Internal competition fuels North Allegheny hockey team

By: Josh Rizzo
Thursday, October 3, 2019 | 7:56 PM

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Mike Bagnato has 23 players who he considers varsity performers.

The North Allegheny coach has all the members of that group practice together, attend team functions and train to help form the program’s culture.

During the Tigers’ season-opener Oct. 10 against Mt. Lebanon at the Baierl Ice Complex, three members of those players will be in the stands.

PIHL rules dictate teams can only dress 20 players, but North Allegheny likes to train more players in case of injury and to help with program building.

Senior captain Will Parraguirre likes the tone having extra players sets.

“It shows the younger kids that no spots are earned easily,” Parraguirre said. “They see kids sitting in the stands and know they have to work hard for their spot. Every practice is like a tryout.”

Many moving pieces will be falling into place as the Tigers look to replicate the success from last season, where North Allegheny finished 17-5 and won the PIHL’S Class AAA Penguins Cup before falling to La Salle College in the state finals.

“Being the captain and having that postseason experience, I have to step up and teach them how intense and how hard we have to play,” Parraguirre said. “You can’t take a shift off.”

North Allegheny will need to have the focus, especially early in the season. The Tigers are working in several young players on defense and will have a new netminder.

Senior Tyler Boyles, who is new to the program, and junior Josh Bailey will compete for the goaltending spot.

Where the Tigers will see the most experience return is at forward. Seniors Tyler Lamark, Tyler Putnam and Colin O’Neill along with junior Chris Hanlon give North Allegheny a strong presence up front. Another newcomer to the program, Tyler Sippel, will contribute at forward.

Putnam and Lamark were second and third on the team in scoring last season. Putnam finished with 16 points, including 10 goals, while Lamark finished with 11 assists.

“I won’t change a lot,” Bagnato said. “We will tweak things one way or another. The goal is to move the puck and play with speed. We’re more of a finesse team. One great thing about North Allegheny is we have a lot of kids to pick from.”

Being able to adjust quickly will help North Allegheny in always competitive Class AAA. Defending the Tigers’ Penguins Cup crown will be a battle.

Training extra bodies on the roster helps Bagnato sell kids on the program.

“I think it plays an important role because the older kids believe in it,” Bagnato said. “The younger kids are going to go along with what the older kids do. They are able to tell them this is what we do here.”

Tags: North Allegheny