In-your-face style carries Fox Chapel hockey into Penguins Cup playoffs

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, February 25, 2023 | 11:01 AM

Fox Chapel goalie Joe Rattner believes the Foxes have a reputation among PIHL Class A hockey teams: Fox Chapel is willing to dig in and do the dirty work when games get tough.

The goal for the Foxes, who will play in the PIHL quarterfinals when the playoffs begin in early March, is to frustrate their opponents.

“Tough, get in your face,” Rattner said about Fox Chapel’s style. “We get under the other team’s skin. I don’t think many teams like to play us. That’s how we play.”

The Foxes, who won the Class A Blue Division with an 18-2 record, got a lesson in what can happen if that toughness lapses late in the season.

The Foxes were outmuscled and beaten up by Greensburg Salem in a 4-0 defeat on Feb. 2 at Kirk S. Nevin Arena that stopped a 13-game winning streak for Fox Chapel. The Lions outshot Fox Chapel, which only allows 21.1 shots per game, 27-14.

Getting cold water thrown on their faces may not have been the worst thing for the Foxes. Fox Chapel pulled itself together to beat Westmont Hilltop and Kiski by a combined score of 25-5 to close the regular season.

Foxes coach Cam Raidna said losing obviously isn’t something he wants to see happen, but he was proud of how Fox Chapel responded.

“It was a shock to my system,” Raidna said. “Do I like losing? No. But we learned that we need to make the right play. We need to not overcommit and know how to dig.”

Rattner, a junior, has spent the two years before this season building up the experience to stay in net. During his freshman season, Rattner struggled on a Fox Chapel team that didn’t have a good overall season.

Rattner finished 4-13 in net with a 5.82 goals-against average. As a sophomore, Rattner only played in one game while sitting behind Nash Wedner. Getting that experience whule sitting behind a more experienced player is something Rattner valued.

“I think whenever I played my freshman year, I got in my head after I gave up a goal or two,” Rattner said. “I was excited to get out there this year and show what I had. I sat behind Nash Wedner last season, and I learned a lot from him.”

Fox Chapel was eliminated in the semifinals by Norwin last season.

The Foxes are hoping to find a way to march into the Penguins Cup.

“I think this team is built for high-pressure moments,” Raidna said. “We play a high-pressure game and aren’t afraid of being physical.”

Rattner, who credited his defensemen with keeping shots away from him or on the outside of the net, is ready for any challenge Fox Chapel may see.

Any late-season losses won’t matter to Rattner once the playoffs start.

“We are moving past it,” Rattner said. ““We have the resources to win. Everyone has an off game. We want to put that game in the past and move forward. We have bigger goals.”

Tags: Fox Chapel