PIHL High School Hockey Notebook – 03/04/2013

By: Bruce Markey
Monday, March 4, 2013 | 9:40 AM

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Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. With the regular season now complete, from this point forward we break our standard format as Penguins Cup Playoff coverage begins. It is going to be one busy week in the three major classifications as both opening and quarterfinal round action will take place between now and Thursday night. Tradition dictates we get you primed with a complete first round preview, which is exactly what follows via team capsules in the space below. In case that’s not enough, though, tonight’s Open Cup Championship game gets the same treatment. So, let’s light the lamp on this special postseason edition of “PIHL Notebook.”

CLASS AAA PENGUINS CUP FIRST ROUND:

BYES – #1 Peters Township Indians (17-4-0), #2 Bethel Park Black Hawks (16-5-0), #3 North Allegheny Tigers (15-4-2), #4 Seneca Valley Raiders (14-6-1)

#5 State College Little Lions (14-7-0) vs. #12 Mount Lebanon Blue Devils (5-16-0) AT Penn State University Arena on Monday, March 4th at 7:00pm

STATE COLLEGE

Team Stats: 119 GF, 67 GA, 260 PIM

Key Players: Stefan Horgas (52 G, 25 A); Zach Woytowich (8-3-0, 2.80 GAA, 0.892 SV %, 1 SO)

Last five games: 4-1-0

Streak: 4-0-0

MOUNT LEBANON

Team Stats: 58 GF, 101 GA, 203 PIM

Key Players: Stephen Sramac (12 G, 18 A); Clay Wyda (5-13-0, 4.56 GAA, 0.869 SV %)

Last five games: 1-4-0

Streak: 0-3-0

Previous Meeting: 2/4/13 – State College 6, Mount Lebanon 1 – Stefan Horgas put up five goals and set up another while Zach Woytowich stopped 23 shots for the Little Lions.

#6 Upper St. Clair Panthers (12-7-2) vs. #11 Shaler Titans (9-10-2) AT Ice Castle in Castle Shannon on Tuesday, March 5th at 5:00pm on MSAsports.net

UPPER ST. CLAIR

Team Stats: 92 GF, 60 GA, 284 PIM

Key Players: Austin Cassidy (30 G, 19 A); Michael Ambrose (11-6-2, 2.70 GAA, 0.903 SV %, 3 SO)

Last five games: 3-2-0

Streak: 1-0-0

SHALER

Team Stats: 75 GF, 80 GA, 380 PIM

Key Players: Michael Klena (18 G, 5 A); Theodore Vincent Evans (6-7-1, 3.43 GAA, 0.896 SV %, 1 SO)

Last five games: 1-4-0

Streak: 0-1-0

Previous Meeting: 2/28/13 – Upper St. Clair 2, Shaler 0 – Logan Store netted the winner for the Panthers. Michael Ambrose posted 17 saves to earn the win, but Theodore Vincent Evans was solid for the Titans with 28 stops.

#7 Canon-McMillan Big Macs (11-6-4) vs. #10 Butler Golden Tornado (10-11-0) AT Ice-O-Plex at Southpointe on Monday, March 4th at 7:10pm on MSAsports.net

CANON-MCMILLAN

Team Stats: 111 GF, 55 GA, 200 PIM

Key Players: Anthony Tonkovich (15 G, 27 A); Ryan Christian (9-6-4, 2.63 GAA, 0.893 SV %, 2 SO)

Last five games: 2-1-2

Streak: 2-0-1

BUTLER

Team Stats: 85 GF, 82 GA, 313 PIM

Key Players: Tanner Gilliland (21 G, 23 A); Clay Bachman (6-5-0, 3.82 GAA, 0.887 SV %)

Last five games: 2-3-0

Streak: 1-0-0

Previous Meeting: 2/25/13 – Canon-McMillan 8, Butler 0 – Anthony Tonkovich scored the winner and added four helpers while Ryan Christian and Kyle Stawowczyk combined to make 23 saves for the Big Macs. Clay Bachman was much busier with 48 stops for the Golden Tornado.

