PIHL

In the Rink: PIHL Week 19

By Brian Mitchell

Posted on February 20, 2018

Morgantown and Trinity battled for the seventh seed on Thursday. -- BRIAN MITCHELL

Here is our IN THE RINK coverage of the PIHL Week 19. Playoff position is up for grabs, and we’re going to do our best to get to the games that matter this week.

THURSDAY, Feb. 22

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Trinity and Morgantown faced-off at the Morgantown Ice Arena with the No. 7 seed going to the winner, and the loser needing Central Valley to lose to Carrick to keep their playoff hopes alive.

In the end, the Hillers bested the Mohawks 4-1, and sealed a trip to the Pittsburgh Ice Arena to face the Burrell Bucs.

Central Valley defeated Carrick 5-4 in OT, clinching the No. 8 and final playoff spot.

The battle for No. 7 in @PIHLhockey D2 is about to begin. @TrinityHockey and @ONEMHS is here. pic.twitter.com/Y9GCN7PZAj

— Mitch (@PHD_Mitch) February 23, 2018

CECIL TWP., Pa. — Rick and Jake Young brought you Peters Township and Mt. Lebanon live on our Facebook page on Thursday evening. The AAA matchup had major playoff implications for the Indians, who could clinch the No. 1 seed with victories in the final two weeks.

Peters Township bested the Blue Devils 6-1 and, coupled with Plum’s 3-2 OT win over Erie Cathedral Prep and the 4-1 North Allegheny victory over Seneca Valley, clinched the No. 1 seed that evening.

PERIOD 1 & 2

PERIOD 3

TUESDAY, Feb. 20

CECIL TWP., Pa. — A showdown in Triple-A for the final playoff spot at Iceoplex was next in line for Mitch, where Canon-McMillan welcomed Butler to Printscape Arena.

The Golden Tornado decided the fates of three teams, and ended Canon-McMillan’s season with a 4-1 win. The win sealed up the No. 5 seed for Butler, and sent Plum to the postseason as the No. 8 seed.

The bottom five seeds in Triple-A are now set. Ahead of Plum are No. 4 North Allegheny, No. 5 Butler, No. 6 Mt. Lebanon and No. 7 Bethel Park.

Cathedral Prep, Peters Township and Seneca Valley will finish in the top three spots, but with one point between the three teams their order remains to be determined. Central Catholic had already been eliminated from postseason contention.

AAA @PIHLhockey: @CMVarsityHockey and @ButlerGTHockey are here. pic.twitter.com/21fBPTvBkK

— Mitch (@PHD_Mitch) February 21, 2018

MONDAY, Feb. 19

VALENCIA, Pa. — Single-A action took a front seat on Monday night, as Ed Major II brings you his “MAJOR FOCUS” from the matchup between Deer Lakes and Kiski for the final playoff spot in the conference. Kiski prevailed in the end, and the Cavaliers defeated the Lancers 6-3.

WARRENDALE, Pa. — If you took PA-228 westbound from Frozen Pond to it’s terminus, you would find Mitch at Baierl Ice Complex, where a three-pack of games kept him busy.

First up was a AA matchup between Hampton and Quaker Valley. The Quakers were extremely shorthanded in the affair, and dropped the contest to the visiting Talbots 7-0.

.@Hampton_Hockey and @QVHockey are here pic.twitter.com/USVLkMv6N8

— Mitch (@PHD_Mitch) February 20, 2018

While the matchup between the Quakers and the Talbots entered its third period, the matchup between Thomas Jefferson and West Allegheny began. The two teams came into the game 16-3, and the winner was guaranteed at least third place in the conference.

The Jaguars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first two minutes, and was able to fend off a ferocious attack from the Indians, taking the game 5-2.

Welcome to the Main Event… @TJJaguarsHockey and @West_A_Hockey are here. pic.twitter.com/BbssgCv1H9

— Mitch (@PHD_Mitch) February 20, 2018

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The final game of the three-pack was a AA matchup between the second-seeded Pine-Richland and fifth-seeded Mars. The Rams defeated the Fighting Planets 3-0.