CRANBERRY TWP, PA. — Austin Malley scored two goals for the Peters Township as the Indians clinched their seventh Penguins Cup 6-2 over Seneca Valley at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Monday Night. It was a rematch of the 2018 Class 3-A Penguins Cup Final where the Raiders won their first PIHL Championship 4-2. North Allegheny was the champion in 2019 & 2021, while there was no champion in 2020.
William Tomko opened the scoring at the 4:06 mark of the first period, firing a shot over starter Jonathan Nichols, followed by an Austin Malley tally 2:04 later. The Raiders ground out a shift in momentum, leading to a power-play sequence that included a missed too many players penalty that would have evened up play, but ultimately let to Patrick Dolan’s first of the tournament at 9:51 of the stanza.
The second saw each team getting an opportunity on a two player advantage, but neither able to capitalize with two additional players. Nichols and Nolan Hilbert put on a goaltending duel for the majority of the period before the Raiders received a bounce of good luck, a missed slash on a breakaway led to a tic-tac-toe play and Jacob Komaniak rebound goal at 14:16 of the second.
Chase Stauffer’s stuff-in power-play tally at 4:07 gave the Indians the lead for good, and goals from Malley, Ryder Mertens and Luke Casciola iced the game for the Peters Township.
Jonathan Nichols stopped 25-of-30 for Seneca Valley while Nolan Hilbert’s 20 save effort sealed the contest for the Indians.
UP NEXT
Peters Township faces Malvern Prep, who defeated St. Joes Prep 6-1 in the Flyers Cup championship at Ice Line in West Chester.
Face-off for the State Championship is scheduled for 5:00pm on Saturday, March 26. A team from the PIHL has not won the Pennsylvania Cup in Class-3A since Peters Township in 2017.
