlled the game from the opening faceoff to the final horn by putting seven goals past Bethlehem on 17 shots. Alec James (3G, 2A) completed his hat trick early in the third period to put the contest out of reach, and a late goal from Benjamin Garcia capped off the victory that advanced the Saints to the Final series. Goaltender Michael Heitzer stood tall in net as well, coming up with multiple big stops while turning away 37 shots in the win. The puck drops for Game 1 of the Phantoms Cup Varsity Championship series between the Saints and Northampton on Thursday, March 7 at 8:45PM.

Phantoms Cup Recap Day One (JV Division Semi-Finals)

(1) Northampton 9 | (4) Nazareth 7

Brawn’s Double-Hat Trick Sends Northampton JV to Championship

Top-seeded Northampton JV defeated the Nazareth Blue Eagles 9-7 on Tuesday night in the opening round of Phantoms Cup action. Ian Brawn led the Konkrete Kids with an explosive performance, recording six goals in the win to send Northampton to its third-consecutive Phantoms Cup JV Division Final. After a surprising first period that saw Nazareth jump out to a 3-2 lead—and eventually a 4-2 lead early in the second period—the Kids were able to buckle down, answering back with seven unanswered goals. A late hat trick at the final horn for Nazareth’s Radek Remaley wasn’t enough to keep the Blue Eagles’ championship hopes alive, as Northampton hung on for the 9-7 win. The Konkrete Kids JV squad will now look to complete a three-peat by defending their Phantoms Cup Championship against Emmaus on Monday, March 11^th at 6PM.

(2) Emmaus 13 | (3) Parkland 3

Emmaus Advances to JV Division Championship behind Strong Offensive Effort

Emmaus rolled past the Parkland Trojans with a 13-3 victory during Tuesday night’s Phantoms Cup JV Division semi-finals. Forward Benjamin Nichols (5G-2A, 7PTS) and defenseman Greyson Schmidt (3G-1A, 4PTS) led the way for the Hornets in the blowout victory that advanced Emmaus to its second-straight JV Championship game. After overcoming an early 2-0 defecit in the first period, Emmaus stormed back by scoring four unanswered goals from Aidan Nichols, Benjamin Brooks, Schmidt, and B. Nichols to take the 4-2 lead—and hardly looked back. The Hornets find themselves in familiar territory once again as they’ll face Northampton on Monday, March 11^th at 6PM in a rematch of last season’s Phantoms Cup JV Final.

2023 Video Recap Playlist

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Six

(1) Emmaus 1 | (2) Northampton 2

Raudabaugh’s Two Goals Lifts Northampton to JV Championship 

Northampton JV defended their JV Phantoms Cup Championship with a 2-1 victory of Emmaus on Tuesday night. In a tight game which saw scoring chances coming few and far between for both teams, Derek Raudabaugh was able to open the scoring just over 5 minutes into the contest to give the Kids a 1-0 lead. The Kids would hold onto their lead going into the first intermission but Emmaus would level the score just a minute into the second period with a goal by Grayson Schmidt. Just five and a half minutes later the Kids would reclaim the lead on the eventual game winner when Raudabaugh scored his second of the night. Both teams would have limited scoring chances the rest of the game but Emmaus would pull the goalie with 90 second remaining with the hopes of tying the game up. Northampton would do a fantastic job blocking shots in the final minute as well as clearing all rebounds to the corner to hold on to a hard fought 2-1 victory over Emmaus and claim the 2023 Phantoms Cup JV Division Championship.

