Mars Dethrones Three-Time Champ Quaker Valley 4-2

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, March 15, 2015 | 12:47 AM

Mars turned in an out-of-this-world performance in dethroning the three-time defending champion Quaker Valley 4-2 to capture the Class A Penguins Cup Championship at Consol Energy Center.

{Left: Mars didn’t miss much Saturday, but this third period shot goes sailing wide of the Quaker Valley cage}

With the triumph, the No. 3 seed Fighting Planets (20-4-1) notched their fourth Penguins Cup, and first since 2011, when Mars enjoyed a three-peat of its own.

Fighting Planets forward Paul Maust recorded a hat trick, and also added an assist as he factored in on all of his team’s goals. Beau Heakins tallied the other Mars goal, while Ian Houk-Graves contributed a pair of assists.

The top-seeded Quakers (21-2-1) gained the upper hand less than six minutes into the contest, as Quaker Valley’s prolific scoring center Connor Quinn found the back of the net on a low shot from the slot on a feed by Adam Pilewicz.

Maust responded just 29 seconds later, though, as his attempted centering pass through the crease deflected off the skate of Quakers’ defenseman Jacob Kuzma and past Quaker Valley netminder Parker Sherry to deadlock the contest.

Less than five minutes later, Maust gave the Fighting Planets the lead on a power play marker, as his shot deflected in front of the goal and trickled past Sherry.

Heakins continued the offensive onslaught for the Quakers with 2:29 remaining in the first period, as he snapped a shot on a well-executed passing play to light the lamp, with assists credited to Maust and Owen Vasbinder.

Maust added to his stellar performance with his third goal of the contest less than four minutes into the second frame, as he ripped a sharp-angle wrister from the right circle that beat Sherry to the far post.

Following Maust’s heroics, the Fighting Planets clamped down defensively, and took time and space away from Quaker Valley, particularly Quinn and Pilewicz. Subsequently, the Quakers registered just 21 shots on goal, and Mars’ goaltender Tyler Spreng looked sharp between the pipes.

Quinn pulled his team within two goals late in the contest, as he unleashed a wicked wrist shot from the right circle with the man advantage.

It proved to be too little too late for the Quakers, though, as the Fighting Planets held on for the final three minutes to capture the championship.

While the Quaker Valley season comes to a conclusion, the Fighting Planets will advance to the Pennsylvania Cup Championship, where they will face the winner of the Class A Flyers Cup on Saturday, March 22 at Pegula Ice Arena at Penn State University.

Score by Period:

Mars    3 – 1 – 0 = 4
QV      1 – 0 – 1 = 2  

Blade Runners Scoring Summary:

1st Period
QV – Connor Quinn (Adam Pilewicz, Jacob Kuzma) 6:39
M – Paul Maust (unassisted) 6:08
M – Paul Maust (Ian Houk-Graves) PP 10:46
M – Beau Heakins (Paul Maust, Owen Vasbinder) 14:31

2nd Period
M – Paul Maust (Ian Houk-Graves) 3:28

3rd Period
QV – Connor Quinn (Adam Pilewicz, Chris Willner) PP 14:01

Goaltenders:
Mars: Tyler Spreng: 21 shots, 19 saves
QB: Parker Sherry: 34 shots, 30 saves

Mount Lebanon Ice Arena Play of the Game:
Paul Maust’s second tally, at the 10:46 mark of the opening period, staked the Fighting Planets to a lead they would never relinquish. He fired a shot towards the net that careened in front and past the Quakers’ netminder, Parker Sherry.

Management Science Associates Three Stars:
#3 – Connor Quinn (QV)
#2 – Beau Heakins (M)
#1 – Paul Maust (M)