WARRENDALE, Pa. — Connor Chi and Tyler Putnam each scored twice as top-seeded North Allegheny defeated Bethel Park 4-3 to advance in 2020 PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs at Baierl Ice Complex on Tuesday.
Chi and Putman, skating on a line with Tyler Lamark, were dynamic all night for the Tigers, with seemingly each of their shifts resulting in a quality scoring opportunity against Bethel Park goaltender Zachary Ott.
It wasn’t until the start of the second period when the Tigers broke through as Lamark found Chi on a 2-on-1 after a turnover to give North Allegheny the lead seven seconds into the second period.
The Tigers added on when Chi slid it to Putnam in the slot and he blasted it past Ott at 9:19 of the second.
Bethel Park struck back late in the second, getting a goal from Luke McLinden with 15 seconds left in the middle frame.
But Chi struck again at 3:44 of the third and Putnam roped home a shot on the power play at 6:20 to make the advantage 4-1 in favor of North Allegheny.
The third period also featured a North Allegheny parade to the penalty box, as Lamark was called for three minors in the third period. Chi and the rest of the NA penalty killers were up to the task, killing four straight overall and the first two in the third before Joey Wandrisco scored at 11:51 of the third for the Black Hawks. McLinden scored again just as time expired.
Ott finished with 18 saves in the losing effort while Tyler Boyles stopped 28 of 31 in the victory for North Allegheny.
The Tigers will face the winner of Canon-McMillan and Pine-Richland in the Class-3A semifinals at RMU Island Sports on Thursday, March 12 at RMU Island Sports Center at 7 p.m.
