PIHL Notebook – 12/29/2014

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, December 29, 2014 | 5:06 PM

Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. There are no games to preview this week with everyone on holiday break, but “Melting the Ice” still provides your weekly thermometer of streaking teams around the league. Meanwhile, this week’s “Scoreboard Watch” includes the continuation of some unbeaten streaks in Class AAA and Class A while one Class B squad final got the goose egg out of its win column. So, let’s light the lamp on this edition of “PIHL Notebook.”

MELTING THE ICE (Records listed indicate current unbeaten streak):

Class AAA: Peters Township (5-0-1); Butler (3-0-2); Pine-Richland (3-0-1)

Class AA: Shaler (10-0-0); Hampton (5-0-0); Erie Cathedral Prep (3-0-0)

Class A: Quaker Valley (11-0-0); Mars (4-0-0); South Park (3-0-0)

Class B: Harbor Creek (9-0-0); Indiana (6-0-1); Blackhawk (5-0-0); Morgantown (3-0-0)

Class C: Carrick (13-0-0); OLSH (4-0-0)

SCOREBOARD WATCH:

Class AAA

12/22/14 – Pine-Richland 1-1-1=3, Mount Lebanon 1-0-0=1 … The Rams (4-8-1) showed off a balanced lineup with nine different players recording a point to defeat the Blue Devils (5-7-1) and extend their unbeaten streak to four games. That effort included goals from Conor Kessy, Michael Carrozzi and Nick Hawkins, in that order. Mount Lebanon got its goal from Troy Walker. Shots in the game went to Pine-Richland 20-15 with Isaac Stephen’s 14 stops earning him the victory.

Class AA

12/22/14 – Erie Cathedral Prep 2-6-5=13, Norwin 1-0-0=1 … In the only game completed over the past week in Class AA, the Ramblers (X) turned a close game with the Knights (X) through one period into a blowout with 11 goals over the final 34 minutes of action. The winner came in the first, though, from Dillon Elliott at the 9:59 mark. Ten different players recorded multiple points for Erie, led by four each from Jack Zaphiris (SHG, 3 A) and William Kelly (2 G, 2 A). David Hendler scored Norwin’s goal at 10:41 of the first, less than a minute after Prep had made it 2-0, but ultimately he just woke the sleeping giant. The Ramblers outshot the Knights 47-15, but Jacob Kucharski’s 14 saves proved to be enough.

Class A

12/22/14 – Mars 2-2-1=5, Deer Lakes 0-3-1=4 … In what could be a late-round playoff game in March, the Planets (12-2-0) held off a rally by the Lancers (11-2-0) to secure their fourth straight victory. Paul Maust factored into all five Mars goals (3 G, 1 SH, 2 A), but Deer Lakes rallied with three goals in a 3:21 span late in period two. Ian Newman would net the deciding goal just 3:20 into the third, and it was a good thing because Vincent Casale cut the two-goal lead back to one at the 6:41 mark. Tyler Spreng held the fort from there, making 24 saves on the night. The Lancers outshot the Planets 28-25.

Class B

12/23/14 – Penn-Trafford 0-2-1=3, Peters Township 1-0-1=2 … It was a seesaw battle, but Ryan Solomon’s second goal of the night at 15:13 of the third period gave the Warriors (1-9-0) their first win of the season – for both this group and the parent club in Class AAA – over the Indians (6-6-0). Josh Hilzendeger put Peters Township ahead with a goal late in the first. It was Solomon on the power play and Jake Vierheller at even strength to put Penn-Trafford ahead through two. Brendan Hamilton tied it back up at 2:51 of the third, but that merely set the stage for Solomon’s late heroics. The Indians purely dominated the shots column 42-11, but Alec Pevornic was masterful with 40 saves.

Class C

12/23/14 – Trinity 1-2-2=5, Central Valley 2-0-1=3 … Two shorthanded goals from Nathan Hilzendeger 3:31 apart in the third period propelled the Hillers (3-8-1) to victory over the Warriors (4-6-2). Central Valley looked to take a 2-0 lead into the second period, but Trinity struck late to make it 2-1 then scored a pair in the second for the lead at intermission. The Warriors tied it early in the third before Hilzendeger, who also set up the first goal for the Hillers, took center stage. Walter Scott set up two goals for CV, which took a 36-29 edge in shots. However, Zach Kagle was equal to the task, making 33 saves for Trinity.

That wraps up this edition of “PIHL Notebook,” but check back every Monday through March for more news from around the league. In the meantime, Adam Hoerner and the returning Josh Rowntree host another episode of “The PIHL Power Play” on a special night, this Tuesday night at 8:00. Joining us this week will be Butler head coach Patrick Hammonds and Deer Lakes forward Mitch Rupprecht. Your home for the 2015 Penguins Cup Playoffs is the MSA Sports Network!