Baldwin & Harbor Creek Win PIHL Open Class Cup Titles

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, February 28, 2014 | 12:36 AM

It took Baldwin over three months, but they finally were given the chance to avenge their lone loss of the 2013-2014 season and boy, did they capitalize on it. The top-seeded Highlanders (21-1-1) used a smothering defensive effort and aggressive forecheck to take down #3 Hempfield, 5-1, in the PIHL Open Class Northeast Conference Championship Game at Robert Morris University’s Island Sports Center on Thursday night.

Baldwin’s leading scorer, Anthony Alaimo, kept up his blistering pace, recording two goals and two assists in the win. It was Alaimo, in fact, that opened the scoring at the 10:55 mark of the first period on a wrist shot that trickled through the pads of Spartans’ goalie Garrett Ciaramella.

Alaimo would then push Baldwin’s lead to 2-0 on another wrist shot from the slot off a pair of terrific passes from Kenny Dee and Max Milan, giving Baldwin a 2-0 lead at the first intermission. Baldwin outshot Hempfield 16-3 in the first period. The Highlanders would extend their lead to 3-0 on a wrist shot by Dakota Becker from the left circle at the 1:35 mark of the second period.

However, Hempfield (19-4) would respond at the 9:35 mark on a tremendous rebound shot by Avery Levalla. Lavella, who backhanded a puck off of Baldwin Goalie Matt Yauch, would one-time the rebound into the back of the net, cutting the Highlanders’ lead to 3-1. But Baldwin would tighten up from there on, outshooting Hempfield 14-7 in the middle frame.

Baldwin would add two more goals in the third period. The first was the lone goal from Brian Dee, Baldwin’s leading playoff scorer. The goal, which was on the powerplay, was set up by a tremendous pass from Anthony Alaimo and was the 9th for Dee this postseason. Alaimo took a pass from Kenny Dee, then rifled the puck from the far boards to the left circle, allowing Brian Dee to tee up a one-time blast by Ciaramella. Max Milan would cap the scoring at the 12:44 mark, as Alaimo would pick up his fourth point of the night with a secondary assist.

Baldwin outshot Hempfield 41-16 in the game and has now outshot their three playoff opponents 137-33. Hempfield, which went 2-16-2 in AAA last year, was plagued by a rare streak of poor defense in these playoffs.

After allowing just 31 goals in 20 regular season games, the Spartans and Ciaramella allowed 13 goals in three playoff games. Baldwin, which lost to Hempfield on November 21st, moves into the Open Cup Championship Game on Sunday and will meet Southwest Conference Champion Harborcreek (22-1-0) on Sunday at 8:20 at the Island Sports Center.

Score by Period:
Baldwin: 2-1-2=5
Hempfield: 0-1-0=1

Shots:
B: 41
H: 16

Bladerunners Scoring Summary:
First Period:
(10:55) B: Anthony Alaimo (Kenny Dee)
(15:05) B: Alaimo (2) (Kenny Dee, Max Milan)
Second Period:
(1:35) B: Dakota Becker (Ryan Doran)
(9:23) H: Avery Lavella (Mike Donofrio)
Third Period:
(5:48) B: Brian Dee (powerplay) (Alaimo, Kenny Dee)
(12:44) B: Milan (Mark O’Hanlan, Alaimo)

Management Science Associates Three Stars:
1. Anthony Alaimo (Baldwin) (2 goals, 2 assists)
2. Kenny Dee (Baldwin) (3 assists)
3. Brian Dee (Baldwin) (Goal)

Mount Lebanon Rec Center Play of the Game:
Brian Dee’s Powerplay goal at 5:48 of the 3rd Period.

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The Harborcreek Huskies have been effective and efficient during the season as they posted 16-game winning streak coming into tonight’s PIHL Open Division Southwest Conference Championship. That blueprint served the Huskies well as the skated past the Morgantown Mohawks 5-1 as the Robert Morris University Island Sports Complex on Neville Island to capture the Southwest Conference crown.

Nick Rocco gave the Huskies a lead they would never relinquish just (1:22) into the game. Rocco skated in along the left goal line and slid a backhander toward the Mohawks net. The puck managed to sneak past Morgantown goaltender Jacob Hough for a 1-0 lead. The goal
was Rocco’s 3^rd of the playoffs and 32^nd of the season.

Zack Morris made the score 2-0 getting his 5^th goal of the playoffs at the (8:12) mark of the first period. Nick Manna picked up his first playoff goal at (13:09) when he pushed a rebound behind Hough on a power play and Harborcreek led 3-0 after one period.

Defensemen Justin Dedionisio netted the only goal of the second period when he beat Hough through a screen from the right point. The goal was Dedionisio’s 5^th of the post season and 19^th on the year.

Skating 4-on-4 in the third period, the Mohawks got a spark when they scored the prettiest goal of the game. Zac Lewis and Kienan Battin played give-and-go with precision passing with Lewis going to Battin in the left faceoff circle. Battin one-timed a pass right back to Lewis along the right goal line and Lewis walked in on Tyler Manno and beat the Huskies net minder with a backhand to the far side at (5:10) to make the score 4-1.

Morgantown almost converted a half a minute later which would have made it a game. After that chance, the Mohawks would not threaten again and Jamie Collins would seal the deal for Harborcreek with just over 4 minutes remaining. Collins got the puck on the right circle and snapped a wicked wrist shot past Hough for his seventh playoff goal and 39^th of the season to make the final score 5-1. Manno made 22 saves in net for the Huskies to pick up his 22^nd win of the season.

Top seeded Harborcreek improved to (22-1) with the win and the Huskies have not lost since falling to Blackhawk 6-3 on November 25^th. Morgantown, the #2 seed in the Southwest Conference, finishes with a (19-4) record. Rocco, Morris, Dedionisio and Nick Manna each netted a goal and an assist for the Huskies. Harborcreek now faces Northwest Conference champion Baldwin for the PIHL Open Class title. Baldwin defeated Hempfield 5-1 in the nightcap on Neville Island and the Highlanders improved to (21-1-1) with the win. Harborcreek and Baldwin are set for an 8:20 faceoff this Sunday March the 2^nd from the RMU ISC. You can hear that contest on the MSA Sports Network.

Morgantown : 0-0-1=1
Harbor Creek : 3-1-1=5

First Period:

H – Nick Rocco (32) – Dan Gawne (1:22)

H – Zack Morris (19) – Ryan Markiewicz, Justin Dedionisio (8:12)

H – Nick Manna (4) – Rocco (13:09) PPG

Second Period:

H – Dedionisio (19) – Morris (12:39)

Third Period:

M – Zac Lewis (15) – Keinan Battin (5:10)

H – Jamie Collins (39) – Logan Conboy, Nick Manna (12:14)

Goaltenders:

Morgantown – Jacob Hough (46 Shots – 41 Saves)

Harborcreek – Tyler Manna (23 Shots – 22 Saves)

Power Plays:

Morgantown (0-2)

Harborcreek (1-3)

MSA Three Stars:

#3 – Justin Dedioniso – Harborcreek – Goal, Assist

#2 – Zack Morris – Harborcreek – Goal, Assist

#1 – Nick Rocco – Harborcreek – Goal, Assist