North Allegheny Tigers - 2007 & 2013 AAA

A tie might look the same on the scoreboard. But the feelings in the locker rooms about that tie can be drastically different.

If you’re the Peters Township hockey team, for example, and your 6-0 record suffers its very first dent; you’re not going to be too happy.

However, if you’re like Meadville, and you’d been floundering of late, and you were playing a team the caliber of Peters Township; you’ll take the point, most definitely.

So, there was consolation for both sides on Wednesday night after the Indians and the Bulldogs skated to a 4-4 tie in a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League showdown at the George DeArment Ice Arena.

“(Peters Township) is a nice club and it’s going to take a really good effort on somebody’s part to beat that team,” said Meadville head coach Jamie Plunkett. “So, I think from that standpoint, getting a point is a little bit of a moral victory considering where we were a couple days ago.”

On Monday, the Bulldogs dropped a 4-1 stinker to Bishop Canevin, getting only 10 shots on goal.

Last night’s game was a total 180 for the ’Dogs, who are now 4-5-2 overall and 3-2-2 in the PIHL.

“Compared to where we were 48 hours ago,” Plunkett said, “we took a couple steps in the right direction. Hopefully we can build on it.”

The renewed effort by the Bulldogs shined brightest in first period. They out-shot the Indians 10-7 in the period (29-28 for the game). And they grabbed a 1-0 lead early in the frame when Drew Finton rifled a slap shot into the net from just inside blue line.

That lead stretched to 2-0 early in the second when Bill Espy squeezed between a pair of defenders to get a breakaway opportunity, deked goalie Tyler Borne out of his skates, and then flipped the puck home.

A 2-0 lead seemed like a good place to be at the time. It turned out to be a real danger zone last night.

“That’s right,” said Peters Township coach Rick Tingle. “Both teams had two goal leads, and both teams gave them up.”

The Township’s offense finally snapped awake after that second goal, and the Indians went and reeled off four straight in response.

Drew Rubeo scored halfway through the second.

Then Reilly Moore tied the game with 3:30 to go. Both goals were scored with a Bulldog in the penalty box.