Freeport Yellow Jackets

INDIANA – The Kittanning Hockey program was born in 1972 at the Belmont Arena and provided 33 exciting seasons of Interscholastic Hockey and amazingly has only 5 losing seasons in that stretch, which is a testimony to the program development through the Armstrong Amateur Hockey League and people like Hugo Montebell, Jon Spangler, Joe Ritchey, Al Stipp, Jeff Smouse and John Wilson, to mention just a few people, who have been instrumental in helping the program develop and flourish to over the years with community support and teamwork in the hockey program. All of the fundraising and learn to play hockey programs and commitment has culminated 490 wins 223 losses 36 ties and an opportunity to become the first program in Western Pennsylvania to win 500 games including regular season and playoffs. I say opportunity because the Cats [2-2-2] now have 492 and are slightly behind Upper St Clair, who is at 495 wins courtesy of 489 wins and a 6-1-0 record in 2005-2006. What makes this even more interesting is that three of Kittanning’s favorite sons Jon Yackmack, Lee Grafton and Jamie King are leading the current team and giving back to the game that they played for the Hometown team. Grafton played Junior A hockey and Yackmack and King played at the Division 1 level with Sacred Heart and Mercyhurst, respectively. Opening night in Indiana at the Indiana Ice Center [f/k/a ‘The House of King Samuel’,complete with strobe lights, the Hockey Hooligans included in a capacity crowd in attendance for this evening’s contest. This is really a special night for the future of a program holding a 192-87-23 in its first 300 games of existence in Interscholastic Hockey. The date of June 26th could have been a real significant date in Indiana HS Hockey History as the Ice Center closed and almost for good, but some ‘Very Concerned Citizens of Indiana’ including head coach Dom Glavech made some things happen to rally the community and the Ice Center is now open and the team is on the ice again. The Indians have struggled early on this season with no ice and injuries wit ha 2-3-1 mark with losses to Greensburg CC, Canon McMillan and Kittanning, which is not normal for a program which has been to the final four 3 out of the last 4 seasons including two heartbreaking losses to Peters Township in 2002 and 2004. So a rematch of the Wildcats and Indians, a great rivalry with two teams who expect to be in the playoff chase in a very interesting Class AA Penguins Cup, which will begin in March 06. At 13:21 of the opening period, Kittanning struck as Nick Troup scored from right in front beating Mike Kennedy on the game’s very first scoring opportunity as Colin McKelvey worked the puck to the front of the net. Indiana came right back on the power play as Jay Petina pounced on a Steven Geisel rebound at 8:47, to knot the score at one apiece. Mike Kennedy made a terrific save at 2:52 on Colin McKelvey on almost a sure goal on the back door power play opportunity. The Wildcats would get 38 seconds on a 5 on 3 with a little under two minutes remaining in period number one, but Indiana was able to kill it off. At 6:19 of the second period, Colin McKelvey stole the puck and streaked in on a shorthanded opportunity and was pulled down evening the play to 4 on 4 and almost scored as he carried the puck and Indiana goaltender Mike Kennedy into the net. The teams settled in a very territorial battle with the shots 20-16 in favor of Kittanning. On to the third and Mike Kennedy robbed Lee Heilman at 10:15 with a diving save, but the Cats would not be denied and scored the go ahead goal with 9:47 remaining as Nick Troup picked up his second goal on the power play. Justin Kovatch came back just 7 seconds later with a bullet that beat Kennedy at 9:40 to give Kittanning two quick scores and a commanding 3-1 lead. Kittanning capitalized on a flurry of shots giving them a 8-1 shot advantage through 7 minutes of the third. Indiana finally got the puck into the Kittanning zone and Jonathon Ogden picked up a loose puck on the doorstep and beat a sprawling Joey Mecurio with 1:52 remaining to close the gap to 3-2. But this would be Kittanning’s night as just 19 seconds later at 1:33, Nick Troup completed the hat trick scoring from the left side of Mike Kennedy to give the Wildcats a 4-2 lead and victory # 493 for the program causing a mass exodus of the Hockey Hooligans student body made their way to the exits as Kittanning outshot Indiana 33-22.