PIHL Noteboook – MSA SPORTS ALL-ICERS TEAM
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Thursday, March 24, 2016 | 11:13 AM
Welcome to the final edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. With the 2016 Penguins and Pennsylvania Cup champions crowned, there is just one more order of business we must attend to. It’s time once again to unveil the annual “All Icers” teams as voted on by the MSA Sports Network staff. Did your favorite player make the First Team? How about the Second Team? Read on to find out as we light the lamp on the final 2015-16 edition of “PIHL Notebook.”
2015-16 MSA SPORTS NETWORK “ALL ICERS” – FIRST TEAM:
Brendan Johns – Latrobe
Regular Season: 20 GP, 37 G, 31 A, 68 PTS, 7 PP, 1 SH, 5 GW, 3.40 PTS/GM
Playoffs: 1 GP, 0 PTS
Notes: Johns finished second in the Class AA scoring race, helping his Wildcats to a surprising second-place finish in the Eastern Conference. He got on the board in all 20 regular season games, with multiple points in all but two contests. That included 12 multi-goal games, seven of which brought the hats out of the stands. He notched a season-high eight points (4 G, 4 A) in the finale against Norwin on February 22. Johns also put up seven (4 G, 3 A) against Armstrong on January 21 and six (3 G, 3 A) versus Penn-Trafford on February 5.
Roman Kraemer – Serra Catholic
Regular Season: 19 GP, 57 G, 33 A, 90 PTS, 8 PP, 3 SH, 5 GW, 4.74 PTS/GM
Playoffs: 1 GP, 1 A, 1.00 PTS/GM
Notes: How can we make this list without the PIHL leader in goals and points? Kraemer earned at least one point in all 19 games, including at least two in 17 of those. He scored multiple goals 14 times, with at least three on 12 occasions. He put up a season-high nine points (6 G, 3 A) against Greensburg Salem on November 2. He also mustered eight points against Kiski Area on October 15 (6 G, 2 A) and Wheeling Park on December 17 (5 G, 3 A). The Eagles may have bowed out in the opening round of the playoffs, but Kraemer kept thing entertaining all the way through his All-Star season.
Jess Ligas – West Allegheny
Regular Season: 22 GP, 40 G, 31 A, 71 PTS, 11 PP, 4 SH, 6 GW, 3.23 PTS/GM
Playoffs: 2 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 4 PTS, 2.00 PTS/GM
Notes: Tied for second behind Kraemer in the Class A scoring race, Ligas helped the Indians to the top spot in the postseason bracket. He recorded at least two points in all but one of his 22 games, including 13 multi-goal performances, six of which were hat tricks. Ligas was a model of consistency, reaching his season-high of five points three times while hitting four points on seven occasions. If one were to pick a highlight outing, hard not to go with four goals and one assist against South Park on October 29. He would help beat that same Eagles squad in the opening playoff round with one goal and two helpers.
Connor Quinn – Quaker Valley
Regular Season: 20 GP, 39 G, 38 A, 77 PTS, 7 PP, 4 SH, 4 GW, 3.85 PTS/GM
Playoffs: 2 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 5 PTS, 2.50 PTS/GM
Notes: Quinn and the Quakers made a relatively successful jump to Class AA. The team had the fourth-best point total while the player led his peers with 77 points. He got himself on the score sheet in all 20 appearances, with multiple points in 18 of those. Quinn’s 12 multi-goal games featured seven hat tricks. He achieved his season-high of six points on three occasions, most notably at Baldwin on November 12 with four goals and two helpers. He also tallied a quartet of five-point outings. Quinn then managed all five of his playoff points in the first round against Fox Chapel.
Connor Scott – Butler
Regular Season: 20 GP, 18 G, 25 A, 43 PTS, 6 PP, 3 SH, 2 GW, 2.15 PTS/GM
Playoffs: 1 GP, 0 PTS
Notes: Scott led Class AAA with 43 points, helping the Golden Tornado to a top-four finish in this always tight grouping. He failed to get a point only three times in 20 games with multiple points coming 13 times. His four multi-goal performances included one hat trick against Upper St. Clair on December 14. Scott’s season-high of five points (2 G, 3 A) came against Pine-Richland on February 16, and he would post four points on three occasions.
Tyler Spreng – Mars
Regular Season: 22 GP, 1,098 MIN, 15-5-2, 2.04 GAA, 0.899 SV%, 3 SO
Playoffs: 3 GP, 151 MIN, 2-1-0, 2.70 GAA, 0.875 SV%
Notes: Spreng and the Fighting Planets handled the jump to Class AA just fine as the squad tied for the top spot in the Western Conference and donned silver in the playoffs. Spreng tied for first among starters with 15 victories while pacing the group with a 2.04 GAA, helping Mars lead the class defensively with 45 goals allowed. He made at least 20 saves on 10 occasions, including a season-high 31 in a tie with Bishop Canevin on January 21. His four shutouts did not keep him all that busy with a combined 43 saves. Spreng’s playoff highlight was undoubtedly making 31 saves to defeat Armstrong in the semifinals.
