Twice Is Nice For Quaker Valley as They Win PIHL Class A Title Again

By: Bruce Markey
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 | 8:00 PM

The Quaker Valley Quakers continued their winning ways, taking the PIHL Class A Penguins Cup championship for a second straight year with a 5-1 victory over the Mars Planets at Consol Energy Center. Jimmy Perkins scored two goals to lead the Quakers, who have now won 32 straight games and are unbeaten in their last 55. It was the third time that Quaker Valley defeated Mars this season, besting the Planets 5-2 and 4-0 and fifth overall, with 7-0 and 4-2 in last year’s title match.

Quaker Valley moves on to take on West Chester East in the Pennsylvania Cup finals on Saturday, the Quakers beat West Chester Rustin in last year’s title game. The Quakers dominated despite taking eight minor penalties, getting 17 saves from Parker Sherry. Ryan Dickson said Sherry deserved a lot of the credit for the penalty kills, making some great saves.

Mars thought they had scored first in the game when Nicholas Berteotti deflected a loose puck behind Sherry but after a minute of discussion, the goal was disallowed as the officials said Berteotti touched the puck with a high stick, wiping out the goal. The momentum changed when Connor Quinn hit Perkins with a pass from the left circle, beating Christian Knapp and giving Quaker Valley a 1-0 lead after one period.

The Quakers scored twice on the power play. Otto Schaefer scored his second goal of the post season, when he buried a rebound of a Ryan Lottes shot from the point. Perkins added his second goal of the game and third of the post-season, again on the power play with Berteotti in the box.  Quaker Valley finished the game 2 for 4 with the man advantage.

Quaker Valley took the 3-1 lead into the third period but it did not last long as Ian Houk-Graves scored on a short-handed goal for Mars, blasting a slap shot from the top of the circle along the near boards past Sherry. The Quakers pulled away, Perkins missed out on the hat trick when he hit the post on a break away, but Connor Quinn and Ryan Dickson scored to put the game out of reach and let the celebration begin again for the Quakers.

Perkins said after the game that they still have work to do in winning the state championship. He said defending the championship was a little tougher than people think, having the target on their back every single night.

Adam Pilewicz had three assists for the Quakers. Dickson’s goal continued his scoring streak, notching goals in every post-season game. Quaker Valley outshot Mars 29-18.

Scoring Summary:
Quaker Valley Quakers  1 – 2 –2  =   5
Mars Planets   0 – 0 – 1 =   1

1st Period:
QV:  Jimmy Perkins (2)  (Connor Quinn/Adam Pilewicz)   13:44

2nd Period: 
QV:  Otto Schaeffer (2)  PPG (Ryan Lottes/Pilewicz)  11:17
QV:  Jimmy Perkins (3) PPG  (Unassisted)  15:17

3rd Period: 
M:   Ian Houk-Graves (1)  SHG (Nicholas Berteotti)  1:13
QV:  C. Quinn (1) (Pilewicz/Perkins)  9:09
QV:  Ryan Dickson (6)  (Clayton Bouchard/Schaeffer)  14:29