(1) Northampton 6 | (3) Southern Lehigh 2

Kids Kings of Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey 

Northampton and Southern Lehigh faced off in a winner take all Game 3 on Tuesday night to decide the Varsity Champions. Just like games one and two, Northampton would jump out to an early 1-0 lead just eight seconds into the game when Lorenzo Tita would take the opening faceoff down the ice and beat Southern Lehigh goalie Blake Benner. Southern Lehigh who came back last Thursday from being down three goals to win would level the score half way through the opening period with a goal by Eric Kloss. A minute and a half later Southern Lehigh would then claim the lead with a goal by James Phenneger. With just over three minutes to play in the first period, the Kids were able to level the score at two when Blake Schache was able to find the back of the net. The first period would end tied at two. The game would remain tied until the late stages of the second period when it looked like Southern Lehigh was going to have a chance to take the lead on the power play after a Northampton penalty, but it was the Kids that were able to take the lead when Tita was able to sneak behind the Southern Lehigh defense and secure a pass from Gaven Mollenkof and Tita was off to the races and giving the Kids a 3-2 lead going into the final period of play. Southern Lehigh would continue to pressure the Kids but were unable to beat Bailen Smargiassi in the early parts of the final period when Tita was able to score his third goal of the game with just under 12 minutes to play to give Northampton a 4-2 lead. Southern Lehigh continued to pressure but got caught in the offensive zone when Hayden Lambert was able to break free and give the Kids a 5-2 lead with under seven minutes to play. Northampton would add an empty net goal in the final minutes of the game to claim the 2023 Phantoms Cup Varsity Championship with a 6-2 victory over Southern Lehigh. Smargiassi of Northampton would finish the game with 35 saves, 16 of which came in the final period.

 

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Five

(2) Emmaus 7 | (4) Parkland 3

Emmaus Repeats as Phantoms Cup Middle School Champions 

Defending middle school champions Emmaus knew what it would take to win this year’s Phantoms Cup, strong team defense, explosive offense and timely goaltending, they had all three on Monday night as they defeated Parkland 7-3 in the Championship game. Emmaus would jump out to a 1-0 lead with a goal by Brennan McClafferty. Parkland was able to level the score at one just over a minute later with a goal by Mason Klement. Grayson Schmidt of Emmaus would then add his first of three goals on the night to give Emmaus a 2-1 lead after one period of play. Schmidt would then add his second of the night just 35 seconds into the second period but again Parkland was able to cut the lead to just one with a goal by Brody Philips. With just under three minutes to play in the second period, Ben Brooks of Emmaus would score the ultimate game winning goal and Schmidt would cap of the hat trick with just 28 seconds remaining in the second period. The Trojans of Parkland would not give up in this one and would push back as hard as they could which would see them put 15 shots on goal in the final period but were only able to find the back of the net one time with just under 90 seconds remaining in the game. Erik Stufflet of Emmaus would finish the game with 26 saves as Emmaus repeats as Middle School Champions and win the 2023 Phantoms Cup.

(1) Parkland 9 | (2) Northampton 6

Mantz and Messa Lead Parkland to Phantoms Cup Championship 

Colton Mantz and Reid Messa of Parkland each had a hat trick in the Championship game of the Phantoms Cup Youth Division. Parkland jumped out to an early lead just 59 seconds in when Mantz tallied his first of the night. The Kids of Northampton were able to regroup when Blake Flowers scored his first of three goals on the night just 3 minutes later. The Kids would add a second goal Logan Pile to give them a 2-1 lead half way through the first period. However, with 1:22 remaining in the opening period Luca Caricari leveled the score at 2. Parkland was able to take control of the game in the second period which saw them score 3 goals in 23 seconds (Phantoms Cup Record). The second period would come to a close with Parkland leading Northampton 7-3. The Kids would come out fast in the third period to claw their way back into the game when Sawyer Repetz scored 43 second into the third period and then Flowers would add his second of the night just 3 minutes later to cut the Parkland lead to just 2 goals. Parkland would then come back with an offensive explosion again when Messa netted his third of the night and Mason Kelment would score with just over 4 minutes remaining. Flowers would add a later goal to cap off his hat trick but Parkland offense was simply too much for Northampton to handle as they would go on to win the Phantoms Cup Championship of the Youth Division 9-6. This is Parkland’s second consecutive Youth Division Championship in the Youth Division and also finished the season undefeated.

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Four

(1) Emmaus 6| (4) Bethlehem 4

Top Seed Emmaus Advances to JV Final  

Emmaus outlasted Bethlehem in the first game of the JV Semi Finals Wednesday night. Ryan Nytz of Emmaus started the scoring 7 minutes into the game to give Emmaus a 1-0 lead. Under 4 minutes later Bethlehem was able to even the score up at one with a goal by Logan Ritter who finished the night with a goal and two assists. The game only remained tied for 57 seconds, as Noah Holschwander put the Hornets up 2-1 at the end of the first period. Bethlehem was able to tie the game up early in the second period with a goal by Rolland Hillier. Emmaus would control most of the second period after Hillier’s goal which saw them score two goals in the second half of the second period to take a 4-2 lead, the first by Luke Patterson and the second by Greyson Schmidt. Emmaus would add an insurance goal early in the final period of play when Ryan Nytz recorded his second goal of the game. Emmaus would go on to defeat Bethlehem 6-4 and advance to the JV Final next Tuesday at 7:20PM.