2015-16 MSA SPORTS NETWORK “ALL ICERS” – SECOND TEAM:
Erik Chidester – North Allegheny
Regular Season: 20 GP, 11 G, 23 A, 34 PTS, 3 GW, 1.70 PTS/GM
Playoffs: 3 GP, 2 A, 0.67 PTS/GM
Notes: Chidester finished third in Class AAA with 34 points, helping the Tigers take the top seed in the playoff bracket. He was blanked on the score sheet thrice, contributing at least two points in 10 of his games. He scored two goals on four occasions, but was known more for his playmaking ability this season. Witness his season-high seven points against Upper St. Clair on January 7 featuring five assists. Chidester’s postseason included setting up one goal each in the semifinal victory against Peters Township and the championship loss to Erie Cathedral Prep.
Anthony Dominick – West Allegheny
Regular Season: 21 GP, 1,034 MIN, 19-2-0, 2.37 GAA, 0.909 SV%, 2 SO
Playoffs: 2 GP, 102 MIN, 1-1-0, 3.00 GAA, 0.902 SV%, 1 SO
Notes: Dominick led all Class A starting goaltenders with 19 wins and a 0.909 save percentage, helping the Indians to the top of the standings while ranking second defensively with 50 goals allowed. He won 11 straight decisions from October 8 to December 17, and he won seven more in a row from January 20 to February 25. Dominick made 20 or more saves 11 times, including a season-high 37 stops against Montour on November 2 and Franklin Regional on January 4. He also turned aside 36 pucks against Freeport on January 20 and Wheeling Catholic on February 25. His shutouts featured 15 saves versus Sewickley Academy on October 22 and 31 stops to defeat Kiski Area on December 7. Dominick rounded out his spectacular campaign with a 28-save blanking of South Park in the playoffs.
Wesley Scott – Elizabeth Forward
Regular Season: 19 GP, 44 G, 29 A, 73 PTS, 10 PP, 2 SH, 4 GW, 3.84 PTS/GM
Playoffs: 1 GP, 1 A, 1.00 PTS/GM
Notes: With the scoring champions in the other three classifications represented, it would be remiss to not follow suit with the lone Division 2 player on this list. Scott registered points in 18 of his 19 appearances, posting 14 multi-point games, including 12 with at least two goals. His seven hat tricks included a pair of six-goal performances. Both of those came in October, one of them part of a season-high 10 points against Keystone Oaks on October 15. He also registered seven points in the opener against John Marshall on October 5 and notched six points on three occasions. All of which helped the Warriors finish first in Class C.
Caden Shell – Peters Township
Regular Season: 18 GP, 920 MIN, 10-4-4, 2.16 GAA, 0.917 SV%, 1 SO
Playoffs: 2 GP, 107 MIN, 1-1-0, 1.91 GAA, 0.944 SV%, 1 SO
Notes: Shell led starting goaltenders in Class AAA with his 2.16 GAA and 0.917 save percentage, helping the Indians lead the class with 47 goals allowed. The opposition certainly kept him busy, as he had to stop 24 or more shots in 14 of his 18 appearances. He made a season-high 37 saves in defeating Shaler on October 20, and also turned aside 35 pucks in victory over Seneca Valley on November 25. His regular season shutout featured 25 stops against Bethel Park on December 3, and his 36 saves blanked Butler in the opening playoff round.
Jake Tepe – Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Regular Season: 15 GP, 17 G, 15 A, 32 PTS, 1 PP, 1 GW, 2.13 PTS/GM
Playoffs: 2 GP, 1 G, 1 SH, 0.50 PTS/GM
Notes: Tepe finished fifth in the Class AAA scoring race with 32 points, helping the Vikings take the number two spot in the field. He notched at least one point in all 15 appearances, including nine multi-point efforts, and scored multiple goals four times. He hit a season-high five points against Butler on November 17 (2 G, 3 A) and Shaler on January 25 (4 G, 1 A). Tepe’s only playoff point was a key shorthanded goal in Central’s opening round victory over defending champion Canon-McMillan.
Jordan Timmons – South Fayette
Regular Season: 12 GP, 34 G, 23 A, 57 PTS, 5 PP, 5 GW, 4.75 PTS/GM
Playoffs: 3 GP, 7 G, 3 A, 10 PTS, 1 PP, 1 SH, 2 GW, 3.33 PTS/GM
Notes: Due to travel team commitments, Timmons only appeared in a dozen regular season games, yet accomplished more in that span than some players do in four full seasons of varsity hockey. Leading the PIHL in points per game, he compiled multiple points in 11 of those appearances, with only Montour managing to blank him on January 25. He visited the red light district multiple times in nine contests, including seven hat tricks. He scored five goals twice, once to single-handedly defeat Thomas Jefferson in his personal opener, and again as part of a season-high 11 points against Wheeling Catholic on February 4. Timmons also put up eight points twice and continued to dominate in the postseason, including five goals to defeat Freeport in the quarterfinals, all leading the Lions to their first ever appearance in the final round.
That wraps up this season of “PIHL Notebook” and our hockey coverage in general for the 2015-16 season. As you heard on the season finale of “The PIHL Power Play” last night, it also marks the end of my 11 seasons with the MSA Sports Network. As I step aside to spend more time with my young family, I have no doubt this article and all of our hockey coverage remains in good hands with the dedicated crew I will remain proud to call my friends. Thanks to our loyal listeners and readers this season and all the ones before, the players and coaches who participated, and our sponsors for making it all possible. “PIHL Notebook” will return in October with the annual season preview. Your source for the best PIHL coverage is always the MSA Sports Network!
Tags: Butler, Elizabeth Forward, Latrobe, West Allegheny
