PIHL Penguins Cup Playoff Recap for Thursday, March 15th

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 16, 2012 | 1:04 AM

Bookend PIHL Class AAA games on Wednesday and Friday squeezed the busiest night of the Penguins Cup postseason into Thursday where ten games were played in the three classifications. Once the ice shaving settled, ten more teams were Final Four bound, setting the Semifinals for both Class AA and Class A. Here are ALL ten recaps from the Thursday ice action.

A special thanks to Don Rebel, Randy Gore, Steve Nagler, Josh Rowntree, Lee Mohn, Brandon Showers and Mike Azadian for their help on these recaps.

PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS AAA QUARTERFINALS:

Penn-Trafford Warriors 5 – State College Little Lions 4
Class AAA's top-seed team jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead, then had to hang on to advance to the Semifinals with a 5-4 victory Thursday at Center Ice Arena in Delmont. Dan Maier, Conlan Sodrosky and Joseph Boyer scored in a six minute span to give Penn-Trafford a 3-0 lead after one period. Daniel Moscone and Dalton Brown then scored 13 second apart in the second period to pull State College to within one before the Warriors Maier scored with just over two minutes left in the second to pump it up to a 4-2 PT lead. Brown's second goal with just under six minutes left once again pulled State College to within one goal, The Warriors Daniel Petrovay scored an empty net goal to seemingly seal the deal with 40 seconds left, but the Little Lions Stefan Horgas scored with 14 seconds left to keep things interesting before time expired. State College, whose season ends at 12-11-1, outshot Penn-Trafford 33-30. The Warriors improve to 20-2-1 and will face either Norwin or Bethel Park on Wednesday in the PIHl Class AAA Semifinals.

Bethel Park Black Hawks 2 – North Allegheny Tigers 1 in Triple Overtime
Derek Lesnak’s goal at 8:52 of the third overtime period lifted the Bethel Park Black Hawks to a 2-1 playoff thriller over the North Allegheny Tigers on Thursday night in the PIHL Quarterfinals.  The Tigers broke a scoreless tie in the second period on a tally by Matt Fantaski to give NA a 1-0 lead.  The Fantaski’s goal was assisted by NA’s leading scorer Joe Griffin.  Bethel Park staged a furious rally in the final minutes of the third period before eventually tying the game on a Daniel Yost goal with 2:06 remaining to force overtime.  Along with the stingy defenses, North Allegheny goaltender Matt Goda and Bethel Park’s net minder Alex Blum kept their opponents scoreless in the first two overtimes.  That set the stage for Bethel Park’s leading goal scorer, Derek Lesnak, to deliver the game winner in the third OT period.  North Allegheny’s season ends with a record of 16-6-1 with three of their six losses coming against Bethel Park, all in one-goal games.  Winners of 13 straight, the Black Hawks improve to 16-7-1 and advance to the Class AAA Semifinals.

PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS AA QUARTERFINALS:

West Allegheny Indians 5 – Moon Tigers 2
The top-seeded West Allegheny Indians survived a slow start and a 2-goal deficit by defeating the game Moon Tigers in the PIHL AA Penguin Cup Quarterfinals at the Airport Ice Arena.  The Indians took a while to shake off the effects of a 9-day layoff while the Moon Tigers actually looked like the top-seeded team during the first period of play.  The Tigers’ Austin Siebert got the lone goal of the first period as he scored off of a faceoff win by Jake Coleman, beating Indian goaltender Jason Kumpfmiller just inside the near post.  Moon would add to their lead early on in the second period as Josh Bioni would score with the man advantage.  However, Jonathan Leavitt got West Allegheny on the board midway through the second stanza as he beat Moon goalie Eric Owens with a wrist shot.  That goal gave the Indians the life that they needed to get back into the contest.  Patrick Coburn, maybe the Indians best skater on the night, then scored late in the 2nd to pull the Indians even and giving them all of the momentum heading into the 3rd period.  Leavitt would score the next two goals in the third period giving him the hat trick, the first on the power play to give the Indians a lead that they would never relinquish.  The Tigers had a huge opportunity with less than five minutes left in the game as West Allegheny took two penalties which gave Moon a 2-man advantage for 1:35 but exceptional penalty killing allowed the Indians to squash Moon’s hopes.  Leavitt’s third goal came into the empty net.  Mason Ervin also scored an empty-net goal as well.  Moon’s season ends with a record of 11-11-1 while West Allegheny runs its record to 19-3 and will now face upset-minded Pine Richland in the Class AA Penguin Cup Semifinals.