Video Recap

(2) Northampton 4 | (3) Nazareth 2

Northampton Holds off Nazareth in Second JV Semi Final

Nicholas Kotsch and Derek Raudabaugh each scored two goals for Northampton as they defeated Nazareth in the second Semi Final game of the JV Division 4-2. Kotsch would get the scoring started for the Kids with the only goal of the first period. Raudabaugh would add his first of the night early in the second period to give Northampton a 2-0 lead through two periods of play. Both Kotsch and Raudabaugh would score early in the final period of play but Nazareth was able to make a push of their own late in the game. Nazareth was able to get on the board with a goal by Colin Tiers, shortly after Nazareth would score again this time with a goal by Porter Fegley. The late push would not be enough as Northampton advances to the JV Final and will face Emmaus in the Championship game. Northampton will have a chance to defend their JV Division title from last season.

Video Recap

(1) Northampton 3 | (3) Southern Lehigh 4

Edwards OT Goal Forces Deciding Game 3 

Similar to their last game on Monday, Northampton jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the Varsity Final Series with a goal by Lorenzo Tita just 36 second into the game. The story this time was that would be the only early goal as Southern Lehigh would then control most of the first period which saw them put 18 shots on goal but again were unable to solve Bailen Smargiassi of Northampton. Northampton would then take advantage of their opportunities in the second period when Hayden Lambert made it 2-0. Similar to Mondays Game 1 the Kids would go up 3-0 late in the 2^nd period when Tita netted his second of the game. The three goal lead would short lived as less than a minute later Eric Kloss would get the Spartans on the board and we would go into the second intermission with the Kids leading 3-1. The third period saw the Spartans come together as a team and played a team game which saw them have multiple scoring chances early in the final period when James Phenneger was finally able to break through and cut the lead to just one half way through the final period. Matthew Edwards would then add the game tying goal with about 5 minutes remaining in the game. Tita had a chance shorthanded with under two minutes remaining on a breakaway which could have provided the Kids a 4-3 lead but rang his shot off the crossbar and for the first time in Phantoms Cup history we were going to overtime. Four minutes into overtime saw a puck battle on the blue line and Matthew Edwards was able to sneak behind the Northampton defense for a breakaway, Edwards would rip a wrist shot five hole to give the Spartans a crazy come from behind victory and force a winner take all deciding Game 3 next Tuesday at 8:40PM. Smargiassi of Northampton finished the game with 58 saves.

Video Recap

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Three

(1) Northampton 4 | (4) Parkland 7

Parkland upsets Northampton to Advance to Championship

Parkland scored three goals in the first and third periods to advance past Northampton in the first game of the Middle School Division Semi Finals Tuesday night. Northampton would jump on the board early with a goal by Deegan Berry just 3 minutes into the game but Parkland was able to respond less than 2 minutes later when Chase Carl was able to find the back of the net for the Trojans. Parkland would add two more goals in the first period, the first by Jonah Spengler and the second by Bryce Haas to put Parkland up 3-1. With 1:21 remaining in the first period, top seed Northampton was able to cut the lead to just one goal with a goal by Shane Grube. The second period would see each team score one goal, the first was by Parkland’s Matthew Torress but the Kids of Northampton would respond again when Carson Rader cut the lead to just one goal going into the final period of play. Pierce Brundage of Parkland would score early in the final period to again help put his team up two goals but the Kids of Northampton would hang tight and score under two minutes later. Northampton would have multiple scoring chances late in the game but were unable to solve Eli Kolb who made 35 saves in the game for Parkland. Haas would add an empty netter late in the game and follow that up with his third goal of the game just 27 seconds later. Parkland now advances to the Phantoms Cup Championship in the Middle School Division next Monday at 7:20PM.

