Archbishop Carroll Patriots - 1981 AAA 2004 AA

Canon McMillan 5 South Park 3 CASTLE SHANNON - Canon McMillan entered this week with a 7-5-3 mark holding down the # 8 slot tied with Indiana. For coach Dave ‘a/k/a the Boy Wonder’ Fryer, it has been an interesting campaign, especially wince the Big Macs captured the # 1 seed a year ago. Canon Mac will have to win some big games down the stretch to secure home ice in the opening as earning a bye in the opening round may be a stretch. South Park, on the other hand, is fighting for their playoff lives and after a 1-7-0 start head coach Ray Sabitini has to like the way his club is playing, posting a 3-1-1 maek since the first half break. The Eagles have playoff tradition with 16 straight playoff appearances dating back to 1990, reaching the Penguins Cup only once in 1995 losing to Bishop McCort in Class A. SP currently holds down the 12th and final spot in a battle with Latrobe and Moon. Canon McMillan opened up a 2-1 lead in the first period on goals by Jesse Patnesky 45 seconds in the game. South Park’s tied the score at one apiece at 10:53 as Chris Ondek scored on a long shot for a shorthanded tally. The Big Macs regained the lead with 6:34 left in the opening period as Erik McKown gave his team a 2-1 lead. Shane Bickar continued to keep the Eagles in the game stopping all 9 shots in the middle period and the CM lead to 2-1. Matt Nichol scored a beautiful goal with a wrist shot over the glove side of Mike O’Neill with 3:55 remaining in the 2nd to knot the score at two apiece. At 13:27 of the third period, Justin Cormack scored as he picked up his own rebound off the boards and deposited it past Shane Bickar. Matt Nichol tied the score with 8:53 on a rebound goal to make it 3-3. The Eagles took a penalty with 4:55 to go and opened the door for a Canon McMillan power play, which reaped benefits as Josh Tohey found Jesse Patnesky on the back door who beat Shane Bickar to the far post and gave CM a 4-3 lead with 3 ½ to go in regulation. Justin Cormack scored a huge insurance goal with 1:19 to go intercepted a SP clearing pass and lofted a wrist shot through the 5-hole of Bickar to make it 5-3 and lock down a big win for Robin the Boy Wonder’s Concerned Citizens of Canon Mac.

Upper St Clair 3 Plum 1 CASTLE SHANNON – Plum has struggled this season with loss to graduation and lack of numbers to replace the key components after a very good 2004- 2005 campaign. The Mustangs need to gain every point possible to possibly grab the 12th and final playoff spot in March. Plum has earned a playoff berth 8 out of the past ten seasons including the 1997 and 1998 seasons when Head Coach Sean Keller and a fellow by the name of R.J. Umberger donned the Purple, Gold and White before moving onto Ohio State and now plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. The club will retire Umberger’s jersey toward the end of this season as R.J. will come back to see his alma mater play, which may be an inspiration to the young Mustangs. Upper St Clair has the only other player in the National Hockey League from Western Pennsylvania in Ryan Malone who plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins who has his number 12 retired and now hangs at the Ice Castle. For the Panthers, there is another number that is in front of them, which will place the USC program # 1 in Regular Season and Western Pennsylvania playoff wins as the first program to reach 500 wins. USC currently stands at 498 and with a win against Plum and Butler next week will be the 1st program to accomplish this feat. Kittanning at 496 wins is running a close second, but it appears the Panthers, who started play in 1971 at the Alpine Ice Chalet will do it. After a scoreless opening period, USC opened the scoring as Tucker Green scored on a partial break with 12:28. Back came the Mustangs at 11:40 to tie the game as Matt Giunta ??? scored picking up a loose puck in front and beat Kevin Gorder with 11 ½ left . The Panthers went on the power play at the midway point of the 2nd period and Davey Crockett won the faceoff and scored on his own rebound at 6:51, beating John Bronder on a rebound to give St Clair a 2-1 lead. Just 32 seconds later, the Panthers scored again as Jono Lohman beat Bronder high over the glove hand side to make it 3-1. The third period began and after fear of no backup power of the Bat Computer and the Bat Phone, it was Ralph and not Alf, but the Terminator to the rescue with an extension cord to keep our Game Summary rolling on. Upper St Clair maintained the pressure in the third period, keeping the puck in the Mustangs end trying to score and put the game on ice. The Panthers were able to kill the clock and pick up win # 499 setting up an opportunity next Monday night on Senior Recognition night to win the 500th game in Upper St Clair history.

