PIHL Notebook – 01/04/2016

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, January 4, 2016 | 1:23 PM

Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. There are no updated hot streaks or games to recap this week, but fear not. First up, we conclude our two-part look at the midseason playoff picture with a focus on Class A and Division 2, including first-round match-ups. But that’s not all as we preview the first two MSA broadcasts of 2016, including one defending champion from Class AAA plus a meeting of high octane attacks in Class A. So, let’s light the lamp on this edition of “PIHL Notebook.”

PIHL MIDSEASON PLAYOFF PICTURE

Class A

(Top 5 teams from each conference qualify)

#1: West Allegheny (12-1-0)

#2: Montour (11-1-1)

#3: Franklin Regional (11-2-0)

#4: Bishop McCort (9-2-1)

#5: South Fayette (9-3-1)

#6: Freeport (8-3-1)

#7: South Park (7-6-0)

#8: Wheeling Central Catholic (7-6-0)

#9: Serra Catholic (6-7-0)

#10: Kiski Area (5-8-0)

PLAY-IN ROUND MATCH-UPS:

E-#4 Serra Catholic vs. W-#5 Wheeling Central Catholic

W-#4 South Park vs. E-#5 Kiski Area

FIRST ROUND MATCH-UPS:

W-#1 West Allegheny vs. Serra Catholic/Wheeling Central Catholic winner

E-#2 Bishop McCort vs. W-#3 South Fayette

E-#1 Franklin Regional vs. South Park/Kiski Area winner

W-#2 Montour vs. E-#3 Freeport
 

Division 2

(Top 5 teams in Class B and Top 3 in Class C qualify)

#1: Beaver (10-2-0)

#2: Carrick (9-3-0)

#3: Meadville (9-3-0)

#4: Indiana (6-6-0)

#5: Blackhawk (5-7-0)

#6: Elizabeth Forward (9-2-0)

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

#8: OLSH (6-6-1)

FIRST ROUND MATCH-UPS:

#1 Beaver vs. #8 OLSH

#2 Carrick vs. #7 Central Valley

#3 Meadville vs. #6 Elizabeth Forward

#4 Indiana vs. #5 Blackhawk

UPCOMING MSA BROADCASTS

1/7/16 – Class AAA – Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers vs. Bethel Park Black Hawks @ Bethel Park YMCA … The Ramblers (5-5-2) are 3-1-1 in their last five and coming off a win. Meanwhile, the Black Hawks (4-6-1) have dropped six in a row after a five-game unbeaten streak opened their campaign. Erie has been led offensively by Jack Becker (8 G, 2 PP, 2 GW, 6 A) while Trent Faulkner (4-2-1, 2.98 GAA, 0.896 SV%) has been the top goaltender. Anthony Esposito (5 G, 1 PP, 1 SH, 3 A) has led Bethel’s attack while William Lowe (3-4-1, 2.62 GAA, 0.879 SV%) has played most of the minutes in net. The previous meeting ended in a 2-2 tie on October 21 with Becker scoring both Prep goals while Faulkner made 26 saves. The puck drops at 7:00 PM with Steve Nagler and Kevin Zielmanski on the call.

1/7/16 – Class A – Wheeling Central Catholic Maroon Knights vs. Franklin Regional Panthers @ Center Ice in Delmont … The Maroon Knights (7-6-0) are 4-1-0 in their last five and coming off back-to-back victories, powered mostly by their fourth-ranked offense (85 GF). Meanwhile, the Panthers are riding a four-game winning streak, ranking just ahead of their opponent with 86 goals while also ranking fourth defensively with 34 allowed. Kyle Wensel (23 G, 5 PP, 2 GW, 22 A) might be Wheeling’s scoring leader, but Luke Edgerton (15 G, 2 PP, 1 SH, 1 GW, 15 A) has averaged five points in a mere six appearances. James Mauro (9 G, 1 SH, 2 GW, 18 A) has paced a balanced Franklin attack while Nicholas Paone (7-1-0, 2.38 GAA, 0.866 SV%) is the lead backstop. The puck drops at 8:00 PM with Sean Meyers and Greg Kuntz on the call.

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 Josh Rowntree host another episode of “The PIHL Power Play” this Wednesday night at 8:00. Joining us this week will be Central Valley forward Cameron Drake and Pittsburgh Central Catholic head coach Bill Connelly. Your home for the 2016 Penguins Cup Playoffs is the MSA Sports Network!