Latrobe Golden In PIHL Class AA Title Game

By: Bruce Markey
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 | 10:18 PM

Latrobe got yet another outstanding performance in a stellar goaltending career by senior Shane Brudnock as the Wildcats added a fourth PIHL Penguin Cup Championship to their High School mantle with a 5-0 blanking of the Pine-Richland Rams in the Class AA championship game.  Brudnock stopped all 24 Pine Richland shots that he faced for his 2nd post-season shutout and fifth of the season. 

After a scoreless first period that saw the Wildcats carry the bulk of the play, Latrobe’s Dan Staffen scored his first goal of the postseason nearly eight minutes into the 2nd period as he took a pass from behind the net from Dalton Hunter and wristed a shot past Rams goaltender, Brenden Bagnato.  On the play, it appeared that the puck was deflected in off of Hunter’s skate but Staffen got credit for what would be the game-winning goal.  Dalton Hunter got his first of two goals at the 10:14 mark of the period as he scored on a sharp angle shot that got past Bagnato.  Hunter came down the ice on a 2-on-1 with Adam Ferguson and, when he saw Bagnato playing the pass, he buried the shot above his right shoulder to give Latrobe the 2-0 lead.  They would drive the nail into the Rams’ coffin when Adam Ferguson would score just 0:41 later giving Latrobe a 3-0 lead at the second intermission.  

Pine Richland would have their opportunities in the 3rd period as they outshot Latrobe 13-9 largely due to two 5-3 man advantages.  The Rams would end the game 0-7 on the man advantage.   Brudnock showed his mettle by turning away several Pine Richland scoring opportunities on the power play in that final period.  Latrobe would get 3rd period goals from Dalton Hunter and Brendan Johns to salt away the victory and ensure a 4th title in the last six years.

Pine Richland’s excellent season ends with a 16-5-1 record.  For Latrobe (19-3), they will advance to play Cherokee in the Pennsylvania Cup Championship.

PINE RICHLAND   0 – 0 – 0 = 0
LATROBE               0 – 3 – 2 = 5

FIRST PERIOD
No scoring

SECOND PERIOD
PR  Dan Staffen (Dalton Hunter, Adam Ferguson)  7:52
PR  Dalton Hunter (Robert Vasinko)  10:14
PR  Adam Ferguson (Brendan Johns)  10:55

THIRD PERIOD
PR  Hunter 2 (Ferguson) PPG  6:02
PR  Brendan Johns (Chris Johnson, Josh Singley)  13:53

SHOTS ON GOAL
Pine Richland  6 – 5 – 13 = 24
Latrobe            9 – 10 – 9 = 28

GOALTENDERS
Brendan Bagnato, Pine Richland:  28 shots, 23 saves
Shane Brudnock, Latrobe:   24 shots, 24 saves

Tags: Latrobe