Video Recap

(2) Emmaus 8 | (3) Nazareth 4

Hornets Offense was Buzzing 

Emmaus’ offense came to play Tuesday night and simply was too much for Nazareth to handle in the second game of the Middle School Division Semi Final. The Hornets offense was led by Greyson Schmidt who had two first period tallies. Nazareth was able to hang in the game through one period of play as Zac Durkin was able to tie the game up at one early in the first period and Colin Tiers was able to cut the lead to 3-2 Emmaus with just 14 second remaining in the first period. The second period is where Emmaus was able to find their offense which saw them outshoot Nazareth 16-2 with goals by Sean Robinson, Greyson Schmidt who completed the hat trick and Tucker Farnand. Nazareth was able to cut into the Hornets lead early in the final period when Tiers was able to find the back of the net for the second time in the game but Ben Brooks of Emmaus would respond just 46 seconds later. Emmaus would add another goal later in the third period to defeat Nazareth 8-4. Emmaus will now face Parkland in the Middle School Phantoms Cup Championship where they will have a chance to defend their Middle School Division title on Monday night at 7:20PM.

Video Recap

Phantoms Cup Recap Day Two

(1) Parkland 10 | (4) Nazareth 1

Parkland Advances to Phantoms Cup Championship in Youth Division

Parkland cruised to a 10-1 Semi-Final Phantoms Cup victory over Nazareth in the first game of the day. Reid Messa and Luca Caricari each had two goals in the game which saw the Trojans score 4 first period goals. Liam Tiers of Nazareth provided the loan goal for the Eagles who, not for the lack of trying, were unable to find the back of the net often enough. Parkland looks to defend their Phantoms Cup Championship in the Youth Division next Monday at 6:00PM.

Video Recap

(2) Northampton 3 | (3) Easton 2

Flowers Blossomed at Phantoms Cup

Blake Flowers of Northampton scored all three goals for the Kids in a tight 3-2 victory over Easton in the second Semi Final of the Youth Division. Flowers got the scoring started early in the second period and would add his second of the night with 59 seconds remaining in the second period to give Northampton a 2-0 lead going into the final period of play. Easton was able to cut the lead to just one in the early part of the third period but again Flowers would answer for the Kids to give them a two goal advantage halfway through the third period. With just over 5 minutes remaining in the game, Owen Beckel would score for Easton to cut the lead to just one. In the final seconds of the game, Easton threw everything they could at Northampton goaltender Grayson Dolan, including one that rang off the post with just 2 seconds left. Tyler Connaughton of Easton would finish the game with 26 saves and Northampton will now face Parkland in the Youth Division Championship Monday night at 6:00PM.

Video Recap

(1) Northampton 5 | (3) Southern Lehigh 1

3 Goal First Lifts Northampton over Southern Lehigh

Penalties hurt Southern Lehigh in the first period which saw Northampton score 3 goals, 2 of them coming on the man advantage. Anthony Greco of Southern Lehigh was called for interference early in the first period which allowed the Kids power play to get to work. Ryder Ault would net the first goal of the game just over 3 minutes in for the Kids. Gaven Mollenkof would add an even strength goal, his first of three on the night just 3 minutes after the Kids took an early lead to give Northampton a 2-0 lead. Lorenzo Tita would add Northampton’s second power play goal of the first period half way through the first period to give the Kids a 3-0 lead just 9 minutes into the game. Southern Lehigh would settle into the game after this but was unable to find the back of the net. Just 30 second into the second period Eric Kloss of Southern Lehigh would get the Spartans on the board and cut the lead to 3-1. Just a few minutes later it looked the Southern Lehigh was about to score again as the puck bounced off the back boards to a wide open net but Northampton goaltender Bailen Smargiassi who made 34 saves on the night made an incredible diving play back across the net to glove the puck and keep the score as is. Mollenkof would add two more goals in the third period as Northampton defeats Southern Lehigh 5-1 in the first game of a best of three series to crown a Phantoms Cup Champion in the Varsity Division. Northampton now has a chance to claim the Phantoms Cup Championship on Wednesday night at 8:40pm in Game 2 of the Championship Series.

