PIHL Notebook – 12/29/2015

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, December 29, 2015 | 1:15 AM

Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. First up, “Melting the Ice” provides your weekly thermometer of streaking teams around the league. Meanwhile, this week’s “Scoreboard Watch” includes the end of long unbeaten streaks for Peters Township in Class AAA, Moon in Class AA, and West Allegheny in Class A. Finally, with no MSA broadcasts to preview, we begin a two-part look at the current mid-season playoff picture, including first-round match-ups, beginning with Class AAA and Class AA. So, let’s light the lamp on this edition of “PIHL Notebook.”

MELTING THE ICE (Records listed indicate current unbeaten streak):

Class AAA: Canon-McMillan (5-0-2); Pittsburgh Central Catholic (3-0-1); Butler (3-0-0)

Class AA: Quaker Valley (4-0-0); Hampton (3-0-0); Mars (3-0-0)

Class A: Montour (7-0-1); Franklin Regional (4-0-0); Bishop McCort (3-0-0)

Division 2: Beaver (8-0-0); Elizabeth Forward (4-0-0); Kennedy Catholic (4-0-0); Meadville (3-0-0)

SCOREBOARD WATCH:

Class AAA

12/21/15 – Pine-Richland 2, Peters Township 1 … After a scoreless opening period, Antonio Binotto lit the lamp for the Rams (2-10-0) 4:10 into the second. Andrew Rossi would then net the winner at the 15:09 mark. The Indians (7-1-4) fought valiantly in the third, and pulled within a goal thanks to Steve Rex, but the 1:34 remaining at that point in the hockey game was not enough to force overtime. Both goaltenders were solid with Ben Stauffer stopping 28 shots for Pine-Richland while Caden Shell turned aside 24 for Peters Township.

Class AA

12/21/15 – Fox Chapel 4, Moon 0 … The Foxes (6-7-0) faced down the number two defense in the class and got a valiant effort between the pipes to roll over the Tigers (9-3-1). Ben Friedland scored the deciding goal just 4:33 into the contest, and Jonathan Rice doubled the lead at the 13:09 mark. Paul Cullen scored on the power play at 14:16 of the second period, and Friedland would have the final word offensively just 2:01 later. Moon carried the shots by a 44-30 margin, but Chad Veltri stopped them all for Fox Chapel. Rice added three assists to his effort while Friedland notched one as well.

Class A

12/22/15 – Bishop McCort 5, West Allegheny 4 … After a 2-2 first stanza, the Crimson Crushers (9-2-1) carried the second period by a 3-1 count. The Indians (12-1-0) would add a goal early in the third, but would get no closer, seeing their perfect start come to an end. Tristan Mock buried the winner at the 16:00 mark of the second, part of a three-point night for him (2 G, 1 A). Also getting multiple points for Bishop McCort were Christopher Miller (1 G, 2 A) and Anthony Formica (1 PPG, 1 A). West Allegheny got a pair of goals from Jess Ligas, one on the power play, and two assists from Sean Weber. The Crushers nearly doubled up the Indians in shots 39-21.

Division 2

12/21/15 – Meadville 3, Blackhawk 0 … The Bulldogs (9-3-0) got all the offense they would need against the Cougars (5-7-0) 8:33 into the first period off the stick of Chase Leach. After a scoreless second frame, Nicholas Frantz struck twice in the third, first at even strength 1:16 in, and again on the power play at the 6:01 mark. Meadville thoroughly dominated the shots column 53-19, so credit where it’s due to Blackhawk’s Cory Steinle for making 50 saves. Sam Kineston backstopped the shutout for Meadville.

PIHL MIDSEASON PLAYOFF PICTURE

Class AAA

(Top 8 teams qualify)

#1: Peters Township (7-1-4)

#2: Butler (7-2-1)

#3: Canon-McMillan (6-2-3)

#4: Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7-4-1)

#5: North Allegheny (6-4-1)

#6: Erie Cathedral Prep (5-5-2)

#7: Seneca Valley (6-6-0)

#8: Bethel Park (4-6-1)

FIRST ROUND MATCH-UPS:

#1 Peters Township vs. #8 Bethel Park

#2 Butler vs. #7 Seneca Valley

#3 Canon-McMillan vs. #6 Erie Cathedral Prep

#4 Pittsburgh Central Catholic vs. #5 North Allegheny

Class AA

(Top 5 teams from each conference qualify)

#1: Mars (10-3-0)

#2: Armstrong (10-3-0)

#3: Latrobe (10-3-0)

#4: Moon (9-3-1)

#5: Hampton (9-4-0)

#6: Plum (8-4-1)

#7: Bishop Canevin (8-5-0)

#8: Quaker Valley (8-5-0)

#9: Baldwin (7-6-0)

#10: Fox Chapel (6-7-0)

PLAY-IN ROUND MATCH-UPS:

E-#4 Plum vs. W-#5 Baldwin

W-#4 Quaker Valley vs. E-#5 Fox Chapel

FIRST ROUND MATCH-UPS:

W-#1 Mars vs. Plum/Baldwin winner

E-#2 Latrobe vs. W-#3 Bishop Canevin

E-#1 Armstrong vs. Quaker Valley/Fox Chapel winner

W-#2 Moon vs. E-#3 Hampton

That wraps up this edition of “PIHL Notebook,” but check back every Monday through March for more news from around the league. In the meantime, Adam Hoerner and a surprise co-host will anchor another episode of “The PIHL Power Play” this Wednesday night at 8:00. Joining us this week will be Fox Chapel forward Ben Friedland and Franklin Regional head coach Brian Kurtz. Your home for the 2016 Penguins Cup Playoffs is the MSA Sports Network!