Canon McMillan 5 South Park 3 CASTLE SHANNON - Canon McMillan entered this week with a 7-5-3 mark holding down the # 8 slot tied with Indiana. For coach Dave ‘a/k/a the Boy Wonder’ Fryer, it has been an interesting campaign, especially wince the Big Macs captured the # 1 seed a year ago. Canon Mac will have to win some big games down the stretch to secure home ice in the opening as earning a bye in the opening round may be a stretch. South Park, on the other hand, is fighting for their playoff lives and after a 1-7-0 start head coach Ray Sabitini has to like the way his club is playing, posting a 3-1-1 maek since the first half break. The Eagles have playoff tradition with 16 straight playoff appearances dating back to 1990, reaching the Penguins Cup only once in 1995 losing to Bishop McCort in Class A. SP currently holds down the 12th and final spot in a battle with Latrobe and Moon. Canon McMillan opened up a 2-1 lead in the first period on goals by Jesse Patnesky 45 seconds in the game. South Park’s tied the score at one apiece at 10:53 as Chris Ondek scored on a long shot for a shorthanded tally. The Big Macs regained the lead with 6:34 left in the opening period as Erik McKown gave his team a 2-1 lead. Shane Bickar continued to keep the Eagles in the game stopping all 9 shots in the middle period and the CM lead to 2-1. Matt Nichol scored a beautiful goal with a wrist shot over the glove side of Mike O’Neill with 3:55 remaining in the 2nd to knot the score at two apiece. At 13:27 of the third period, Justin Cormack scored as he picked up his own rebound off the boards and deposited it past Shane Bickar. Matt Nichol tied the score with 8:53 on a rebound goal to make it 3-3. The Eagles took a penalty with 4:55 to go and opened the door for a Canon McMillan power play, which reaped benefits as Josh Tohey found Jesse Patnesky on the back door who beat Shane Bickar to the far post and gave CM a 4-3 lead with 3 ½ to go in regulation. Justin Cormack scored a huge insurance goal with 1:19 to go intercepted a SP clearing pass and lofted a wrist shot through the 5-hole of Bickar to make it 5-3 and lock down a big win for Robin the Boy Wonder’s Concerned Citizens of Canon Mac.

Upper St Clair 3 Plum 1 CASTLE SHANNON – Plum has struggled this season with loss to graduation and lack of numbers to replace the key components after a very good 2004- 2005 campaign. The Mustangs need to gain every point possible to possibly grab the 12th and final playoff spot in March. Plum has earned a playoff berth 8 out of the past ten seasons including the 1997 and 1998 seasons when Head Coach Sean Keller and a fellow by the name of R.J. Umberger donned the Purple, Gold and White before moving onto Ohio State and now plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. The club will retire Umberger’s jersey toward the end of this season as R.J. will come back to see his alma mater play, which may be an inspiration to the young Mustangs. Upper St Clair has the only other player in the National Hockey League from Western Pennsylvania in Ryan Malone who plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins who has his number 12 retired and now hangs at the Ice Castle. For the Panthers, there is another number that is in front of them, which will place the USC program # 1 in Regular Season and Western Pennsylvania playoff wins as the first program to reach 500 wins. USC currently stands at 498 and with a win against Plum and Butler next week will be the 1st program to accomplish this feat. Kittanning at 496 wins is running a close second, but it appears the Panthers, who started play in 1971 at the Alpine Ice Chalet will do it. After a scoreless opening period, USC opened the scoring as Tucker Green scored on a partial break with 12:28. Back came the Mustangs at 11:40 to tie the game as Matt Giunta ??? scored picking up a loose puck in front and beat Kevin Gorder with 11 ½ left . The Panthers went on the power play at the midway point of the 2nd period and Davey Crockett won the faceoff and scored on his own rebound at 6:51, beating John Bronder on a rebound to give St Clair a 2-1 lead. Just 32 seconds later, the Panthers scored again as Jono Lohman beat Bronder high over the glove hand side to make it 3-1. The third period began and after fear of no backup power of the Bat Computer and the Bat Phone, it was Ralph and not Alf, but the Terminator to the rescue with an extension cord to keep our Game Summary rolling on. Upper St Clair maintained the pressure in the third period, keeping the puck in the Mustangs end trying to score and put the game on ice. The Panthers were able to kill the clock and pick up win # 499 setting up an opportunity next Monday night on Senior Recognition night to win the 500th game in Upper St Clair history.