Video Recap

 

Phantoms Cup Recap Day One

(1) Northampton 2 | (4) Nazareth 1

Northampton Advances to Varsity Phantoms Cup Championship

Tyler Matute scored with 3:14 remaining in the game to lift top seed Northampton over fourth seed Nazareth in the first semifinal game of the 2023 Phantoms Cup. Northampton jumped out to a 1-0 lead half way through the second period with a goal by Lorenzo Tita who was finally able to beat Ryan Murphy of Nazareth who had 18 saves in the first period. The game would remain 1-0 until 9:32 of the 3^rd period when Tyler Glenn was able to tie the game for Nazareth. Mutute’s goal late in the final frame secured a 2-1 win for the Kids of Northampton who will now play Monday night in the first game of a best of three Championship at PPL Center to crown a Phantoms Cup Champion in the Varsity Division. Ryan Murphy of Nazareth finished the game with 44 saves.

Video Recap

(2) BASD 5 | (3) Southern Lehigh 6

Southern Lehigh Beats Bethlehem With Late Goal

Anthony Greco of Southern Lehigh scored with 51 seconds remaining to lift the Spartans over Bethlehem in the second semifinal game of the 2023 Phantoms Cup. The first period of a physical hockey game saw Southern Lehigh jump out to an early 1-0 lead with a goal by Eric Kloss. Bethlehem was able to settle into the game scoring two goals in less than a minute late in the first period, the first by Brady Roche followed by Dominic Natosi which gave Bethlehem a 2-1 lead after the first period. Bethlehem added to their lead early in the second period with a goal by Chris Fanning but Southern Lehigh was able to bounce back and cut the lead to only one just 43 seconds later. Bethlehem would add another with under 6 minutes remaining in the second period to again go up by two goals. Southern Lehigh would control the final two minutes of the second frame which saw them score two goals in 22 seconds to tie the game up at 4 before the end of the second period. The back and forth game would continue when Nick Moniz of Bethlehem scored 6 minutes into the final frame but again the Spartans of Southern Lehigh were able to tie the game up just 19 second later with a goal by Jack Cacace. The game looked destine for overtime but Anthony Greco was able to find the back of the net to lift the Spartans to a wild 6-5 victory over Bethlehem. Blake Benner of Southern Lehigh would finish the game with 46 saves. Southern Lehigh now advances to face top seed Northampton in the Phantoms Cup Championship which will be a best of three series starting Monday night at 8:40pm.

Video Recap

 

2022 Game Recaps

Thursday, March 17th 

JV Championship

(3) Northampton 3 | (1) Easton 2

They say you save the best for last and boy did Northampton and Easton prove that tonight. Both teams came out flying to start this game but neither team was able to find the back of the net in the opening frame which saw the Kids of Northampton out shot the Rovers of Easton 9-7. Northampton struck first in this one scoring with 12:20 remaining in the second period. The lead was short lived as off the center ice face off the Rovers charged down the ice to level the score just 10 second later to make it 1-1. Northampton would score again with 10 minutes remaining in the second period to take a 2-1 lead into the final period of play. For most of the third period the Rovers controlled the play but just could not find the back of the net. As the Rovers continued to pressure they were eventually able to find the back of the net off a rebound that trickled into the net to tie it at 2 with just 5 minutes remaining in the game. This one had overtime written all over it until an offensive zone face off for the Kids which resulted in a blast from the point to make it 3-2 Kids with just under 3 minutes remaining. The Rovers continued to pressure as they pulled the goalie with under a minute remaining but was unable to tie the game. The Kids of Northampton win the Inaugural Phantoms Cup 3-2 to win the Championship in the JV Division.

Middle School Championship

Emmaus 7 | (2) Nazareth 5

Emmaus and Nazareth went toe to toe in the Middle School Championship game on Thursday night. The first period saw Nazareth come out flying early but was unable to find the back of the net with the early pressure. Emmaus was able to settle into the game half way through the opening frame when they were able to take a 1-0 lead. With just under 2 minutes remaining in the period the Hornets were able to make it 2-0 with a goal by Jason Ware. With just 8.9 second remaining in the first period Nazareth was able to find the back of the net to make it 2-1 with a goal by Greg Hammel. The back and forth continued into the second period which saw Emmaus score 3 goals including two in less than 20 second mid-way through the period. Nazareth continued to hang around also scoring two of their own as we ended the second period with the Hornets leading 5-3. Nazareth would make it a one goal game early in the third period with a goal by Stephen Polger but the Hornets responded with a goal of their own just 3 minutes later. Emmaus looked to take control of the game taking a 3 goal lead with just under 6 minutes remaining in the game but this was short lived as Porter Fegley would score just 15 seconds later to make it a two goal game. Nazareth would continue to pressure but was unable to cut into the two goal lead. Emmaus would go on to win 7-5 which saw the Hornets goals come from 7 different players. Porter Fegley finished with two goals for Nazareth.

