MCCANDLESS TWP., Pa. — The NHL was not the only hockey league to host a winter classic this year. North Allegheny, backed by two goals from defenseman Trey Gallo, braved the freezing temperatures to defeat the Seneca Valley Raiders 2-1 at the North Park Ice Rink Monday.
In what was the first regular season outdoor game for the PIHL since 2013, the Tigers and the Raiders took some time to get accustomed to a different atmosphere.
“Obviously it was a lot of fun, something different,” Gallo said after the game. “It was pretty cold outside [during pregame] but once you start moving around on the ice you ended up adapting to it. We had a practice here so that helped.”
Gallo scored with just a second remaining in the second period to break the scoreless drought and give his team the 1-0 lead.
“I realized I didn’t have too much time,” he said of his first goal. “I heard the bench screaming as I was getting up the ice. I tried to get lucky with the puck and it ended up coming right back to me to put back on net.”
Gallo then put the eventual game-winner in with just over three minutes left in the third period.
“I saw the puck on net and I was just trying to get backdoor for a rebound.”
Despite Andrew Davis cutting the Tiger lead in half with 1:49 to play, Seneca Valley was unable to complete the comeback.
MAJOR FOCUS: HOCKEY WEATHER ACCOMPANIES PIHL WINTER CLASSIC
