Westmoreland PIHL playoff capsules: Games for March 15, 2023

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, March 14, 2023 | 3:21 PM

PIHL playoffs

Class A

Semifinals

Norwin (17-4) vs. Fox Chapel (19-2)

7 p.m. Wednesday, Robert Morris Island Sports Center, Neville Township

Seeds: Norwin Blue No. 3; Fox Chapel Blue No. 1

Winner plays: Winner of Greensburg Salem (18-3)/Kiski Area (17-5) in championship at 8:45 p.m. March 20 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, Cranberry

Players to watch: Alex Thomas, Norwin; Liam Wiseman, Fox Chapel

Ice chips: Norwin is the defending Penguins Cup champion after winning its first title in 2022. Thomas led the league during the regular season with 70 points. He had the deciding goal in a 3-2 overtime win over McDowell in the quarterfinals and put the Knights ahead to stay with a third-period score in a 6-5 win against West Allegheny in the play-in round. Thomas has 43 goals and 34 assists. Mario Cavallaro and Dom Cerilli have more than 40 points each. Experienced goaltender Owen Murmeister is 13-5 with 386 saves. … Fox Chapel, a semifinal team last year, led the league with 146 goals. It defeated Norwin twice, 7-3 and 9-2. The Foxes rallied with three goals in the third period to push back Quaker Valley, 5-3, in the quarterfinals. Wiseman had two goals and an assist, giving him 28 scores and 22 helpers for the season. Mason Heiininger leads the team with 64 points (29 goals, 35 assists). Watch keeper Joe Rattner, who has 16 wins, a pair of shutouts and 35 goals allowed in 21 games.

Greensburg Salem (18-3) vs. Kiski (17-5)

9 p.m. Wednesday, Robert Morris Island Sports Center, Neville Township

Seeds: Greensburg Salem Blue No. 2; Kiski Area Gold No. 4

Winner plays: Winner of Norwin (17-4) vs. Fox Chapel (19-2) in championship at 8:45 p.m. March 20 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, Cranberry

Players to watch: Owen Tutich, Greensburg Salem; Ethan George, Kiski Area

Ice chips: This will be the first semifinal appearance for Greensburg Salem, which defeated Shaler, 6-3, in the quarters. Tutich had a hat trick, and Chase Kuchner gave the Golden Lions two assists. Tutich has 28 goals and 28 assists, Carter Cherock has 19 goals and 18 assists and Kushner has 18 and 13. Two goalkeepers have seen action. Tristan Gonzales is 11-3 in net, and Ethan Patrick is 6-0. Greensburg Salem beat Kiski twice this season, 7-1 and 5-2. … Kiski is making its first semifinal trip after a pair of one-goal wins. The first was 4-3 over Avonworth in the play-in round. Kyle Guido and Ethan George netted goals in the third period for the Cavaliers. Kiski also scored twice in the third to get past North Hills, 3-2, in the quarters. Guido had a goal and an assist. George leads the team with 52 points on 37 goals and 15 assists, and Guido has 17 goals and 30 assists. Goaltender Evin Brice has both playoff wins and is 10-4 with three shutouts.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Fox Chapel, Greensburg Salem, Kiski Area, Norwin