Westmoreland PIHL playoff preview capsules: Games of March 15, 2022

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, March 14, 2022 | 3:54 PM

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Tuesday’s games

Class 2A

Semifinals

4-Penn-Trafford (16-4) vs. 1-Thomas Jefferson (18-1)

7 p.m. at Robert Morris University Island Sports Center, Moon

Winner plays: Winner of 3-South Fayette (17-3)/2-Franklin Regional (17-2) in championship 6:30 p.m. March 22 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, Cranberry

Coaches: Chris Cerutti, Penn-Trafford; John Zeiler, Thomas Jefferson

Ice chips: Penn-Trafford handled Meadville in the quarterfinals, 5-2, to advance to the 2A frozen four. Xavier Soloman scored two goals, and Alex Sciullo, Bryce Kropczynski and Josh Goldberg had one each to lead the Warriors, who have a balanced attack. Jackson Kerrigan made 19 saves in net. Penn-Trafford never has won a PIHL championship. … Thomas Jefferson bumped aside No. 8 seed Hempfield, but the pesky Spartans took the Jaguars to overtime. Thomas Jefferson got a goal from Nick Stock 20 seconds into overtime for the victory. Hempfield led 4-1 in the second period. Stock had two goals, while Brett Smith, Andrew Oliver, Jake Stock and Colby Bilski also found the net for the Jaguars, who have won eight straight. Nick Stock has 34 goals on the season. Thomas Jefferson won three straight Penguins Cup titles from 1998-2000.

3-South Fayette (17-3) vs. 2-Franklin Regional (17-2)

9 p.m. at Robert Morris University Island Sports Center, Moon

Winner plays: Winner of 4-Penn-Trafford/1-Thomas Jefferson in championship 6:30 p.m. March 22 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, Cranberry

Coaches: Matt Schwartz, South Fayette; John Winebrenner, Franklin Regional

Ice chips: South Fayette needed overtime to skate past Armstrong in the quarterfinals. Trevor Dalessandro scored on an assist from Wes Schwarzmiller at the 1:48 mark of sudden death to lift the Lions. Schwarzmiller also had a goal in the win. Goaltender Brandon Timmins stopped 22 of 23 shots. Schwarzmiller has 15 goals and 28 assists to lead the team, and Dallesandro has 13 goals and 24 helpers. The Lions never have won a Penguins Cup title. … Franklin Regional returned to the semifinals with a 10-2 win over Butler in the quarterfinals Matty Knizner and Luke Lavrich scored two goals apiece, Chase Williams had a goal and four assists and Zach Abdallah added a goal and three assists. The Panthers have 135 goals this season. Williams upped his team-best point total to 51. He has 38 assists. The program is chasing its first Penguins Cup since 2017.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Penn-Trafford, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson