PIHL Notebook – 12/09/2013

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, December 9, 2013 | 10:57 AM

Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. First up, “Melting the Ice” provides your weekly thermometer of streaking teams around the league. Meanwhile, this week’s “Scoreboard Watch” includes some great action in Class A, highlighted by a blowout upset featuring two former section rivals. Last but not least, we round things out with a preview of three upcoming broadcasts, two of which feature some powerhouses in Class AA. So, let’s light the lamp on this edition of “PIHL Notebook.”

Oh, and by the way, Happy Birthday, Mom!

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

Class AAA: Peters Township (5-0-0); Bethel Park (3-0-0); Pittsburgh Central Catholic (3-0-0)

Class AA: Armstrong (5-0-0); Bishop Canevin (3-0-0)

Class A: Mars (5-0-0); Westmont Hilltop (4-0-0)

Open Class: Greensburg Salem (6-0-0); Peters Township (5-0-0); Indiana (5-0-0); Carrick (4-0-0); John Marshall (3-0-0); McDowell (3-0-0); Hempfield (3-0-0)

SCOREBOARD WATCH:

Class AAA

12/3/13 – Section 1: Peters Township 2-2-3=7, Canon-McMillan 1-2-1=4

Shots on Goal: PT 31, CM 31

Game-Winner: Jonathan Dagnal (Adam Alavi, Zach Gielarowski) @ 2:45 of 3rd

Three Stars: #3 James Oddi, CM (1 G, 1 A); #2 Dagnal, PT (2 G); #1 Alavi, PT (2 G, 2 A)
 

12/5/13 – Section 3: State College 1-2-1=4, Butler 0-0-1=1

Shots on Goal: SC 35, BU 26

Game-Winner: Lucas Michael (Robert Waite, Sey Yeaple) @ 3:30 of 2nd

Three Stars: #3 Michael, SC (GWG); #2 Yeaple, SC (PPG, 1 A); #1 Chris Rosselot, SC (25 SV)
 

12/6/13 – Non-Section: Fox Chapel 2-1-2=5, Norwin 1-0-0=1

Shots on Goal: NO 30, FC 27

Game-Winner: Brian Beal (Michael Hudic) @ 8:26 of 1st

Three Stars: #3 Benjamin Friedland, FC (3 A); #2 Chad Veltri, FC (29 SV); #1 Anthony Veltri, FC (4 G)

Class AA

12/3/13 – Non-Section: West Allegheny 1-4-1=6, Hampton 0-1-0=1

Shots on Goal: WA 37, HA 25

Game-Winner: Josh Linsenbigler PP (Sean Weber, Brendan Rossi) @ 0:49 of 2nd

Three Stars: #3 Ryan Rohm, WA (1 G, 2 A); #2 Grant Gerstner, WA (24 SV); #1 Paul Hughes, WA (2 G, 2 A)
 

12/5/13 – Non-Section: Latrobe 0-4-2=6, North Hills 0-0-2=2

Shots on Goal: LA 28, NH 22

Game-Winner: Brendan Johns (Nathan Winebrenner, Camron Carr) @ 8:25 of 1st

Three Stars: #3 Tyler Volz, NH (PPG, 1 A); #2 Johns, LA (2 G); #1 Carr, LA (2 G, 1 A)
 

12/5/13 – Non-Section: Erie Cathedral Prep 2-1-1=4, Moon 0-0-1=1

Shots on Goal: ECP 40, MN 28

Game-Winner: Trevor Faulkner (John Colvin, Ben Eliason) @ 11:43 of 1st

Three Stars: #3 Eliason, ECP (2 A); #2 Shane Cross, ECP (1 G, 1 A); #1 Grant Kennedy, ECP (27 SV)

Class A

12/4/13 – Non-Section: Westmont Hilltop 0-3-3=6, Deer Lakes 2-0-3=5

Shots on Goal: DL 33, WH 31

Game-Winner: Stephen DeMarco (Unassisted) @ 13:39 of 3rd

Three Stars: #3 Zachary Luniewski, DL (1 G, 2 A); #2 DeMarco, WH (2 G, 1 PP, 1 A); #1 Mitchell Rupprecht, DL (3 G, 1 A)
 

12/5/13 – Non-Section: Thomas Jefferson 2-1-2=5, Freeport 2-1-1=4

Shots on Goal: FR 28, TJ 22

Game-Winner: Nicholas Tamburi (Zach Uhlyar, Bradley Delenko)