Quaker Valley 5 Bishop McCort 0 Coraopolis – Landscape of Class A hockey in Western Pennsylvania is so predictable due to the haves and have not’s that anyone who believes two of threesome of Serra Catholic, Quaker Valley and defending State Finalist Bishop McCort are not going to play for the Class A Penguins Cup on March 25th should have their head examined. With the Crimson Crushers and Serra dominating the Class A circuit winning 9 out of the last 11 Championships, there is no question both teams intend to be there. Quaker Valley has been knocking at the door the past few seasons and has displayed the depth necessary to win it all, but coach Kevin Quinn’s teams have fallen short, but this year has been different as the Quakers are on a mission. McCort features a balanced attack with three strong lines and good team defense and goaltending, while QV has a few marquee players to compliment a scrappy group of seasoned players along with the goaltending of Zac Zinger, who has come a long way since last season. A very important seeding game, especially for McCort as both teams are tied in the loss column with Serra with one setting up the February match-ups amongst all three # 1 seed contenders, which will ultimately decide who will have a clear path to the 2006 Penguins Cup finals. So before a packed house at the Airport Ice Arena Bishop McCort and Quaker Valley locked horns. The Quakers opened the scoring early in the 1st period as George Jackson scored to give QV a 1-0 lead. At 3:16 of the opening period, after some hard work by Tim Hall, the speedy winger found the loose puck in a McCort defenders feet, plucked it and found a wide open Colin South, who made no mistake firing a snapshot low on the glove side of Brent Troyan for a 1-0 Quaker Valley lead. Things got worse before they got better for the Crimson Crushers as they took two late penalties in the opening period giving QV a 5 on 3 advantage for over a minute. At 14:12 of the second, the Quakers made them pay for taking penalties as Colin South buried another shot from the right faceoff circle past Troyan to make the count 3-0. McCort had their 1st chance on the power play at 11:37, but did not mount much pressure on Zac Zinger and took a penalty, putting the Quakers back on the power play. With 11 ½ left in the 2nd , which BM killed. The Crushers had a golden opportunity to get back in the game at 9:35 as QV was whistled with a double minor. Colin South had a great chance to score the hat trick at 6:46 shorthanded, but Troyan made a real nice save to keep his team in the game. McCort started to build momentum of the power play and the Troyan save and got yet another chance on the power play at 5:39 and QV still leading 3-0. Then the backbreaker came at 4:30 as Tim Hall stole the puck and scored shorthanded to give the Quakers a 4-0 advantage. Another McCort power play at 3:46 and Zac Zinger made the save at 3:32 on the rebound on a shot that went off the post and fell right into his glove. The Crimson Crushers lost their composure and took a bad penalty and Mikail Lemieux made them pay beating Troyan through the 5-hole to make it 5-0. The third period was pretty much a white wash as McCort looked defeated and Quaker Valley was looking to kill time off the clock, protect Zac Zinger’s shutout and collect their victory and a big win in the seeding position heading to February. The Quakers would hold on as planned for a 5-0 victory moving them in a tie with Serra with only one loss and setting up a winner take all game on Monday February 13th.