NEVILLE TWP., Pa. — Nick Frantz scored two goals to lead the Meadville Bulldogs past the South Fayette Lions in a 3-1 victory the second Single-A semifinal on Tuesday at RMU Island Sports Center.
John Trinkala started the Lions offensive push 7:23 into the first when a shot from between the circles beat Eddie Kauffman to give South Fayette the first lead of the contest. Meadville tied the game seven minutes later when a puck trickled through the pads of Bruce Hardman and laid in the crease, where Nick Frantz tapped it in.
The two teams exchanged odd-man breaks in the second until an errant clearing pass was knocked down by Frantz, who fired a shot from the slot that beat Hardman.
Old-time hockey was front and center in the third period, as the Bulldogs and Lions exchanged hit after hit in an attempt to swing momentum in their favor. A power play gave Meadville the opportunity to pad the lead, as Alex Gizzie fired home the Bulldogs third goal with 9:31 left in the third. Meadville fought off a ferocious Lions push at the end of the game, taking the victory and earning a trip to Cranberry.
Meadville advances to face the undefeated Bishop McCort Crushers in the Penguins Cup final on Monday, March 19th at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Face-off is scheduled for 8:30 p., immediately after the Division 2 championship game between Burrell and Moon.
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