By David Hashagen

Morristown, NJ —

The old cliche is that defense wins championships.  However in the case of the Halvorsen Cup final it could not be more true as two of the most dominant goaltending tandems in the MCSSIHL will face off Thursday at Mennen.  For the Minutemen it’s a return to a place that they have found great success, looking for a third Halvorsen title in the last 5 years.  For KJS United they look to finish the story they were robbed of last year in the cup final by MOHOHA.  KJS will have the confidence from the regular season, sweeping the season series, but there are still plenty of reasons for optimism for Mendham as they head into the cup final on Thursday.

Mendham Minutemen (8-11-1, -9 Goal Differential)

The year for Mendham has been very different from the previous year’s seasons.  Unlike the last few years, where names like Lloyd, Gionco and Gleie terrorized opposing defenses, this year’s squad has been led by defense and goaltending.  Under the leadership of Hall of Famer John Kovacs, the Minutemen went 3-4-1 in the division and overcame a stout BSM attack in the semifinals with a 1-0 win and a 25 save shutout for Brendan Eigner.

Offense:

Goalscoring has been the struggle for this year’s Mendham squad.  Their 49 goals is the second least in the conference, ahead only of Morris Catholic/St. Elizabeth (21) in the MCSSIHL.  The leading star on offense is Ian Aikenhead who has led the way with 19 goals and 9 assists this season.  Breakout freshman David Kalis has picked up the scoring in recent weeks with 5 goals and 4 assists, while Jake Fox, Denis Nunan and Brandon Eigner have been good complementary scorers with 4 goals apiece.  The key for the Mendham offense will be taking advantage of counter-attack opportunities which will be few and far between against a stout KJS United defense.

Defense:

The best opportunity for Mendham to pull off the upset on Thursday will be on defense, and the hope that they can follow the same script from the semi-finals against BSM.  The Minutemen are anchored by a tremendous 1-1a punch in goal, with sophomore Brendan Eigner getting most of the reps, and junior Gavin Thrun having an equally great season.  The tandem has only allowed 58 goals on the season, 5th best in the league. That combined with a strong defense first philosophy and a strong blue line corps led by Brandon Eigner, Hayden Bogart and Will Andrews, make Mendham a very tough team to break down both in the zone and in transition.

X Factor:

Grit.  If there’s one thing that Mendham has been known for is not shying away from physical play, getting into the dirty areas and making playing against them uncomfortable for any opponent.  The “uglier” and more tight checking Thursdays final is, the better it is for the Minutemen as a track meet certainly gives KJS the advantage.  But if they can keep the game at their pace, there is every chance of a third Halvorsen Cup title going to Mendham.

KJS United (14-4, +42 Goal Differential)

For a second consecutive season, the Halvorsen division was a breeze for KJS United as they went undefeated in the regular season for the second consecutive year.  Coach Jeff Myhren’s side this year brings a balanced and dynamic attack coupled with disciplined defense and an excellent pair in net.  However there is still a gorilla on the back of the team, as the tri-op is still looking for its first title, despite reaching the cup playoffs all three years of their existence as a tri-op.  Individually Kinnelon (18-19 Halvorsen) and Jefferson (06-07 Haas) have taken home cup titles, but Sparta and the tri-op as a whole will look to take home their first title Thursday.

Offense:

KJS United’s offense may be one of the most underrated in the entire state, with 5 players over 20 points and plenty of depth scoring with 11 players who have found the back of the net this season.  Anthony Prunty leads the team in goals (20) and points (31), with Adam Stefancik, Anthony Pandiscia and Joey Kopec putting together great seasons as well.  Freshmen sensations, forward Brayden Sisco and defenseman Jake Prunty, have been massive contributors to the offense with Sisco on 25 points and Prunty contributing 6 goals and 17 assists from the blue line.  You add main contributors Michael Pandiscia and Logan Winslow into the mix plus sharp shooters like Joey Kopec and Cormac Gibbons, and you have a dangerous 2 to 3 lines that can all give opposing defenses problems

Defense:

Just like their opponents, KJS brings an excellent goaltending pair to the table.  Rylan Gibbons has been one of the best and most consistent goaltenders in the state and comes in with a .902 save percentage, while Brian Sisti, despite limited playing time, has only allowed 11 goals in 4 appearances.  On the blue line, United brings a stout defense that is quick on the back-check and rarely gives opponents time to breathe once they cross the blue line.  Cooper O’Neil and Joe Marino are constants on the ice and Jake Prunty gives a great offensive counter punch on the attack.

X factor:

Tenacity.  The constant theme of KJS games this season has been a smothering offense that grinds down the opponent, and a defense that snuffs out offensive looks quickly and puts pressure back on the opponent.  That plus an ability to score in bunches when they find a weak point is a devastating combo.  The biggest question for United is if they can put the looming expectations of back-to-back regular seasons to the side for 45 minutes and finally bring home a title.

Watch the Halvorsen Cup final live on Garden State Sports on Thursday, February 15th at 4:45 pm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMlT6gRrvlY

Cover Photo Credit: Ryan Mantz