#8 Norwin Knights (11-10-0) vs. #9 Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings (10-9-2) AT Center Ice Arena in Delmont on Tuesday, March 5th at 8:00pm on MSAsports.net

NORWIN

Team Stats: 105 GF, 111 GA, 326 PIM

Key Players: Dan Merz (40 G, 26 A); Chad Albert (10-10-0, 5.14 GAA, 0.817 SV %)

Last five games: 3-2-0

Streak: 1-0-0

PITTSBURGH CENTRAL CATHOLIC

Team Stats: 95 GF, 63 GA, 222 PIM

Key Players: Anthony Parrucci (21 G, 11 A); Kevin Dziubek (7-4-1, 2.81 GAA, 0.874 SV %)

Last five games: 1-3-1

Streak: 0-2-0

Previous Meetings: 11/19/12 – Norwin 6, Pittsburgh Central Catholic 3; 2/14/13 – PCC 9, NOR 2 – The Knights got two goals and two assists out of Dan Merz along with 23 saves from Chad Albert in their victory. The Vikings countered that with a three-goal, one-assist performance from Anthony Parrucci and 33 stops for Brian Burger on Valentine's Day.

CLASS AA PENGUINS CUP FIRST ROUND:

BYES – #1 Bishop Canevin Crusaders (16-1-2), #2 Latrobe Wildcats (16-3-0), #3 Chartiers Valley Colts (14-4-1), #4 Pine-Richland Rams (14-4-1), #5 Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers (13-6-0), #6 Moon Tigers (10-6-3)

#7 Hampton Talbots (10-7-2) vs. #10 Gateway Gators (8-11-0) AT Ice Connection in Valencia on Monday, March 4th at 7:10pm on MSAsports.net

HAMPTON

Team Stats: 92 GF, 62 GA, 250 PIM

Key Players: Zach Kosick (31 G, 18 A); Cam Raidna (10-7-2, 3.23 GAA, 0.871 SV %, 3 SO)

Last five games: 2-2-1

Streak: 0-1-1

GATEWAY

Team Stats: 66 GF, 99 GA, 229 PIM

Key Players: Camden Cacolice (12 G, 19 A); Tyler Perhac (8-11-0, 4.74 GAA, 0.866 SV %)

Last five games: 3-2-0

Streak: 1-0-0

Previous Meetings: 10/29/12 – Hampton 12, Gateway 2; 12/13/12 – HAM 7, GAT 3 – Ryan Hornung rang up a hat trick plus an assist while Cam Raidna stopped 21 shots for the Talbots first time around. The encore featured Zach Kosick with Hornung's numbers while Raidna made another 25 saves.

#8 Plum Mustangs (8-10-1) vs. #9 North Hills Indians (8-11-0) AT Pittsburgh Ice Arena in New Kensington on Monday, March 4th at 9:00pm on MSAsports.net

PLUM

Team Stats: 79 GF, 84 GA, 316 PIM

Key Players: Andrew Walters (24 G, 24 A); Taylor Cestra (6-9-1, 4.77 GAA, 0.871 SV %)

Last five games: 3-2-0

Streak: 0-1-0

NORTH HILLS

Team Stats: 81 GF, 98 GA, 285 PIM

Key Players: Brett Berner (28 G, 17 A); Alexander Washy (5-7-0, 5.15 GAA, 0.814 SV %)

Last five games: 1-4-0

Streak: 0-3-0

Previous Meeting: 1/10/13 – Plum 7, North Hills 6 – The Mustangs got three goals and a helper from Andrew Walters plus 27 saves from Taylor Cestra. Tyler Heisel managed two goals and two assists for the Indians while Alexander Washy was not bad with 32 stops.

