St Joseph's Prep Hawks

CHICAGO - A special report for the 2006 Chicago Showcase Many people who attended the 2005 Chicago Showcase walked away amazed after Team Pittsburgh's stunning four goal rally late in the 3rd period to defeat defending champions of the Chicago Showcase California 5-4. This game would serve as a rematch of sorts as California would have a chance at redemption from a year ago. Should Team Pittsburgh be able to defeat California again, they wuld clinch a spot in Saturday's Quarter-Finals and face Minnesota, who soundly defeated Pittsburgh a year ago in the Semi-Finals, for the top spot in the A bracket. California took advantage of an early power play at 11:22 of the opening period scoring on a wrist shot from the center point, which eluded Bryan Ross for a 1-0 lead. Pittsburgh would answer as Phil Trombetta would bang home a Matt Bartkowski rebound to knot the score at one apiece. Pittsburgh held a 12-7 shot advantage in the opening period. On to the second period and Pittsburgh would play opportunist shorthanded as Josh Fodor buried a snapshot high over the glove side of Adam Krauss at 16:22 after a terrific steal and feed by Shane Ferguson to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead. Kruase robbed Brendan Conlon with a sliding save with 9:18 remaining to keep it a one goal game as Pittsburgh increased the territorial advantage at 7-4 for the second period. Pittsburgh would start the third period with a fibe minute power play which was partially killed off by some aqgressive penalty killing by Team California. Pittsburgh continue to dominate play in the third period and capitalized on their next man advantage as Matt Bartkowski scored on a big slapshot after a perfect feed from Phil Trombetta at 11:51 to make it 3-1 and again at 10:23 as Josh Mandic coverted a cross ice feed from Kevin Miller to increase the lead to 4-1. Team Pittsburgh outshot California 11-3 in the final period and continued to pressure them in mistakes. Timmy O'Brien hit the post on a nice setup by Chris Urso at 7:09, but Alan Halipin would put an exclamation point on a 5-1 victory for Team Pittsburgh just moments later as he intercepted an errant clearing pass and beat Krause to the glove side. The win sets up a battle for the top spot in the A bracket against Minnesota tomorrow evening at the Edge in Bensenville.