Youth Championship

Parkland 3 | (2) Northampton 1

Parkland wins the Inaugural Phantoms Cup in the Youth Division. The first period was evenly matched with both teams having scoring chances in the opening 10 minutes of the game. The Kids of Northampton were able to strike first in this one with goal just about half way through the first period. Ultimately this sparked the Trojans to dominate the final 5 minutes of the period outshooting the Kids 12-4 in the opening frame but unable to find the back of the net. Northampton was able to keep their one goal lead through most of the second period while Parkland continued its offensive pressure ultimately finding the back of the net with under two minutes remaining in the second period. Parkland took the lead early in the final period of play to make it 2-1. With under 4 minutes to play the Kids has a power play which resulted in multiple scoring opportunities but the defense of Parkland stood tall. Parkland would go on to score with 23 second left to secure the victory and win the Phantoms Cup!

Thursday, March 10th 

Day 3 Recap Video: https://phantoms.hockey/PhantomsCup2022Day3

MS Semi Final 1:

Final Score: (2) Nazareth 4 | (3) Easton 3

Nazareth and Easton went toe to toe in the first Middle School Division Semi Final on Thursday night. Both teams were able to score in the first half of the first period which ended tied at one. Easton would jump out to a 2-1 lead early in the second period. Half way through the second frame Nazareth was able to tie the game back up at 2 but this was short lived as just 21 second later Easton would reclaim the lead 3-2. The back and forth action did not end there as Easton would then tie the game back up at 3 just 40 second later. Nazareth would also add a fourth goal before the horn sounded to end the second period and took a 4-3 lead into the final period of play. The back and forth battle between these two evenly matched teams would continue until the final 2 minutes of the game when Nazareth took two penalty’s to create a 6 on 3 for Easton when they pulled their goalie for the extra attacker. Easton pressured hard but Nazareth was able to escape with a hard fought 4-3 win in the Semi Finals of the Phantoms Cup. Nazareth now advances to the Phantoms Cup Championship game next Thursday.

Gus Schwartz Hardest Working Players of the Game: Nazareth: Porter Fegley | Easton: Virginia Kraus

MS Semi Final 2:

Final Score: Emmaus 10 | (4) Northampton Orange 2

Emmaus showed why they were the number 1 seed in the Middle School Division tonight as they defeated Northampton Orange 10-2. Northampton was able to advance to this game after a big 7-5 win over Phillipsburg on Tuesday night. Head Coach Brian Ruff said his Kids would need to score often to compete with Emmaus but was unable to match the offensive power that the Hornets displayed. Emmaus jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the first period but the Kids of Northampton pushed back in the second scoring early to cut into the Emmaus lead. Emmaus would score again with 5:02 remaining in the period followed by a Northampton goal with 2:32 in the second frame to make it 7-2 going into the third period of play. Emmaus would go on to score 3 more in the third to defeat Northampton 10-2 and advance to the Middle School Championship game next Thursday against Nazareth.

Gus Schwartz Hardest Working Players of the Game: Emmaus: Jason Ware | Northampton: Colin Becker

Wednesday, March 9th 

Recap video: https://phantoms.hockey/PhantomsCupDay2

JV Semi Final 2:

(3) Northampton vs. (2) BASD

Final Score: (3) Northampton 2 | (2) BASD 0

Shots:  Northampton: 37 | BASD: 37

The second game of the JV Semi Finals was a back and forth thriller between Northampton and Bethlehem. Bethlehem came out flying outshooting Northampton 17-5 in the first period but was unable to find the back of the net. The Kids of Northampton took the first intermission to regroup as they then outshot Bethlehem in the second period 19-5, but unlike Bethlehem in the first the Kids were able to take a 1-0 lead with 7 minutes remaining in the second period. Northampton struck early in the final frame to take a 2-0 lead but Bethlehem battled back with an offensive push of their own but again was unable to score. Northampton went on to win 2-0 and will face top seed in the JV Division Easton in next Thursdays Phantoms Cup Championship at 8:40 PM.

