Knoch holds off Burrell in tight hockey game between rivals

By: Michael Love
Monday, December 15, 2025 | 10:12 PM

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The Knoch hockey team plays just one game in December, but the Knights made that solo contest count.

Knoch won its ninth in a row Monday after an 0-3 start as it scored three goals on the power play and held off a late charge from rival Burrell in a 4-3 victory at Frozen Pond Arena in Valencia.

“That was a huge game and win for us,” said Knights coach Nicholas Minton, who saw his team improve to 8-3-1-0 (26 points) at the top of the Varsity Gold Division. “Last year, we were fighting things out in the same division. But it is still a big rivalry no matter what. The team really responded tonight.”

Knoch is off until Jan. 8 when it takes on Elizabeth Forward at CFS Bank Arena.

Burrell, which came into the game having won two in a row, fell to 7-4-0-2 (23 points) in the Blue Division.

The Bucs don’t have to wait too long to get back on the ice as they will host Carrick on Thursday at Pittsburgh Ice in New Kensington.

“It is a chance to get our confidence back really quick,” Burrell coach Drew Burkett said

Knoch and Burrell will meet again Jan. 15 at Pittsburgh Ice.

“That was a tough game, but we will see them again at our place and we’ll be ready,” Burkett said.

Down late and looking for a spark, Burrell scored on the power play with 51 seconds left in the third period. Junior Jared Wall scored his second of the game and 10th of the season off an assist from Forrest Baird to close the deficit to one.

But Knoch wouldn’t let the Bucs get the equalizer as the final seconds ticked off the clock.

“We put out the top guys we figured would fight to the end of the game,” Minton said. “That is who we wanted on the ice. They were able to protect the net and kept everything away from our goalie after they got that goal.”

The game was physical from the opening puck drop as both teams hoped to established momentum.

Burrell got the first shot two minutes in and fired off four before Knoch could get its first shot.

But that first shot for the Knights was fruitful as Tyson Voloch came down on a breakaway and beat Bucs keeper Seth Munda at even strength for a 1-0 lead.

But Burrell responded just 32 seconds later with goals on consecutive shots 12 seconds apart. Wall got the first one with 11:18 left in the first off of assists from Dante Taliani and Alyx Hatajik, and Dom Rosa followed with a helper from Baird to give the Bucs a 2-1 lead.

Knoch tied the score with 4:33 left in the first on the power play. Drew Ross put in a rebound in front of the Burrell net with 45 seconds elapsed with the man advantage off of assists from Cam Christie and Synjun McHattie.

Both teams continued to fly around the ice in the second period. The Bucs and Knights found scoring chances, but neither could find the back of the net over the first 15 minutes of the period. Among Burrell’s opportunities was a shot by Dom Gladish from the right circle that rang off the cross bar.

The momentum swung in Knoch’s favor with about two minutes left in the period. Knights senior Cam Christie was driven into the boards by Colton Boda, who was whistled for a penalty at 2:50.

Brady Linamen made the Bucs pay 39 seconds into the power play with his 14th of the season for a 3-2 Knights lead.

Knoch was back on the power play 9 seconds after the Linamen goal as Dante Taliani was sent to the box for the Bucs. The power play became a 5 on 3 with 35 seconds left with a penalty whistled on Burrell’s Jacob Rose.

McHattie scored his 17th of the season with just 17 seconds left in the period to extend the Knights’ lead to 4-2. Christie and Linamen assisted on the goal.

“After the first three games, starting with the Elizabeth Forward game, we’ve been clicking at over 70% on the power play,” Minton said. “That is where we’re the most dangerous. When penalties start coming up, that is when we are in our comfort zone. The power play really delivered.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Burrell, Knoch