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Penguins Cup / Class AA: Latrobe goes overtime to top Franklin Regional
It wasn't all that long ago that Latrobe senior Jeff Rossi couldn't even raise his right arm past his waist.
Last night, however, nothing could have stopped him from extending his arms, stretched to the sky.
In his first full game back after a shoulder injury, Rossi scored the second of his two goals 1:19 into overtime to lead the Wildcats to a 3-2 triumph against Franklin Regional in the PIHL Class AA Penguin Cup championship game at Mellon Arena.
"You dream for it all your life, and when it happens, you can't describe it," Rossi said.
Latrobe (22-3), the top seed, will play in the Pennsylvania Cup state championship game March 29 at the War Memorial Arena in Johnstown against the winner of the Flyers Cup final, which will be played Saturday in Philadelphia.
JeffJoe Regula scored the other goal for the Wildcats, who were playing in the Penguin Cup final for the first time. Eugene Mack and Ryan Crossey scored for Franklin Regional (20-4-1), the No. 3 seed, which was making its first finals appearance since 2003.
After missing all of the Wildcats' 8-1 quarterfinal victory against Indiana and skating only a few shifts of last week's 3-2 overtime conquest of West Allegheny in the semifinals, Rossi felt well enough to take his regular shift last night.
His first goal, which tied the game at 1-1 midway through the first period, was a tap into a mostly open net after a shot by Alex Stahl was wide and bounced off the boards to Rossi just left of the net.
"I would've been hitting myself if I missed that," Rossi said.
He tallied the winning goal after the puck came to him in the low right-wing circle and his initial shot was stopped by Franklin Regional's Anthony Livecchi, who made 27 saves. But the rebound came right back to Rossi, who fired it over Livecchi's glove.
"I put everything I had on it," said Rossi, whose momentum carried him past Livecchi and into the net.
"I just got up and tried to find the first [teammate] to jump on him," Rossi said.
Many of the Wildcats beat Rossi to the punch and jumped on him in celebration first.
"I've been coaching for 20 years and won some other championships [with amateur teams], but nothing feels quite like this," Latrobe coach Ron Makoski said.
Regula gave Latrobe a 2-1 lead nine minutes into the contest and the score stayed that way until Crossey's wrist shot from low in the left circle off a feed from Eugene Mack tied the game with 6:29 to play in the third period.
Both teams had 28 shots in regulation. Latrobe goalie Nick Loyacona made 26 saves.
"I knew both teams were pretty evenly matched, and it more or less played out that way," Franklin Regional coach Jim Daugherty said.
PA Hockey's - Hockey Central USA 'Wall of High School Hockey Champions'
USA HOCKEY HUB @ www.pahockey.us
PA Hockey's - Hockey Central USA 'Wall of High School Hockey Champions'
The Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships in Pittsburgh , Pa will crown the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Champions for 2017 and join 43 other States Champions on the USA Hockey Hub WALL of Champions.
Below are some of the results from States who have completed their championships can be found on the Interscholastic Hockey Today USA Website at www.pahockey.us
2017 Hockey Central USA Wall of Champions
www.eteamz.com/pahockey/files/NATLCHAMPS17F.xls
Quaker Valley holds on to defeat Serra
2008 Penguins Cup Semi-Finals A
Quaker Valley 6 Serra Catholic 5
PITTSBURGH –
Quaker Valley (21-2-0) and Serra Catholic (19-2-1) played a game in October won by the Eagles 4-2 at Rostraver Ice Garden. That must have seemed light years ago for both teams and Head Coach Brian Boehm of Serra and Kevin Quinn of Quaker Valley.
The Quakers and Eagles are vying for a date with Mars, a 3-1 winner over Bishop McCort last night. The Quakers are looking to return to the Penguins Cup from a year ago to redeem themselves for the loss to Freeport and get a shot at winning two State Championships in three years. Meanwhile, Serra Catholic, who perennially competes at the top of Class A is looking to return to the prominence of three Pennsylvania Class A championships earned earlier in this decade.
The Quakers came out with purpose and fire in the opening 15 minutes, but the most bizarre goal I have seen in many years gave them the lead as Cody Scott’s deflected shot from the point went straight up in the air and came down behind Serra goalteder Steven Derewonko to give QV a 1-0 lead at 10:10. The Quakers made it 2-0 as Aaron Kostial scored on a rebound after Derewonko made a great save on Colin South. With 5:00 to go Robert Karvinen scored ona pass from Colin South to make it 3-0. It was all QV in th efirst period as Colin South scored on a breakway with 2:39 to play to make it 4-0 as the Quakers outshot Serra 12-4 in the first period.