Chartiers Valley Colts 7 – Plum Mustangs 3
In a game that featured 24 penalties, No. 2 Chartiers Valley survived a scare from No. 7 Plum, pulling away and winning a Quarterfinal matchup 7-3 on Thursday night at Mt. Lebanon Ice Arena. Anthony Franks scored both of his goals in the first period and, along with a Plum goal in between by Todd Ruggiero, the Colts led 2-1 after one period. The second period was the story though, as the teams would combine for five goals and 11 penalties. Justin Sabilla would score the first of his two goals on the night  just 15 seconds into the period, pushing the CV lead to 3-1. However, over the next 4 minutes, Plum would rally to tie the game at 3-3 thanks to goals by Andrew Walters and Joe Randazzo, who each assisted on the other's goal. What would ensue next would be a series of eight penalties, including two roughing penalties, two unsportsmanlike penalties and a head contact penalty. With tension high, Justin Sabilla would cash in at 11:09 on a power play brought on by a too many men on the ice penalty. Sabilla's second goal, a cannon of a slap shot, broke the tie. Joe Scumaci would score just 1:04 later on a fluke goal let in off the glove of Plum goalie Taylor Cestra, who stopped 48 of 55 CV shots. Evegeny Koptsov would score twice in the third, extending the final score to 7-3. Sabilla, who was named the First Niagara First Star of the Game, scored two goals and had three assists, while his teammate Koptsov added an assist to his two goals. Plum, who were outscored by CV 27-9 in three losses this season, got nice efforts from Randazzo and Walters, who each scored a goal and had two assists. Plum has their season end at 12-11-0. Tee good news for the Mustangs is that they will return their leading scorer (Walters) and top goaltender (Cestra) next season. Chartiers Valley moves to 18-4-1 and into the semifinals for the second year in a row, where they will meet Erie Cathedral Prep on Tuesday at the Island Sports Complex at a time to be determined.

Erie McDowell Trojans 6 – Latrobe Wildcats 2
Brandon Gotkin scored a pair of goals and added an assist in leading host Cathedral Prep to a 6-2 victory over Latrobe Thursday night at the Mercyhurst Arena. Zachary Faulkner and Josh Orgoos scoreds first period goals to give the Ramblers a 2-0 lead after one period. But Brandon Harris and Joshua Singley scored goals exactly three minutes apart in the first four and a half minutes of the second period to lift the Wildcats into a 2-2 tie. But the tie lasted less than two minutes as Trevor Faulkner put the Ramblers ahead to stay. Zachary Faulkner scored his two goals and Erie Prep's Cameron Zbrzeznj added a third period tally to conclude the scoring. Christopher Coombs and Jimmy Buffalino each had a pair of assits for Erie Cathedral Prep, which improves to 16-5-1 and scored three power play goals, will now face Chartiers Valley in the Class AA Semifinals on Tuesday at Island Sports Center. Latrobe falls to 13-8-1 with the loss and does not advance to the Penguins Cup Semifinals for the first time since 2007.

Pine-Richland Rams 5 – Bishop Canevin Crusaders 1
There will be a new Class AA Penguins Cup Champion. No. 6 Pine-Richland used a smothering defense and stellar play in net to knock off No. 3 Bishop Canevin 5-1 on Thursday night at Mt. Lebanon Ice Arena. After killing off a two-man advantage in the first period, Ryan Cole and Dillon Kessy would score less than four minutes apart for the Rams, making the score 2-0 after one period of play. Behind Goaltender Chase Takacs, Pine-Richalnd held the Crusaders off the scoreboard until there was 5:24 left in the game and they were up 3-0 thanks to a Scott McAliney goal. That goal with just over five minutes to play for Canevin came shorthanded, as Patrick Large would net a beautiful pass from Randy Unger. It was all the Crusaders could manage though, as the Rams put on the clamps. They hit two empty-net goals in the final 7 seconds, as Zach Richey and Nick Carnovale would get the tallies. Bishop Canevin, who won the 2011 AA Penguins Cup Championship, fail to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2006 and finish their season at 15-6-1. Pine-Richland got a goal and assist from McAliney and Kessy each, as well as 27 saves by Takacs on 28 Pine-Richland shots. Even more impressive, Pine-Richland held Canevin star and leading scorer Matt Walsh without a point for the first time since January 21, 2011. The Rams are now 12-9-1, have won four-straight and move into the semifinals for the first time since 2008, when they won the AAA Championship. They will take on top-seeded West Allegheny on Tuesday at the Island Sports Complex at a time to be determined.

PIHL PENGUINS CUP CLASS A QUARTERFINALS:

Quaker Valley Quakers 6 – Thomas Jefferson Jaguars 3
The top-seed Quakers got a scare through 15 minutes when they trailed Thomas Jefferson 2-1 after one period before kicking their high powered offense into gear over the final 30 minutes to win 6-3 Thursday night at the Airport Ice Arena. Kyle Miller and Brendan Mason scored first period goals as the 9th-seed Jaguars had huge upset dancing in their heads at the first intermission. But a pair of Ryan Dickson goals in the second period put the Quakers ahead to stay.  Jayson Lottes, Clayton Bouchard, James Perkins and Otto Schaefer also scored for the Quakers, who badly out shot the Jaguars 47-12. Zac Uhlyar's goal early in the third pulled TJ to within one goal before QV pulled away, thanks to four assists by Kevin Kenny and three helpers by John Pilewicz. Thomas Jefferson's season ends with a final mark of 7-14-0 while Quaker Valley improves to 18-1-1 and will battle Kittanning on Monday in a Pneguin Cup Class A Semifinals contest at the Island Sports Center.  