Gus Schwartz Hardest Working Players of the Game: Northampton: Brice Schache | Bethlehem: Brady Roche

JV Semi Final 1:

(1) Easton vs. (4) Nazareth

Final Score: (1) Easton 4 | (4) Nazareth 0

Shots: Easton: 49| Nazareth: 20

The story of this game was the goaltending of Nazareth’s Aidan Kortbawi who kept his team in the game. Easton jumped out to a 1-0 lead half way through the first period which would be the only goal of the first period which saw Easton put up 17 shots. Easton would add a second goal in the first half of the second period to make it 2-0 heading into the final period of play. Nazareth had a few chances early in the third period including a shot from the point that went off both posts but stayed out of the net. Easton would add a third goal half way through the third to take a 3-0 and scored in the final seconds to secure a 4-0 win and advance to the JV Championship game next Thursday at 8:40PM. Kortbawi of Nazareth finished the night with 45 saves while Easton’s Ashtyn Dremock had 20 saves to secure the shutout.

Gus Schwartz Hardest Working Players of the Game: Nazareth: #23 Aidan Kortbawi | Easton: #3 Ashtyn Dremock

JV Game 1:

(6) Phillipsburg vs. (5) Parkland

Final Score: (6) Phillipsburg 5 | (5) Parkland 0

Shots:  Phillipsburg: 26 | Parkland: 33

Phillipsburg scored early and never looked back behind an outstanding effort from goalie Michael Loglisci who stopped 33 shots, 13 of which coming in the final frame of the game as Parkland tried to get the offense rolling. The State Liners scored two goals in the first and added a third goal in the second to take a 3-0 lead into the final period. Parkland continued to pressure Phillipsburg in the third period but was unable to find the back of the net while also hitting a post half way through the final frame. Phillipsburg would add two late goals in the third to win 5-0.

Gus Schwartz Hardest Working Player of the Game: Phillipsburg: #52 Michael Loglisci |Parkland: #89 Ricky Wiener

Tuesday, March 8th 

(7) Northampton Black vs. (6) Parkland

Final Score: (7) Northampton Black 6 | (6) Parkland 4

Shots: Northampton 39 | Parkland: 24

Northampton jumped out to an early 1- 0 lead just 42 seconds in, but Parkland battled back with 2 goals of their own to take a 2-1 lead into the 1^st Intermission. The second period was all Northampton with 3 goals on 11 shots to take a 4-2 lead after 2 periods of play. Parkland cut the lead to one early in the third period but that was as close as they would get. The Kids of Northampton Black win the first game of the Inaugural Phantoms Cup 6-4.

Gus Schwartz Hardest Working Players of the Game: Northampton: # 71 Nolan Radler | Parkland: #58 Carter Willis

Recap video: https://phantoms.hockey/NorthamptonBlackvsParkland

Recap photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZeBUFDKoAfjsEBpP8

(4) Northampton Orange vs. (5) Phillipsburg

Final Score: (4) Northampton Orange 7 | (5) Phillipsburg 5

Shots: Northampton Orange: 24 | Phillipsburg: 32

The offense was hot for both teams early in the Quarter Final matchup of the Middle School Division with both teams scoring in the opening minute of the game. Both teams would add goals later in the period to finish the first knotted at 2 goals. The second period was back and forth with Northampton Orange taking a 3-2 lead early in the second frame, but Phillipsburg battled back to tie the game half way through the second period. Northampton would add one more goal with just under 4 minutes remaining in the second period to take a 4-3 lead into the final period of play. Northampton picked up right where they left off to start the third period scoring 3 consecutive goals to take a 7-3 lead. The State Liners put on a late charge to cut the lead to 7-5 but were unable to level the score. Northampton Orange advances to take on the top seed in the Middle School Division the Emmaus Hornets on Thursday at 7:20PM.

Gus Schwartz Hardest Working Player of the Game: Phillipsburg: #24 Conner Blum | Northampton Orange: #61 Colin Becker

Recap video: https://phantoms.hockey/NorthamptonOrangevsPhilipsburg

Recap photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/d2uTaNvpHhVcCu6z5