Here is our continuing coverage of Week 6 of the 2018-19 PIHL season, brought to you by Brian Mitchell, Ed Major II, Jared Todhunter, and the rest of the Pittsburgh Hockey Digest Staff.
THURSDAY, NOV. 8
BRIGHTON TWP., Pa. — Brian Mitchell had an “In The Rink drop-in” as Blackhawk and Deer Lakes met for a single-A matchup at Brady’s Run.
BLACKHAWK 6, DEER LAKES 2
Thomas Ford scored twice and Domenic Mannarino had a goal and an assist as the Cougars defeated the Lancers 6-2.
MITCH’S PICS (FULL GALLERY)
WARRENDALE, Pa. — Brian Mitchell took a short drive to the Baierl Ice Complex, where a pair of 5-0 teams matched up in double-A
PINE-RICHLAND 4, MARS 3
Mars and Pine-Richland both hit the ice swinging, and after an early goal for the Planets the Rams fired off three of the next five goals en-route to a 4-3 victory.
MITCH’S PICS (FULL GALLERY)
MONDAY, NOV. 5
CRANBERRY TWP., Pa. — Jared Todhunter had a doubleheader at Baierl Ice Complex.
SENECA VALLEY 5, CANON MCMILLAN 1
The Seneca Valley Raiders came into this game after a successful weekend in Nashville, where the Raiders went 4-0 to win the Big Bear Tournament. Going into the matchup Bryce Korner leads the Raiders in points with 4 assists. Meanwhile the Canon-McMillan Big Macs leader #92, Joshua Hrip, (who did not dress) has 3G and 3A. The starting goalies were #96, Mario Eafrati, for the Big Macs and #1, Aiden Campbell. While it was a slow start for Canon-McMillan, being outshoot 13-3, Seneca Valley saw goals scored by Will Hohman and Logan Koontz. In the second period the lone goal scored was by Raiders Andrew Dimond, despite the fact that the Big Macs found their legs and outshot the Raiders 9-4. The third period played out even, with shots in favor of Seneca Valley 10-9, and saw Canon-McMillan’s Johnny MacDonald score their only goal. I think was followed by two quick goals only 13 seconds apar by Seneca Valley’s Christopher Belt and Tyler Kovac.
Both teams went 0 for 2 on the powerplay.
Next week Canon-McMillan will head home to face Butler and Seneca Valley will be at alpha against Pittsburgh Central Catholic.
Full Album at: Todhunter Productions
NORTH ALLEGHENY 4, CENTRAL CATHOLIC 1
While it is early in the season, this game saw #1 North Allegheny Tigers host #2 Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings in AAA. Going into tonight’s game, the Vikings received numerous points from Ronan Junker, (3G/5A) and Anthony Purdue. (5G/3A) The Tigers went in with 6 different players with 4 points each. NA goalie Richard Karapandi came in with a .955 SV% and Central Catholic’s Norbert McDermott is 3-1 to start the season. While it took some time for each team to find ways to get the pucks to the net, Tigers forward Aaron Miller scored a deflection goal on his first shot on net. The Vikings evened it up when Dylan Vallo scored with 3:39 left in the period. The second period saw tempers start to flare as 10 out of 14 total penalties were called and 1 goal scored, as Nathaniel Heil got the tally. The third saw things cool down, and turned out to be an even played period with Central Catholic outshooting North Allegheny 8-7. The Tigers saw two more goals, as Vincenzo Mazur, and Tyler Duderstadt registered one each.
Despite the physiciality, Central Catholic did not record a powerplay and North Allegheny went 0 for 3 with the man advantage.
Next week, Pittsburgh Central Catholic will be at home against Seneca Valley and North Allegheny travels to Cathedral Prep.
Note: North Allegheny Tiger’s goalie #23, Richard Karapandi, leads the AAA in wins, 5, and SV%, .957, after tonight’s game.
Full Album at: Todhunter Productions
CASTLE SHANNON, Pa. — Ed Major II had a Division 2 and Class-AA double-header at Ice Castle Monday night.
