Team Blue rallies from 4-goal deficit to win PIHL Class AAA All-Star Game

By: Joe Sager
Sunday, January 26, 2020 | 8:31 PM

In most situations, a four-goal deficit would be worrisome.

That was not the case for Team Blue on Sunday in the PIHL Class AAA All-Star Game. The squad rallied from a 4-0 deficit to beat Team Gold, 11-8, at RMU Island Sports Center.

“This was definitely more fun than a defensive game, to see some moves, nice dekes and good goals,” Team Blue’s Tyler Putnam said. “It was good to get the win. It was fun. I can mess with the boys back at NA a little bit about it.”

North Allegheny’s Putnam paced Team Blue with two goals and an assist. After Feno Monaco (Mt. Lebanon), Mark Lehman (Peters Township), Tyler Lamark (North Allegheny) and C.J Simione (Central Catholic) gave Team Gold a 4-0 edge to start the game, Putnam broke the shutout with 36 seconds left in the opening period.

Team Blue scored the next four and carried a 6-5 lead into the third. Cathedral Prep’s Jake Kruszewski trimmed Team Gold’s deficit to 8-7 halfway through the final period. However, Ryan McLinden (Bethel Park), Drew Wilbert (Peters Township) and Logan Ford (Canon-McMillan) scored for Team Blue to seal the win.

“It was back and forth the whole time, so it was nice to pull away late,” Putnam said.

Jordan Adams (Cathedral Prep), Andrew Woomer (Upper St. Clair), Josh Hrip (Canon-McMillan), Kowin Belsterling (Seneca Valley), Charlie Mill (Pine-Richland) and Joe Folmer (Pine-Richland) had goals for Team Blue. Will Parreaguirre (North Allegheny), Mitchell Geinzer (Upper St. Clair) and Belsterling all had two assists in the win, while Michael Sewecke (Central Catholic), Eric Wilbert (Peters Township), Drew Wilbert, Woomer, Adams and Mill had assists.

Richard Wild (Pine-Richland) scored twice for Team Gold. North Allegheny’s Connor Chi added a goal. Canon-McMillan’s Daniel Garver had two assists each, and Colton Shiry (Upper St. Clair), Devin Rohrich (Upper St. Clair), Connor Salsbury (Pine-Richland), Blake Sinicki (Butler), Joey Wandrisco (Bethel Park), Lamark, Monaco, Wild, Simione. Kruszewski and Chi had helpers.

Joe Sager is a freelance writer.

Tags: Bethel Park, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Central Catholic, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Upper St. Clair