Archbishop Ryan Raiders

2005 Greensburg CC Invitational Semi-Finals – Greensburg CC 4 Franklin Regional 3 Another hockey season is nearing and for the past 10+ years a prelude to the season has been the Greensburg CC Invitational, which used to feature the top AA teams in its inception and now is a warm-up for teams from the East Suburbs. The Invitational has history dating back to the mid-1990’s, witness to many superb players and teams over the years. Greensburg CC and Franklin Regional Greensburg CC have a long history as well and was one of the most fierce rivalries in all of Interscholastic Hockey in the 1990’s and the home of Penguins Cup Champions and Finalists in 1991,1992,1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997. More recently, GCC won the championship in 2002 defeating Plum 2-1 and again in 2003 defeating Fox Chapel 3-1 in the final and Franklin Regional captured the title in 2001 defeating Plum. The first period was fast paced and scoreless with very even play and good goaltending by Central’s Ryan Homanics and the Panther’s James Orr. Then with 1:06 remaining Alfonso Arevalo released a quick shot from the bottom of the face-off circle beating James ‘Bobby’ Orr down on the ice for a 1-0 GCC lead. On to the 2nd we went and FR pressed to tie the game and the best opportunity came at 11:08 as GCC goaltender Ryan Homanics stopped Ryan Kramer on the breakaway to keep the Centarians on top 1-0. The Panthers would get the equalizer as Daniel Neal converted a back door pass from left point Tim McDonough at 7:20 tying the game at one apiece. Greensburg CC regained the lead 2-1 as Alfosno Arevalo beat the Franklin defense and then James Orr on the backhand with great speed and an even better move at 6:19 less than a minute after FR tied it. Back came the Panthers at 3:39 after some good work as Joe Nicoletti redirected the puck on the backhand on a rebound from Patrick Coyne, who threw the puck in front to tie the game again at 2-2. Franklin Regional outshot GCC in the third, but the Centarians would have the period’s first chance but James Orr stopped Evan George at 9:32, who was in alone from point blank range. Central regained the lead 3-2 as Nick Vukmarowich scored on a bang bang play rebound of Alfonso Arevelo with 7:32 remaining in regulation. A Centarian mental mistake with too many men penalty on the ice with just 4:47 left and led to a power play goal as Franklin’s Joe Nicoletti tipped a Daniel Neal shot from between the circles on the ice past Ryan Homanics with 4:22 remaining to knot the score at 3-3. Franklin went on the power play with 2:41 remaining and an opportunity to win the game, but GCC killed it. Then with just :07 left Alfonso Arevelo completed the hat trick beating James Orr with an overpowering slapshot on through the 5-hole sending the Centarians back to the finals for the 3rd time in 4 years with a heartstopping 4-3 victory over their former archrivals from Murrysville. Semi-Finals –Norwin 5 Plum 4 [OT] The Norwin Knights are a team, which could surprise many in 2006 and coach Dave Warren hopes to conserve his big guns to move a little bit further than last year’s play-in game for the Penguins Cup playoffs. Coach Warren’s squad returns Jimmy Recupero & David Ulicny and welcomes Jesse Kunkle and Phil Gigliotti to compliment a now experienced group of players. The Knights have been impressive with wins over Kiski, Latrobe and Penn Trafford thus far in the tournament and a loss to Franklin Regional to capture the # 1 seed in the Gray Division and a spot in Semis for the first time in a long time for Norwin Hockey. Plum on the other hand is still in training of a young corps of defense and some relatively new players up front. Former Mustang and Head Coach Shaun Keller knows that time is on his team’s side as the more experience his young players get in the pre-season, the better his team will be down the stretch toward the playoffs. A 7-1 thumping at the hands of North Allegheny in the St Margaret’s Fall Face-Off semi-finals was a tough loss to stomach for some Mustangs faithful, but Plum was right back on the horse in the GCC Semi-Finals with a 3-1 preliminary round finish with the only blemish coming at the hands of awaiting finalist Greensburg CC 2-0 in the 2nd game of the tournament. A festive crowd including the Plum Cow Bells and the Norwin students and faithful on hand for the second semi-final as Norwin and Plum squared off with the winner getting a date with GCC in Thursday’s final. Plum opened the scoring at 10:11 of the first period as David Humphries scored on the rebound of Jon Smith for a 1-0 advantage. The first period was evenly contested and shots were five apiece. The Mustangs had a great chance to extend 2:52 Norwin goaltender stopped Matt Giunta on a breakaway . Giunta would have another breakaway at 10:39 of the second but was hauled down resulting in a penalty shot and a rare 3rd breakaway early in the middle period. The speedy Plum forward tried to deke on the forehand but the Norwin goaltender Mike Pochan was equal to the task keeping the score 1-0. The Knights used the momentum from their goaltender and struck quickly as Mike Ulicny blasted a slapshot over the shoulder of John Bronder at 6:45 to tie the score at one apiece. Just six seconds later Adam Ference got an early Christmas present as Jimmy Recupero set him up for a tap-in to give Norwin a 2-1, which they took to the third. Plum kept up the pressure on Norwin and kept pouring the shots on Mike Pochan and finally at 9:57 the Mustangs cracked the safe as 9:57 as Matt Giunta found the puck on a loose scramble in front on a Jon Smith rebound to tie the game at two apiece. With 8:39 remaining Andy Weston walked between the circles and buried a wrist shot down on the ice through the 5-hole to give the Mustangs the lead 3-2. Moments later, the Knights poured on some pressure of their own, but John Bronder was able to cover the loose puck with 8:14 remaining. Plum was now looking to go up by two, but Jon Smith was stoned by Pochan and Giunta just missed with a little over 6 ½ left. Then with 5:32, the Knights gained the equalizer as welcome transplant via New York Phil Gigliotti buried a wrist shot upstairs on the shortside over the shoulder of John Bronder to tie the score at 3-3. Norwin would have the opportunity on the power play to win it with 3:58 to play in regulation as they went on the power play. Jimmy Recupero just missed with 3:15 over the net and Plum came right back just seconds later as Jon Smith used great speed and puck protection and after being hauled down slipped the puck past Pochan to give the Mustangs a shorthanded goal and a 4-3 lead with 2:54 left. Norwin still had power play time left and with 2:28 remaining, Jimmy Recupero scored from on the doorstep to tie the game at 4-4. Knight keeper Pochan stopped Ben Colsomo and Smith on consecutive chances with a little over two minutes to go and the game remained tied into overtime with Plum outshooting Norwin 32-15 through three periods. With 2:52 remaining in OT Andy Weston got behind the Norwin defense and was unable to beat Pochan. Weston had a chance with 1 ½ left and Pochan sprawled out to make save # 29 on the night. Norwin went on the power ply with 1:22 remaining and Jimmy Recupero delivered 13 seconds later taking a cross ice pass from Mike Ulicny and burying a wrist shot upstairs over John Bronder at 1:09 for a power play goal, a heartstopping win and sending the Knights to the finals of the GCC Invitational to face Greensburg CC.