Blackhawk Cougars Hockey Game recap for 2/19/14

By: Bruce Markey
Friday, February 21, 2014 | 3:42 PM

At the Beaver County Ice Arena in PIHL Open class competition, the Blackhawk Cougars with a chance to play for a home playoff game lost in a tough battle with McDowell 5-3. A win by the Trojans sends the Cougars on the road Sunday February 23rd at Mercyhurst College at a time to be determined in the first round of the Northeast section playoffs.With the loss Blackhawk is the number 5 seed, McDowell the number 4.

A fast paced first period saw both teams checking, skating hard, and tough on the fore check. Both teams knew what was on the line. McDowell broke thru first at 6:59 as Mitchell Reichert scored to make it 1-0 Trojans. Blackhawk took over at this point dominating play and finally scored a goal at 12:29. Nathan Lundy  scored on a slap shot just inside the blue line to tie it at 1-1.

Into the second period, after some physical play McDowell took a penalty and the Cougars took advantage with a power play goal. Lundy would score his second of the game at 3:47 and 14th of the year to give the Cougars an emotional 2-1 lead. Now rolling Blackhawk would make it 3-1. Devon Gabauer seemed to have the goal off a shot from the point, but Kenny Rose tipped it in for his 9th of the year and the Trojans were reeling. First year head coach Bill Wager called time out to settle his troops and it worked. After the time out McDowell was a different team and controlled play the rest of the second period. The Cougars were on cruise control and their effort wasn’t the same. The Trojans would score four unanswered goals to take a 5-3 lead into the 3rd period. Matt Lorei made it 3-2 at 6:48, Reichert tied it at 3-3 at 11:09. Max Swahn gave them a 4-3 lead at 12;21, and Reichert would get the hat trick at 16:39 to give them the 5-3 advantage.

The third period was scoreless as McDowell controlled play. They would dump the puck and pressure the Cougars. Blackhawk could get no offense going and would lose a chance at the home playoff game. Blackhawk falls to 12-8 while McDowell improves to 14-6.

The MSA SPORTS three stars were: Number three star with 1 goal and 2 assists was McDowell’s Max Swahn. The number two star was the Cougars Nate Lundy with 2 goals. The number one star and player of the game was the Trojans Mitchel Reichert with 3 goals and 1 assist.

Tags: Blackhawk, Erie McDowell