Here is our continuing coverage of Week 11 of the 2018-19 PIHL season, brought to you by Ed Major II, Jared Todhunter, and the rest of the Pittsburgh Hockey Digest Staff, with a special drop-in from Brian Mitchell.
MONDAY, DEC. 10
WARRENDALE, Pa. — Ed Major took in a triple-header at Baierl Ice Complex.
CATHEDRAL PREP 4, NORTH ALLEGHENY 3
The opening act featured a Class-AAA tilt between the division leading North Allegheny Tigers (8-2-0) and the Cathedral Prep Ramblers (2-8-0), the latter sitting at the bottom of the standings.
The Ramblers came out of the gate fast, giving no indication that they had only won a single game prior to Monday night’s contest. Prep looked in control for much of the first period, keeping the Tigers off balance and limiting their chances in front of the net. The Ramblers took an early lead just under three minutes into the second period on a goal by Jonathan Zambroski and continued to push forward, using physical play in an attempt to wear down the North Allegheny defensemen. In a span of two minutes towards the midway point of the period, though, the Tigers had tied the game, 2-2, and looked to finally get some momentum.
The third period was more back and forth, as James Sturm gave Cathedral Prep a 3-2 lead two minutes in and Tyler Putnam tied it again with less than four minutes to play. The Ramblers were not about to let the game go to overtime as Alexei Kowallis put the game winner into the net with 2:06 to play.
WEST ALLEGHENY 10, SEWICKLEY ACADEMY 0
West Allegheny (9-1-0) proved once again why they held second place in Class-A. The Indians faced off against Sewickley Academy (5-5-0) and wasted no time getting the scoring started. They spread three goals out throughout the first period, scored three in less than a minute in the second, and added four more in the third to complete the 10-0 rout. Fve different players scored, including a hat trick by Clay Bovalina and two each from Jacob Gyergyo, Shane Nolan, and Nicholas Sweet. Alexander Morton netted a goal of his own and assisted on Nolan’s second, giving him a multi-point night as well.
BUTLER 4, SENECA VALLEY 1
The Seneca Valley Raiders (5-4-0) hosted the Butler Golden Tornadoes (3-5-0) in a matchup that would have been expected to be a low scoring affair. Two middle-pack teams, with Seneca holding a goal differential of only +3, would make for a close game. Butler had other ideas. The Golden tornadoes quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead before conceding a goal to the Raiders with less than three minutes to play in the first period. It was the only goal that Connor Strobel would allow, though, as he stopped 34 of 35 shots and Butler added two more goals in the second period and held off a barrage of Raider shots for the 4-1 win. Aidan Campbell, who started the game in net for Seneca Valley, was replaced after the second period after allowing four goals on 12 shots. Cole Hoffman made three saves in the third period.
RICHLAND TWP., Pa. — Jared Todhunter was at Frozen Pond for a twin-bill.
RINGGOLD 8, KNOCH 1
The first matchup at the Pond featured the Ringgold Rams (9-2), who sit second in Class-D2, visiting the Knights from Knoch (4-7). Evan Cook (9-2, 2.73 GAA, 0.897 SV%) got the start between the pipes for the Rams while the Knights put Lucas Hentschell (2-2, 3.55 GAA, 0.877 SV%) at the opposite end.
After a Ringgold penalty for interference just 15 seconds into the contest, Knoch had an early powerplay chance and eventually a 5-on-3 a minute and a half later. Bradley Budjos opened the scoring for the Rams with a powerplay goal just under five minutes in. Less than a minute later, Jeremy Bednar extended the Ringgold lead, while Justin Day notched his 11th goal of the season and Nathan Todd added one of his own. The Knights scored their only goal of the game off the stick of Christopher Miller with 46 seconds left in the first period.
The second period featured more of the same offensive firepower from Ringgold as the big bodies from Knoch had trouble slowing down the Rams’ attack. Noah Schroeder found the back of the net less than 30 seconds into the period. Zach Kalinowski and Ethan Saylor added more insurance before the Knights made a goaltender switch.
Joel Cendrowski (2-2, 5.57 GAA, 0.841 SV%) entered the game to start the third period. Evan Eberlein added the loan third period goal for Ringgold, becoming the 8th Ram to score in the contest.
