Two more titles will be on the line at UMPC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township this evening, on the final day of the PIHL season.
At 5:30 p.m., Meadville and Carrick will face off for the 2017 PIHL Division 2 championship. At 8:30 p.m., Peters Township and Pittsburgh Central Catholic will battle for the third and final Penguins Cup trophy of the season and a chance to compete for a state title.
It’ll be a battle of cats (Carrick Cougars) versus dogs (Meadville Bulldogs) in the D2 final, and it should be a fierce battle, as well. The two teams finished at the top of the division, with Meadville going unbeaten and Carrick only suffering four defeats, two of which came at the hands of the Bulldogs back in November.
In Class AAA, Central Catholic will look to tack on another banner to its regular-season championship. They’ll lean on forward Ryan Kingerski, who has three goals and three assists in two playoff games, including a game-winning goal in double overtime against Seneca Valley in the semifinals.
The Indians, meanwhile, have a chance to win their second title in four years, following up a 2014 championship. They’ll have to continue their run of upsets to do so. After finishing sixth, Rick Tingle’s squad knocked off rival Canon-McMillan and then blasted second-seeded North Allegheny, 7-0 in the semifinal.
The Class AAA winner will move on to the Pennsylvania Cup on Saturday.
