PIHL Notebook – 01/27/2014

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, January 27, 2014 | 4:14 PM

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 an eyebrow-raising upset in Class AAA, an up-and-down week for Mars and a chance to shine the spotlight on two struggling Open Class teams. Last but not least, we round things out with a broadcast preview of a Section 3-A showdown. So, let’s light the lamp on this edition of “PIHL Notebook.”

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

Class AAA: Bethel Park (11-0-0)

Class AA: Bishop Canevin (3-0-0); Erie Cathedral Prep (3-0-0)

Class A: Quaker Valley (7-0-0); Freeport (6-0-0); Thomas Jefferson (4-0-0); Westmont Hilltop (3-0-0)

Open Class: Baldwin (10-0-0); Harbor Creek (9-0-0); Hempfield (5-0-0); Morgantown (4-0-0); Peters Township (3-0-0); Blackhawk (3-0-0); McDowell (3-0-0)

SCOREBOARD WATCH:

Class AAA

1/21/14 – Non-Section: Canon-McMillan 2-1-3=6, North Allegheny 0-0-0=0

Shots on Goal: CM 38, NA 18

Game-Winner: Colman Slain (James Oddi) @ 3:28 of 1st

Three Stars: #3 Slain, CM (2 G, 1 A); #2 C. Harthett, CM (18 SV); #1 Oddi, CM (3 G, 1 SH, 2 A)

1/23/14 – Non-Section: Seneca Valley 0-4-0=4, State College 0-2-0=2

Shots on Goal: SV 32, SC 31

Game-Winner: Andrew Gagnon SH (Unassisted)

Three Stars: #3 Gagnon, SV (GWG); #2 Brendan MacFarlane & Spencer Schutte, SV (1 G, 1 A each); #1 Tanner Pfeffer, SV (29 SV)

1/23/14 – Non-Section: Mount Lebanon 0-1-2=3, Upper St. Clair 0-1-0=1

Shots on Goal: USC 42, ML 28

Game-Winner: Thomas Kang (Walker Troy, Griffin Nelson) @ 3:00 of 3rd

Three Stars: #3 Nelson, ML (PPG, 2 A); #2 Kang, ML (2 G); #1 Joel Kirshner, ML (41 SV)

Class AA

1/23/14 – Non-Section: Erie Cathedral Prep 1-0-7=8, Chartiers Valley 2-0-0=2

Shots on Goal: EP 41, CV 24

Game-Winner: Joe Kelly (Unassisted) @ 6:08 of 3rd

Three Stars: #3 Kelly, EP (GWG, 1 A); #2 Grant Kennedy, EP (22 SV); #1 Ben Eliason & Trevor Faulkner, EP (2 G, 2 A each)

1/23/14 – Non-Section: Hampton 0-2-2=4, Latrobe 1-0-1=2

Shots on Goal: HA 32, LA 26

Game-Winner: Eric Leya (Jackson Baker) @ 3:51 of 3rd

Three Stars: #3 William Maguire, HA (2 A); #2 Cameron Raidna, HA (24 SV); #1 Leya, HA (3 G)

1/24/14 – Non-Section: Franklin Regional 1-2-0=3, Moon 0-1-2=3 (OT)

Shots on Goal: MN 45, FR 15

Game-Tying: Justin Bioni (Alexander Ottaviani) @ 16:42 of 3rd

Three Stars: #3 Austin Avampato & Gavin Fustng, FR (1 G, 1 A each); #2 Bioni, MN (2 G); #1 Sean McDonald, FR (42 SV)

Class A

1/21/14 – Non-Section: Mars 0-3-4=7, Deer Lakes 0-3-2=5

Shots on Goal: MA 30, DL 30

Game-Winner: Beau Heakins (Craig Mazzotta) @ 12:43 of 3rd

Three Stars: #3 Zach Luniewski, DL (2 G, 1 PP); #2 Jonathan Kowalkowski, MA (2 G); #1 Mazzotta, MA (2 G, 1 EN, 1 A)

1/23/14 – Non-Section: Freeport 1-1-3=5, Serra Catholic 0-1-0=1

Shots on Goal: FR 51, SC 15

Game-Winner: Connor Dlubak (Brendon Zack, Cole Hepler) @ 7:56 of 2nd

Three Stars: #3 Jared Kapustik, FR (2 A); #2 Ian Ritchie, SC (46 SV); #1 Hepler, FR (2 PPG, 3 A)

1/24/14 – Section 2: Quaker Valley 2-2-1=5, Mars 1-1-1=3

Shots on Goal: QV 27, MA 23

Game-Winner: James Perkins (Connor Quinn) @ 12:25 of 2nd

Three Stars: #3 Nicholas Makozy, MA (2 G, 1 PP); #2 Otto Schaefer, QV (2 G); #1 Ryan Lottes, QV (1 G, 2 A)

Open Class

1/20/14 – Section 1: John Marshall 2-3-1=6, Wheeling Park 2-0-2=4

Shots on Goal: WP 23, JM 21

Game-Winner: Joshua Merriman (Jacqueline Gellner) @ 5:34 of 2nd

Three Stars: #3 Austin Curnes, WP (2 G); #2 Gellner, JM (4 A); #1 Merriman, JM (3 G)

1/21/14 – Non-Section: Central Valley 1-0-2=3, Trinity 0-1-1-=2

Shots on Goal: CV 44, TR 21

Game-Winner: Cameron Drake (Logan Landrum, Luke Wanner) @ 14:04 of 3rd

Three Stars: #3 Drake, CV (GWG); #2 Joseph Palombo, CV (19 SV); #1 Zachary Kagle, TR (41 SV)

1/23/14 – Section 1: Morgantown 2-2-3=7, Wheeling Central Catholic 0-2-2=4

Shots on Goal: MO 42, WC 33

Game-Winner: Emilee Hough (Zac Lewis, Jacob Snider) @ 0:42 of 3rd

Three Stars: #3 Cullen Gookin, MO (1 G, 2 A); #2 Jacob Hough, MO (29 SV); #1 Emilee Hough, MO (GWG, 2 A)

UPCOMING MSA BROADCASTS

1/30/14 – Class A –Section 3: Westmont-Hilltop Hilltoppers (9-4-2) vs. Serra Catholic Eagles (4-9-1) AT Rostraver Ice Gardens at 7:40pm (Bruce Sakalik and Lou Rood) … The Hilltoppers boast the second-ranked defense in the class behind Quaker Valley with 27 goals allowed, helping them to a current three-game winning streak. Goaltender Sebastian Ragno has played every minute, posting a 1.71 GAA, 0.920 save percentage and four shutouts. The Westmont offense has been solid as well, tied for fourth in the class with 64 goals, led in goals by Michael Lamison with 10 while defenseman Brandon Leech it tops with 13 assists and 19 points. Meanwhile, the Eagles have hit a five-game skid. The rebuilding year is evident with a minus-27 goal differential, but Roman Kraemer still gives the Serra fans something to cheer about with 12 goals and 10 assists to lead the team.

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 Freeport forward Cole Hepler, Erie Cathedral Prep head coach Craig Barnett and Morgantown bench boss Jeff Anderson. Your home for the 2014 Penguins Cup Playoffs is the MSA Sports Network!