The Knights powerplay finished the night 0-for-7. The Rams ended the night 2-for-5 on the powerplay while Cook stopped 27 of 28 shots on goal. Knoch’s Hentschel stopped 22 of 29 shots before getting pulled, while backup Cendrowski stopped 11 of 12. Knoch will travel to Ice Castle Arena next week to meet the Carrick Cougars. Ringgold will be back at the Frozen Pond to play the Class-D2 leader Burrel Bucs.
BEAVER 7, DEER LAKES 1
The second matchup of the evening featured two teams, not off to the start they wanted, sitting at the bottom of the table in Class-A. The Deer Lakes Lancers (1-8-1) have their only win of the season, which came during the opening game of the season, against the Beaver Bobcats (1-9). Starting in goal for the Lancers for this rematch was Christian Long (1-9, 8.70 GAA 0.801 SV%), while Brandon Scheffler (1-9, 8.00 GAA, 0.807 SV%) got the start for the Bobcats.
While both teams had trouble finding the net early in the period, Keith Kesler got the Bobcats on the board first with a powerplay goal midway through the period. Kesler netted his second of the game just 28 seconds later. Luke Norkus cut the lead in half at 11:13 with a Lancer’s powerplay goal. Beaver was determined not to allow Deer Lakes to gain any more momentum as Nicholas Emmi and Austin McElwain provided quick strikes just 33 seconds apart to give the Bobcats the 4-1 lead.
The second period was uneventful, minus a few penalties, as Beaver held Deer Lakes to only 2 shots on goal.
While Deer Lakes never got their game going, totaling only 13 total shots on goal and going 1-for-7 on the powerplay, Beaver saw a goal off the stick of Connor Hartman early in the third period. In an impressive demonstration of special teams, Jeremy Jenkins netted a shorthanded goal midway through the period and a powerplay goal just under two minutes later to give the Bobcats their first win of the season, redemption for their season-opening loss to the Lancers.
Long ended the night stopping 32 of 39 shots on goal for the Lancers while Scheffler stopped 12 of 13 for Beaver. Deer Lakes will travel to the RMU Island Sports Center to play Sewickley Academy next week before the holiday break. Beaver will travel to the Alpha Ice Complex to face Fox Chapel.
DELMONT, pa — Brian Mitchell made a brief return to the ice for a special drop-in Monday night. The main concern for his visit was to honor our Bardownski Player of the Month for November, Justin Adamski of the Hampton Talbots! Adamski leads Class-AA in points with 26, scoring 11 goals and 15 assists. During his three games in the month of November, he notched six goals and four assists to help Hampton go 2-1 and outscore opponents 14-8.
FRANKLIN REGIONAL 6, SHALER 3
While he was there for the PoM award, Brian Mitchell took in a double-header that featured the Franklin Regional Panthers (5-5) host the struggling Shaler Titans (1-10).
The Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a hat trick by Trent Lunden with a goal early in the first period and two goals within 30 seconds of each other early in the second period. William Junker got Shaler on the board less than a minute later and Reid Krepps cut the Franklin Regional lead to a single goal just over halfway through the period. Joseph Scherpereel and Kevin Cakanac each scored towards the end of the period to extend the Panther’s lead to 5-2.
In the third, the team swapped goals just shy of the midway point of the period and Franklin Regional took the three goal lead the rest of the way for the 6-3 victory. The Panthers went 2-for-6 on the power play, while the Titans went 0-for-4.
PENN-TRAFFORD 8, HAMPTON 6
The second game of Mitch’s drop-in featured a Class-AA tilt between the Hampton Talbots (5-5) and the Penn-Trafford Warriors (5-5).
The Talbots opened the scoring just over five minutes in on a goal by Matthew Coommendatore. November Player of the Month Justin Adamski assisted, as well as Michael Orban. Penn-Trafford’s Gavin Patrick took matters into his own hands with two goals less than a minute apart to give the Warriors the lead before Adamski scored a goal of his own to tie the game at two goals apiece. Jack Hughes and Tyler Bosack added goals to end the first period and give PT a 4-2 lead.
Michael Orban scored a goal three and a half minutes into the second period to cut the Warriors lead, but Seth Poziviak answered to extend that lead once more. Hampton tied the game 5-5 with goals from William Meglio and Adam Dembowski. Benjamin Leslie of PT answered to give his team a slim one goal lead headed into the third frame.
Leslie scored again to extend the Warriors lead almost six minutes into the third period. Commendatore got his second of the game for Hampton and Hughes scored his second for Penn-Trafford as the teams traded goals. The Talbots ultimately fell, 8-6.
