PIHL Notebook – 02/09/2015

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, February 9, 2015 | 10:11 AM

Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. First up, “Melting the Ice” provides your weekly thermometer of streaking teams around the league. Meanwhile, this week’s “Scoreboard Watch” includes some statement victories for teams on the rise in Class AA and Class A. Last but not least, we round things out with a preview of upcoming MSA broadcasts, including the rekindling of another classic South Hills rivalry in Class AAA. So, let’s light the lamp on this edition of “PIHL Notebook.”

MELTING THE ICE (Records listed indicate current unbeaten streak):

Class AAA: North Allegheny (6-0-2); Bethel Park (4-0-1); Canon-McMillan (4-0-0)

Class AA: Erie Cathedral Prep (8-0-0); Armstrong (6-0-1); Shaler (3-0-0)

Class A: Quaker Valley (15-0-1); Bishop McCort (6-0-0); Montour (5-0-0); Serra Catholic (3-0-0); South Park (3-0-0); Hempfield (2-0-1)

Class B: Harbor Creek (16-0-0);

Class C: Carrick (16-0-0); Wheeling Central Catholic (4-0-1)

SCOREBOARD WATCH:

Class AAA

2/2/15 – Bethel Park 1-0-2=3, Pine-Richland 1-1-0=2 … Ben Meyer’s two goals included a shorthanded effort, putting the Rams (7-11-1) up 2-1 on the Black Hawks (13-5-2) through two periods despite being grossly outshot. But Louie McClinden scored twice in the opening two minutes of the final frame, once on the power play, completing the hat trick and securing the victory for Bethel Park. Nate Carnovale set up both Pine-Richland goals while Isaac Stephen made 30 saves. The final shot total read 33-12 in favor of the Hawks.

Class AA

2/2/15 – North Hills 1-3-0-1=5, Bishop Canevin 2-1-1-0=4 (OT) … The Crusaders (8-7-0) led 2-1 after one period, but the Indians (8-8-0) came back strong in the second and led 4-3 when the Zamboni made its appearance. That set the stage for Alec Hnat to force overtime at 12:25 of the third. A game misconduct penalty late in regulation meant North Hills would play the overtime shorthanded, but Brett Berner buried the winner anyway just 1:04 in. Brett would finish the night with three points (2 G, 1 A), his brother Matt scored twice, once on the power play, and Tyler Volz picked up two assists. Hnat also tallied with the man advantage for Bishop Canevin while Blaine Adams dished out three helpers, not to mention two-point efforts from Thomas Krivak (1 G, 1 A) and Jason Bilski (2 A).

Class A

2/2/15 – Montour 2-4-2=8, Deer Lakes 3-0-3=6 … The Lancers (13-5-0) won the first and third periods by 3-2 counts, but it was that pesky 4-0 second in favor of the Spartans (12-7-0) that ultimately spelled defeat. That explosive middle portion included three goals from Brandon Eisel, but that was merely half his final total for the night, and he included the winner at 10:51 of the third among his six even strength goals. Vince Casale (4 G, 1 PP) and Mitch Rupprecht (2 G, 1 PP, 3 A) starred for Deer Lakes while Michael Skoff added three assists for Montour.

Class B

2/2/15 – Meadville 2-1-0=3, Peters Township 1-1-0=2 … All goals came on special teams in this one. The Bulldogs (8-7-1) scored twice on the power play in the first 5:24 of the game, but the Indians (8-9-0) would cut the lead in half at 15:46. Peters would tie it at 15:22 of the second, again with the man advantage, but Jeffrey Millin scored shorthanded just 51 second later, and that would prove to be the winner after a scoreless third period. Trevor Johnson (1 G, 1 A) was the only multi-point man for Meadville while Steven Shafer made 17 saves. Mitch Creehan contributed two assists to the losing effort while Wesley Kaylor was the busier goaltender with 29 stops.

Class C

2/2/15 – John Marshall 1-3-1=5, Ringgold 0-2-2=4 … This was a wild game. The Monarchs (3-12-1) led 1-0 after 17 minutes. The Rams (6-9-1) went up 2-1 just 4:22 into the second period, but John Marshall scored the next four goals. The last of those, the eventual winner, came on the power play courtesy of Jacqueline Gellner at 5:29 of the third. It wasn’t over yet, though, and Alex Nageli lit the lamp shorthanded twice in a 39-second span for Ringgold midway through the last stanza. Kyle Patrick slammed the door shut from there, though, finishing with 25 saves. Gellner also contributed two assists to the win while teammates Nicholas Fitzpatrick (2 G, 1 A) and Riley Jones (3 A) also put up three points. Nageli also set up one goal in the loss while Daniel Marek completed the assist hat trick as well.

UPCOMING MSA BROADCASTS

2/12/15 – Class AAA – Upper St. Clair Panthers vs. Canon-McMillan Big Macs AT Ice-O-Plex at Southpointe … The Panthers (8-11-1), although coming off a loss and 2-3-0 in their last five, made those last couple of victories count enough to slot them eight in the playoff bracket entering this one. Meanwhile, the Big Macs (11-6-1) are pretty comfy in the four-spot at the moment, and have won four straight. Upper St. Clair’s offense ranks second in the class (79 GF), and is led by Austin Cassidy (30 G, 17 A) while Adam Seeton (7-9-1, 3.13 GAA, 0.864 SV%, 1 SO) has been the starting goaltender. Canon-McMillan ranks just behind USC offensively (76 GF) and is also fourth defensively (45 GA). Luc Lavella (12 G, 15 A) and Austin Tonkovich (16 G, 10 A) lead a balanced attack while Conor Hartnett (9-4-1, 2.20 GAA, 0.905 SV%, 3 SO) has seen most of the action between the pipes. The previous meeting in this South Hills rivalry decided nothing, ending in a 4-4 tie on November 20. The Big Macs trailed by two goals late in the third, but power play goals by Colman Slain and Tonkovich, the latter coming with just 49 seconds on the clock, sent the game into overtime. Cassidy paced the Panthers with two goals and one helper. The puck drops at 7:00 PM with Scott Majesky and Lou Rood on the call while Jess Levo mans the camera.

2/12/15 – Class B – Penn-Trafford Warriors vs. Blackhawk Cougars AT Beaver County Ice Arena … The Warriors (1-15-0) have struggled mightily, losing their last five outings while ranking last in the class statistically. The Cougars (10-6-0) are coming off a win, have gone 4-1-0 in their last five and sit just four points back of Indiana for the number two playoff spot in the class. Jake Vierheller has scored five goals, accounting for a fourth of Penn-Trafford’s total, including two on the power play. For Blackhawk, it continues to be Grant Rombold (19 G, 13 A) leading the offense while Corey Steinle (2.63 GAA, 0.925 SV%, 1 SO) looks sharper every day in net. The Cougars cruised to an 8-1 decision in the previous meeting on November 20 with Jordan McConaughy including the winner late in the first period among his three goals. Robert Piccerillo also registered a hat trick while Rombold chipped in three points (2 G, 1 A). The Warriors did keep Steinle busy, but he made 30 saves while counterpart Alec Pevornic made 46 stops. The puck drops at 8:45 PM with Mike Azadian and Chris Lackner on the call.

That wraps up this edition of “PIHL Notebook,” but check back every Monday through March for more news from around the league. In the meantime, Adam Hoerner and Josh Rowntree host another episode of “The PIHL Power Play” this Wednesday night at 8:00. Joining us this week will be Montour goaltender Jake Muzik and OLSH head coach Jaymes Dougherty. Your home for the 2015 Penguins Cup Playoffs is the MSA Sports Network!