Three Stars: #3 Nick Rusak, TJ (1 G, 2 A); #2 Uhlyar, TJ (1 G, 2 A); #1 Tamburi, TJ (2 G, 2 A)
 

12/5/13 – Non-Section: South Park 5-3-0=8, Serra Catholic 0-0-0=0

Shots on Goal: SP 30, SC 26

Game-Winner: Travis Campolong (Tyler Gerhold) @ 1:42 of 1st

Three Stars: #3 Campolong, SP (2 G, 2 A); #2 Gerhold, SP (2 G, 1 SH, 3 A); #1 Shane Walker, SP (26 SV)

Open Class

12/3/13 – Non-Section: Peters Township 3-0-1=4, Blackhawk 1-0-1=2

Shots on Goal: PT 45, BL 30

Game-Winner: Scott Cwalina (John Platt, Jake Shopes) @ 15:41 of 1st

Three Stars: #3 Shopes, PT (1 G, 1 A); #2 Caden Shell, PT (28 SV); #1 Grant Rombold, BL (41 SV)
 

12/5/13 – Non-Section: Carrick 2-2-0=4, Altoona 1-1-0=2

Shots on Goal: AL 19, CA 17

Game-Winner: Anthony Manuel (Unassisted) @ 10:54 of 2nd

Three Stars: #3 Jacob Speicher, CA (PPG); #2 Nathan Norkevicus, CA (17 SV); #1 Manuel, CA (2 G, 1 SH)
 

12/6/13 – Non-Section: Keystone Oaks 2-0-1=3, Gateway 0-0-1=1

Shots on Goal: GA 37, KO 23

Game-Winner: Andrius Petrauskas (Matt Brestensky) @ 10:00 of 1st

Three Stars: #3 Petrauskas, KO (GWG); #2 Griffin Ware, GA (20 SV); #1 Jonathan Mead, KO (36 SV)

UPCOMING MSA BROADCASTS

12/9/13 – Class AA – Non-Section: Latrobe Wildcats (4-3-0) vs. Hampton Talbots (7-2-0) @ Ice Connection of Pittsburgh in Valencia at 7:10pm (Bob Orkwis and Lee Mohn) … The defending champion Wildcats have been solid if not spectacular, led offensively by Chris Johnson in goals (12), points (20) and power play goals (3). The Talbots, meanwhile, flew out of the gate with seven straight victories before dropping their last two. Their 49 goals leads the class thus far, led by Ethan Homitz with 10 goals and 12 helpers while Zachary Kosick has been lethal with six goals in odd-man situations (4 PP, 2 SH). Cam Raidna is again Hampton’s stalwart between the pipes, playing every second to post a 2.56 GAA, 0.911 save percentage and a pair of shutouts.

12/12/13 – Open Class – Non-Section: Trinity Hillers (0-6-0) vs. Blackhawk Cougars (4-3-0) AT Beaver Ice Arena at 6:45pm (Pete Blais and Mike Azadian) … The Hillers have struggled mightily thus far, scoring just six goals while allowing 49. Turner Jacobs leads the club with three goals, four points and one power play tally. The Cougars have a much better goal differential of 44-22, but have been inconsistent themselves, starting 2-0-0 before embarking on a current 2-3-0 string. Kyle Schaefer has picked up right where he left off a year ago, pacing the team with 11 goals, 14 assists and three shorthanded markers. Grant Rombold has seen most of the time in the Blackhawk net, starting 3-3-0 with a 3.01 GAA, 0.892 save percentage and one shutout.

12/12/13 – Class AA – Non-Section: Armstrong River Hawks (5-2-0) vs. Chartiers Valley Colts (3-4-0) AT Mount Lebanon Ice Arena at 7:10pm (Don Rebel and Greg Kuntz) … The River Hawks were definitely flagged as a team to watch in the preseason. The first campaign for the newly merged Kittanning and Ford City programs got off to a rough 0-2-0 start, but they have rebounded quite nicely with five consecutive victories. Armstrong is tied with Hampton for the class lead of 49 goals, with Christian Miller doing a good chunk of that work (18 G, 3 PP, 1 SH, 23 PTS). The Colts come in at the other end of the hot-cold spectrum having dropped two in a row. Anthony Franks has set the offensive tone with 10 goals, 14 assists and three power play goals.

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 Josh Rowntree host another episode of “The PIHL Power Play” this Wednesday night at 8:00. Joining us this week will be guests from around the Open Class, including Morgantown goaltender Jacob Hough, McDowell head coach William Wager and Carrick bench boss Matt Maurice. Your home for the 2014 Penguins Cup Playoffs is the MSA Sports Network!