QV had a chance to make it 5-0 as Tery Sterner was stopped by Derewonko to start the climb back for Serra. The Eagle goaltender made several key saves to keep the score 4-0. Serra got on the board at 4:38 of the period as Josh Werner scored on a rebound to make it 4-1. Then Serra cut the margin to two as Jay Leppo buried a rebound aafter a missed chance with 227 to go and it was now 4-2. But Quaker Valley answered as George Jackson sent Colin South on the breakaway who gae QV a 5-2 lead heading to the ice cut.
Serra cut the lead again on a delayed penalty call with 6:47 to play as Cory Beam’s shot trickled past Zach Taylor to make it 5-3. Colin South scored less than a minute later on a breakaway for the hat trick with 5:45 to go to make it 6-3. Back came the Eagles with 3:42 to play as they never quit and Erik Manetta scored to make it 6-4. The Eagles would have a great chance on the power play a little over 3 minutes to play to cut ito the QV lead on the power play. With 1:35 to play Serra played to the whistle and the red light went on after several Eagles jammed away at the puck and all the sudden with 1:35 to play the game was now 6-5 as Erik Manetta scored his 2nd goal of the game and a very important one. Quaker Valley was now in panic mode and Serra was scrambling to get chances in the QV end as QV continued to ice the puck with the goalie pulled. Quaker Valley was able to hold on for a 6-5 win as Serra outshot QV 14 –3, but was unable to get the equalizer.
Franklin Regional turns the table on Canevin with 4-2 win.
Franklin Regional turns the table on Canevin with 4-2 win.
2008 Penguins Cup Semi-Finals AA
Franklin Regional 4 Canevin 2
Canevin (19-2-2) and Franklin Regional (19-3-1) met the last week of the regular season in a game which I reported was poorly officiated and I stand by everything I wrote. While Canevin won the hockey game 4-0 and earned the second seed, this would be a rematch which hopefully would give an opportunity to see two teams that have had terrific seasons in Class AA have a chance to settle the opportunity to play Latrobe on the ice. Canevin is a hockey program with great tradition and State Championships in 1983, 1984 and 1989 to their credit and their last trip to the Penguins Cup was in 2000 and ended in the final minute on a goal that sent Thomas Jefferson to their 3rd consecutive Pennsylvania State Championship. The Crusaders Head Coach Kevin Zielmanski went to the State Finals with Central Catholic in 1998 in hid first year at the helm before losing to LaSalle 3-2 at Rostraver and had an opportunity to repeat that feat with Canevin in his first year there. Franklin Regional has been to the Penguins Cup Finals in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 2003 [AAA] five times and has come away empty in its history and is looking to move on to the finals again.
Franklin Regional came out and accomplished what they didn’t do in 45 minutes of the first meeting and that is score a goal as Johnny Cecere found Eugene Mack behind goaltender Zach Bogden at 14:27 for a tap in and a 1-0 lead. Franklin went on the power play at 10:25 and this time captalized as Eugene Mack skated into the zone down the middle and buried a wrist shot high over the glove hand of Bogden to make it 2-0 at 10:09. Canevin showed resilience as Josh Daley backed off the FR defense and fired a perfect pass to Vincent Nicolella who made no mistake and cut the lead to 2-1 with 9:31 to play. Franklin’s Adam Baumgardner missed a wide open chance at 7:20 and then the Crusaders got their first chance on the power play. Josh Daley is a very good hockey player and a smart one as well and he scored a Mario Lemieux type gol from behind the net as he banked a shot off Anthony Livecchi to tie the game at two apiece. Canevin had a chance with :24 to go in the opening period but Vince Nicolella could not convert a wide open chance.
Franklin Regional regained the lead at 12:42 of the second period as Eugene Mack threaded a perfect pass to Johnny Cecere to make it 3-2. Zach Bogden kept Canevin in the game with a nice stop on Steve Shirk at 12:33. The Crusaders and Panthers played pretty evenly and a questionable call at 5:34 put the Panthers on the power play. Bogden stopped Jared Yesko from point blank range at 5:07. Canevin had a shorthanded opportunity at 4:11 but Anthony Livecchi stoned Cam Zappi. Canevin went on the power play at 3:35 and Franklin would take a 3-2 lead to the locker room despite being outshot 15-13 thru two periods.