Mars Fighting Planets 6 – Freeport Yellowjackets 1
The Mars Planets started their defense of the WPIAL A title defeating Freeport 6-1.  Things went wrong quickly for Freeport when a goal just 16 seconds in was disallowed due to a player in the crease.  Robert Folet would score the first goal of the game for Mars at the 9:26 mark when he came from behind the goal untouched and beat Cody Lee.  Freeport would tie it just 40 seconds later when Devon Christy scored unassisted off a turnover.  45 seconds later Mars would claim the lead again getting a tip in from Austin Heakins would get the assist on Neal Blaney's goal in the 2nd to put Mars ahead 3-1 at the end of 2 periods,  Freeport had a chance to get back into the game but not score on a 5 on 3 power play to start the 3rd period.  mars would then score 3 more times in the 3rd to ice the game.  Mars out shot Freeport 40-13.  Mars now moves on to the semifinals on Monday night.

Hampton Talbots 1 – Westmont-Hilltop Hilltoppers 0
Westmont Hilltop seemed happy to pepper the net early and often as they racked up 11 shots in the first period.  The only problem was Cam Radna was in the net for Hampton.  Westmont went on to finish the game with a staggering 31 shots on goal most of them were on one of their five power plays but for each shot Radna had an answer.  Whether it was corralling the puck into his body or making a spectacular glove save he made it look easy.  Westmont’s best scoring chance came with about five minutes to go in the 2nd as Zachary Nedrewski took an errant pass and got a break away to the net.  All the Hampton defender could do to stop him was dive and hope to get the puck first instead of the man.  That was not how the referee saw it and Nedrewski was awarded a penalty shot.  He tried to fake Radna out with a hip fake and go five hole but Radna shut the door, on that play you could almost feel the momentum swing to Hampton from there.  Both teams went to the 3rd in a 0-0 tie and it was with fifteen minutes left that the tie was broken.  Zach Kosick took a shot from right from the top of the left circle and it beat goaltender Adam Ayre high stick side.  Picking up the assists for the goal were Ian Wood and Joe Vitta.  With a minute and a half to play Hampton sent a player to the penalty box for roughing and Westmont Hilltop did all they could to put one in but Radna just continued to come up big even when it was six on four for the last minute.  Neither team did well with the extra man Hampton 0-3 and Westmont 0-5.  Westmont Hilltop ended their year 10-7-3 and Hampton increased their record to 13-4-2.  Hampton will go on to face Mars in a rematch of last year’s finals on Tuesday night from Neville Island Sports Complex live on the MSA Sports Network at 8pm.
First Niagara Bank Three Stars:
3. Westmont Hilltop’s – Zakary Kindya
2. Hampton’s – Zach Kosick (goal)
1. Hampton’s – Cam Radna (31 saves and shut out)
Mt Lebanon Ice Arena Play of the Game:
Cam Radna coming up with a big save on the penalty shot from Zachary Nedrewski.

Kittanning Wildcats 4 – Serra Catholic Eagles 1 
At the Belmont complex in Kittanning the home standing Wildcats defeat the  visiting Serra Catholic Eagles in the PIHL single A quarterfinals by a score of 4-1. Kittanning  got on the board early on a backhand goal by Hunter Grafton at :19 of the first to go up 1-0.  Serra's Tyler Speis scored 2 minutes later to tie the score and the battle was on. Most of the period was penalty marred as each team tried hard checking and rough play to get an advantage. With 1:11 left in the period Heinz Koster scored on the forehand from the slot to give the Wildcats the lead 2-1 going into the second period. The second period was scoreless but the Wildcats had a 5 on 3 powerplay and 2 breakaways denied by the Serra defense and goalie Travis Marzena, and it went to the 3rd period with Kittaning still holding a one goal lead. In the 3rd the Wildcats put on a show and pressed on offense scoring twice in the first 5 minutes. Koster scored a high light reel goal going thru 3 Eagle defenders then undressing Marzena to make it 3-1. Grafton put the game away on a goal from in front to make it 4-1. Koster ended with 2 goals and one assist and was the First Niagra Bank first star of the game. Grafton had 2 goals and 2 assists and ended as the number
2 star of the game. Cameron Langham stopped 25 of 26 shots and was the third star. Serra ends their season at 12-6-2. Kittanning will move to the Semi Finals with a 14-5-1 record and take on the number one seed the Quaker Valley Quakers next week at the Island Sports Complex on a date and time to be determined.