Big Third Period Lifts Bayard-Rustin Past Mars in PA Cup Class A Finals

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, March 21, 2015 | 1:41 PM

In the first of three Pennsylvania Cup Championships at Pegula Ice Arena in State College, the Flyers Cup Champion Bayard Rustin Golden Knights (22-1-4) overcame a furious start and lopsided shooting margin by the Penguins Cup Champion Mars Fighting Planets (20-5-1), scoring the final four goals of the game and prevailing 5-2.

The win for Bayard Rustin is their third State Championship Game victory in program history and second in a row, as the Knights defeated Quaker Valley 5-2 in last year’s Championship game.

In a tight checking first period that did feature many scoring opportunities, it was Bayard Rustin’s Tommy Sloan that would generate the two best chances. After being robbed by a phenomenal stick save by Mars goalie Tyler Spreng, Sloan would get another opportunity when he took a pass from Brett Christie and laced a wrist shot from between the circles by Speng at the 13:15 mark, giving Rustin a 1-0 lead.

But it would not take long for the Planets to answer as, just 17 seconds later, Paul Maust would score a very ‘playoff style’ goal, poking the puck from in front of the net behind Rustin goaltender Jason Grande, evening the game at 1-1 after the opening period.

As the second period got underway, the game began to take a turn to resemble the rivalry of West vs East that is played out at CONSOL Energy Center and Wells Fargo Center on the professional stage. Hitting and physicality were the name of the game in the second period, with offsetting penalties being called at the 3:10 mark on Mars’ Charles Osborne and Bayard Rustin’s Harrison Lane, who was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct. Sloan would go to the box on a hooking call, generating the game’s first power play for the Planets. However, Mars was unable to capitalize on their chance, keeping the game knotted at 1-1 after two periods.

After failing on two previous power plays, Mars would get another early in the third period after a hook by Rustin’s Evan Burke. Just 53 seconds into that man advantage, Kyle Thomas would redirect an Ian Houk-Graves shot into the back of the net, giving Mars their first lead at 2-1.

But Bayard Rustin would answer back in a big way, taking over the game when, at the 5:26 mark, Eric Flynn would take a pass from Michael Grande and put a shot behind Speng, evening the game at 2-2.

At the 9:16 mark, Brett Christie would collect a rebound off of Speng’s pads and, from in front of the net, give the Knights the lead back at 3-2, beating Spreng over his glove.

Just under four minutes later, Bayard Rustin would get insurance on a goal by Michael Grande, who would steal the puck in the neutral zone, walk in and lace a wrist shot behind Speng for an unassisted tally. Rustin would get another from Michael Grande, this being an empty net goal, with one second remaining in the game, extending the Golden Knights’ lead to 5-2.

Mars, who out-shot Bayard Rustin 42-17 in the game, will have their season come to an end after upsetting Quaker Valley in the Penguins Cup Championship a week ago.

Score by Period:
Bayard-Rustin Golden Knights  :  0 – 1 – 4 = 5
Mars Fighting Planets  :  0 – 1 – 1 = 2

Shots:
Bayard Rustin: 17
Mars: 42

Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
None

2nd Period
Bayard Rustin – Tommy Sloan (Brett Christie), 13:15      
Mars – Paul Maust (unassisted), 13:32

3rd Period:
Mars – Kyle Thomas(powerplay) (Ian Houck-Graves), 2:31
Bayard Rustin – Eric Flynn (Michael Grande), 5:26
Bayard Rustin – Brett Christie (unassisted), 9:16
Bayard Rustin – Michael Grande (unassisted), 13:11
Bayard Rustin – Michael Grande(2) (empty net) (unassisted), 16:59

Goaltenders:
Bayard Rustin: Jason Grande (42 shots, 40 saves)
Mars: Tyler Speng (16 shots, 12 saves)

Powerplays:
Bayard Rustin: 0 of 0
Mars: 1 of 3