BURRELL 10, BISHOP CANEVIN 3
The Burrell Bucs came into Ice Castle to face Bishop Canevin and wasted no time proving why they ended up in the Class-D2 Penguins Cup Final in 2017-18. Before the halfway point of the first period, the Bucs were up 3-0. They added a fourth with 3:33 remaining before Bishop Canevin answered just 12 seconds later. The Crusaders would cut the deficit in half with a minute and a half to go, but Burrell would not stay down, adding to their lead with 17 seconds left in the first. By the second intermission, Burrell held a comfortable lead over the hometown Crusaders 8-3, adding two more insurance goals in the third for what turned out to be a typical Bucs hockey game.
While they may have been outdone on the ice, the Bishop Canevin fans were not to be outdone off of it. The students gathered to greet their team as each player left the ice after the game, proving that win or lose, the game isn’t over until you shake on it.
Okay, I think we found a front runner for @PHD_Mitch #mitchschallenge. The best student section has to be the one that is gracious in defeat and greets each of their team’s players as they come off the ice. @BC_Hockey1971 Goals, man, goals. And not the hockey kind. pic.twitter.com/1SO2u9kEb9
— Major Focus? (@edmajorphoto) November 6, 2018
BALDWIN 5, UPPER ST CLAIR 4 /SO
The Baldwin Highlanders entered their rivalry match with the Upper St Clair Panthers looking up at everyone in the South/East division of Class-AA standings. At 1-3-1, the Highlanders needed a win if they were to salvage the early part of their season. The Panthers were sitting at 4-0-1, hoping a win would push them into first place ahead of Latrobe. They ultimately fell, however, to the Highlanders 5-4 in the eighth round of a shootout.
Baldwin seemed to do two things right in the first period: take the puck away and build a brick wall to impersonate a goaltender. The scoring started with defenseman Paul Zmuda taking the puck away from a Panther forward in the Baldwin defensive zone and going end to end with his speed on display. As he glided around the back of the net, Zmuda put a perfect pass back to Jason Kavulic, who had two goals on the night, who buried is from 20 feet out. Upper St Clair responded with two goals of their own in the second and looked to cruise through the third before the Highlanders put two of their own up to retake the lead, 3-2. More back-and-forth led to a 3-3 tie, then a 4-3 Baldwin lead.
With 33 seconds to go, Upper St Clair yanked their goaltender for the extra attacker and promptly buried the tying goal past Tanner Cindrich. The three minute overtime period to follow gave Baldwin fans plenty of heart attacks as it was then the Highlanders who were turning the puck over. Cindrich bailed them out every time to force the shootout, where the real fun began.
Andrew Golvash opened the shootout by beating Panther goaltender Jake Fisher below the glove hand to give Baldwin the lead. Quinn Giacobbe responded to tie the game again for the Panthers, and then it was the all-goaltender show for the next six shooters on either side. Finally, in the eighth, #19 Kirk beat Fisher low glove side to give the Highlanders another lead. Unfortunately for the Panthers, Alex Contis sailed his shot high of the cage and Baldwin celebrated their shootout victory.
Highlanders win in the EIGHTH round of the shootout! 4-4 regulation score. @Baldwin__Hockey @StClairHockey @PghHockeyDigest @PIHLhockey pic.twitter.com/UF5PeAtEE6
— Major Focus? (@edmajorphoto) November 6, 2018
ROSTRAVER TWP., Pa. — Brian Mitchell was there for a matchup at Rostraver Ice Garden between Central Valley and Ringgold.
CENTRAL VALLEY 5, RINGGOLD 3
Dante Guido had 2 goals and an assist for Central Valley in a 5-3 Warriors victory at Rostraver Ice Garden on Monday night. Evan Eberlin filed the same stat line for the Rams. Both teams came into the game with 4-1 records, two points behind the Burrell Bucs.
Christian Bohan, Anthony Santilli and Benjamin Krummert added a goal each for Central Valley. Justin Day scored for the Rams. Santilli was the center of a scary moment during the third period, as contact with Ryan Marek required the alternate captain to head to a local medical facility.
MITCH’S PICS (Full Gallery)