This was anyone’s hockey game heading to the final period and Zach Bogden continued to play well in goal for Canevin as he stopped Jared Yesko at 14:06 on the power play. The Panthers blew their opprtuntiy on the power play with a very bad penalty at 13:55. Bogden topped Johnny Cecere from in close. Franklin was now looking to the clock as their ally after Frank Vance could not convert after a great move and a nice save by Anthony Livecchi at 8:54. The Crusaders were whistled again and put the Panthers on the power play, but Canevin almost tied the game as Josh Daley’s shot hit the post at 8:12. The killer goal of the game came moments later at 7:54 as Eugene Mack found a wide open Steve Shirk on a the back door and threaded a beautiful pass for the 4th goal for Franklin and a 4-2 lead. Canevin got another penalty at 7:12 putting the Panthers on the powr play and taking the starch out of Canevin. Josh Daley had a chance with 5:18 to go in the regulation but the bounces were bot going the way of the Crusaders in this one.
A very dangerous play occurred late in this contest similar to the previous game against Franklin as Josh Daley was hit from behind and boarded with nothing called. This was a similar play to the Steve Shirk hit at the end of the regular season finale and should have been called, but was not. Canevin had a power play with 1:48 to play and would need a miracle finish, but Franklin Regional closed the door and walked away with a 4-2 victory and earned a trip to the Penguins Cup final to meet rival Latrobe.
Bethel Park returns the favor on rival Mt Lebanon & heads back to Penguins Cup
2008 Penguins Cup Semi-Finals AAA
Bethel Park 3 Mt Lebanon 2 [3 OT]
PITTSBURGH –
Mt Lebanon (19-1-2) and Bethel Park (13-5-2) played a historic game two weeks ago outdoors in which the Blue Devils came away with a 2-0 victory. Any time Bethel Park and Mt Lebanon square off in anything it’s brings significance, but with a trip to the Penguins Cup on the line, it just adds to the significance. Bethel Park had a rebuilding year by their standards and played out of the 6th seed and defeated Seneca Valley 2-1 to earn a trip to this point. The Hawks coach Jim McVay knows when you get to Mellon Arena anything can happen and his team still has an opportunity to gain the ultimate prize if they can defeat Mt Lebanon. The Blue Devils have only lost one time this season and that was to awaiting Penguins Cup finalist Pine Richland.
Mt Lebanon got the first chance on the power play and converted as Brooks Behling scored on the short side with a wrist shot from the right circle to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead at 7:38..The Hawks tied the game with 6:14 to go in the opening period as Cinner Wells shot the puck from the right point and it was deflected by Matt Quigley to make it 1-1. In a typical Mt Lebanon – Bethel game the period was limited chances and tied in shots 6-6.
In a scoreless second period, the shots were 6-2 in favor of Bethel Park with a couple of power plays and headed to the third period tied at one apiece. Bethel Park got a powr play to start the third period and converted as Tommy Whetsel got just enough of a backhand to beat Robbie Behling at 11:12 and give the Hawks a 2-1 lead. The game heated up with several chances for both teams, but the clock was running out on Mt Lebanon’s season as Bethel held a 2-1 lead. Brandon Bianco answered the prayers of Mt Lebanon as he converted a Jon Wilen pass out of the corner with 1:23 to play and tie the game 2-2 and the teams headed to overtime.
The teams played two overtime period with Mt Lebanon’s best chance coming off the stick of Bianco but Ben Garcia made a real nice leg at 5:13 of the 1st oevertime and then an excellent glove save on Chris Ford on a power play at 7:01 of overtime # 2. Bethel’s Tommy Whetsel hit the post with 2:22 to go in the 2nd OT and the game headed into overtime # 3. Bethel Park played a memorable overtime here a year ago losing to North Allegheny in double overtime. This time it would be the Hawks prevailing as Tommy Whetsel made the most of another opportunity and would not be denied scoring on his own rebound past a fallen Robbie Behling to give Bethel a 3-2 triple overtime victory and send them on to play top seed and undefeated Pine Richland for the 2008 Penguins Cup Class AAA Championship.