CLASS A PENGUINS CUP FIRST ROUND:

BYES – #1 Quaker Valley Quakers (22-0-0), #2 Mars Fighting Planets (17-3-1), #3 Freeport Yellowjackets (16-5-1), #4 Westmont-Hilltop Hilltoppers (14-7-1), #5 Thomas Jefferson Jaguars (14-8-0), #6 Kittanning Wildcats (13-8-1)

#7 Serra Catholic Eagles (11-11-0) vs. #10 South Park Eagles (5-17-0) AT Rostraver Ice Gardens on Monday, March 4th at 8:15pm on MSAsports.net

SERRA CATHOLIC

Team Stats: 123 GF, 98 GA, 269 PIM

Key Players: Nicholas Vacsulka (32 G, 26 A); Ian Ritchie (10-8-0, 4.37 GAA, 0.838 SV %, 1 SO)

Last five games: 1-4-0

Streak: 0-3-0

SOUTH PARK

Team Stats: 85 GF, 153 GA, 277 PIM

Key Players: Billy Walker (22 G, 16 A); Shane Walker (5-17-0, 6.95 GAA, 0.814 SV %)

Last five games: 1-4-0

Streak: 0-2-0

Previous Meetings: 12/13/12 – Serra Catholic 6, South Park 5; 2/1/13 – SC 9, SP 4 – Tyler Speis put home the winner and set up two other goals in the first meeting while Ryan Dedomonicis scored four times and Shane Walker made 32 saves despite taking the loss. The rematch brought matching three-goal, two-assist performances for Roman Kraemer and Nicholas Vacsulka of Serra Catholic while Billy Walker scored twice for South Park.

#8 Deer Lakes Lancers (8-13-1) vs. #9 South Fayette Lions (5-16-1) AT Ice Connection in Valencia on Monday, March 4th at 9:10pm on MSAsports.net

DEER LAKES

Team Stats: 111 GF, 125 GA, 162 PIM

Key Players: Zach Luniewski (21 G, 23 A); Lucas Gapsky (5-10-1, 5.46 GAA, 0.794 SV %)

Last five games: 2-3-0

Streak: 1-0-0

SOUTH FAYETTE

Team Stats: 70 GF, 157 GA

Key Players: Ryan Schultz (25 G, 19 A); Nicholas Blocher (5-16-1, 7.10 GAA, 0.842 SV %)

Last five games: 2-3-0

Streak: 1-0-0

Previous Meetings: 11/5/12 – South Fayette 6, Deer Lakes 6 (OT); 11/12/12 – DL 7, SF 4 – Ryan Schultz posted three goals and two assists while Nicholas Blocher made 30 saves, but it was Charles Dombroski who tied it for Deer Lakes in the first meeting. The rematch brought four more points (2 G, 2 A) for Schultz, but Zach Luniewski matched that (3 G, 1 A), including the winner.
 

OPEN CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

Wheeling Park Patriots (19-4-0) vs. Ford City Sabers (20-2-1) AT RMU Island Sports Complex on Neville Island on Monday, March 4th at 8:00pm on MSAsports.net

WHEELING PARK

Team Stats: 163 GF, 62 GA, 266 PIM

Key Players: Michael Grove (35 G, 35 A); Noah Clune (16-4-0, 3.10 GAA, 0.819 SV %, 4 SO)

Nailers Cup Results: Ambridge 7-2 (Quarterfinals); Blackhawk 5-2 (Semifinals); Morgantown 4-3 (Final)

FORD CITY

Team Stats: 188 GF, 41 GA, 297 PIM

Key Players: Jesse Valasek (39 G, 32 A); Adam Cogley (14-1-1, 2.26 GAA, 0.883 SV %, 1 SO)

Chiefs Cup Results: Carrick 11-1 (Quarterfinals); Hollidaysburg 4-3 (Semifinals); Indiana 7-4 (Final)

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” on Wednesday night at 8:00. Guests for this week will be determined based on first-round playoff results . Your home for the 2013 Penguins Cup Playoffs is the MSA Sports Network!