Central Catholic Vikings

DELMONT ~ The greatest part about the final week or weeks of the season is that you can sit back as an observer and watch the teams and the scores and pretty much predict what is going to occur heading into the playoffs. Gateway has had a rollercoaster ride this season and the final games have been pretty much the story of the 2003-2004 campaign. A 7-2 loss to McDowell and a 4-2 decision to Penn Trafford made some people think Gateway was out of the playoffs, but Lou Biancanello’s Gator’s are doing what its talent filled predecessors couldn’t, which is finding ways to win big games. A valiant effort fell short last Thursday against # 2 Fox Chapel 4-3 in overtime, which was shortly after two overtime wins against Latrobe 4-3 and Penn Hills 7-6 [when the Gators were down 6-3 with a little over six minutes to go]. This is a young team which seems to be finding its niche, who was facing elimination with a tie or loss. Shaler should have clinched a playoff spot several times over the past few weeks, but the achille’s heel to Ron Steedle’s club is the inability to score big goals when they need them against quality opponents and the ability to put teams away when they have the lead. A 4-4 tie to North Hills was the best example, when the Titans blew a 4-2 lead in the games final 1:25, but this is the tip of the iceburgh as Shaler dropped a 3-2 decision to Plum and a 2-1 overtime game in Erie to Cathedral Prep, in games where they held the advantage in shots and the territorial play, but could not bury chances to win the hockey games. This is a sign of a team who could end up watching the playoffs from the stands or be sent into execution against Fox Chapel, Meadville or Mt Lebanon, if it cannot produce some big goals leading to victories in the season’s final week. The not well known ‘Bash Line’ of John Shannon, Scott Kramer and Kevin Gladish for Shaler started the game in style as the came out in the game’s first minute and scored the opening goal the only way they know how, as Kevin Gladish crashed the net and Scott Kramer slammed home the rebound for a 1-0 Titan lead at 14:42. Senior Josh Huber, who never played Ice Hockey until this season, extended the Titan lead at 6:23 as he converted a Bob Snyder pass and beat J.D. Dominick for a 2-0 lead. Back came the Gators on the power play at 3:04, as Ryan Whitfield found a loose puck and beat Nick Bennardo into an empty net. The momentum of this game really changed with just 12 seconds remaining in the first period as Matt Domyancic did a great job holding the zone and just throwing the puck to the net and it found its target like it had eyes on it and the game was tied despite a 11-5 shot advantage for Shaler. On to the second and Gateway took the lead as Michael DeLorenzo converted a Matt ‘Pete’ Rose pass and beat Nick Bennardo at 14:23. Shaler poured 16 shots on Dominick, who was in control of his rebounds and frankly made it look easy against the Titans. Shaler apparently tied the game on the power play, as the puck clearly went over the goal line [according to people sitting behind the net and caught on tape as well] but the inexperienced referee was out of position and did not see Dominick swipe the puck out, which was a big break for Gateway and is part of the game. The Gators capitalized on a turnover in the neutral zone as Brennan ‘TP’ DiBasilio made a great play to steal the puck and a better pass to a streaking Michael DeLorenzo, who beat Ben Burns on the stick side for a 4-2 Gateway lead at 3:40. It was do or die for Shaler in the third period, as the poured twelve more shots on J.D. Dominick, who was just brilliant between the pipes facing 39 Shaler shots. With a little over four minutes to play, Grant Duss found Jimmy Duss in front all alone, but Dominick robbed him on a great save. Matt Yost did find the net for Shaler finally with 2:35 remaining beating Dominick over the glove hand to pull the Titans within one 4-3. Gateway would hold on, as Shaler pulled goaltender Ben Burns for the extra attacker, but could not score, which is becoming a story of falling short for the Titans.

Special Report to Pa Hockey provided by Montour Hockey ! ISLAND SPORTS CENTER -- Montour (12-6-2) defeated Trinity by the score of 3-2 on Monday night at the Island Sports Center in a very exciting game. Montour's Dan Shiwarski scored the game winner with 56 seconds to play on a spectacular deflection. On the play, Mario Panucci possessed the puck, dropped a pass back to defenseman Brian Dugan. Dugan took the shot and the shot was deflected by Shiwarski and into the net. Dugan scored Montour's first goal on the power play on a shot from the point that was assisted by Shiwarski and Panucci. Montour's Ross Polk also scored when he roofed a wrist shot past the Trinity goaltender early in the second period following passes from Kevin Smith and Joe Uram. Montour goalie Nick Gialloreto made 19 saves to preserve the win. Trinity opened the scoring early in the first on an unassisted goal by Jeffrey Hildebrand. After Montour took a 2-1 lead into the third period, Trinity tied it at 11:58 on another unassisted goal by Josh Kelley when he banked a shot off of Montour's goalie to make it 2-2. Trinity goalie Mikhail Alexander played an excellent game making 35 stops on the night. However, the 2-2 score is as close as Trinity would get, due to Montour's Dan Shiwarski's heroics late in the third. Shots for the game were Montour 38 Trinity 21.

DELMONT ~ Saturday night is a nice time to take a drive and watch a little hockey and tonight’s adventure took us to Center Ice Arena for a Class A matchup between Deer Lakes and Johnstown. Yes, Johnstown, who usually plays its games at the War Memorial, had to rent a chartered bus to go to Delmont to play a makeup home game from earlier this month. The Johnstown program has been in disarray for a few years and has not fielded a winning team since 1996. Dedicated former Team President Matt Wincer, who continued to bring kids into the program despite its losing ways, was ousted from his position at the beginning of last season, after the PIHL brass complained to the Johnstown School Board, because of Mr Wincer’s his insistence at PIHL Board of Governors meetings that the PIHL needed to be audited in a situation revolving around double billing the teams at the War Memorial for security and other issues, which have still never been resolved nor investigated. Anyway ten players were on the bench for this game for Johnstown’s Varsity team. Deer Lakes has had an interesting season itself under Al Palowski, who’s team is on the verge of playoff extinction for only the third time in the past eight years, which is very impressive despite the low numbers of players playing hockey in Deer Lakes. The Lancers road will be that much tougher due to the academic ineligibility of All Star Rich Bigley and Brendan Orris, who have provided a significant amount of offense for the team. Deer Lakes came out and took control of this game from the outset outshooting Johnstown 17-3 in the first period. Garrett Kurtz opened the scoring at 12:45 for a 1-0 lead. At Matt Romutis took a Kurtz feed and beat Pete Bearjar to open up a 2-0 DL advantage at 7:51. Deer Lakes extended the lead at 7:51 of the first as Jason Graney fired a wrist shot upstairs on the glove side for a 3-0 lead. The 2nd period was all Deer Lakes as they fired 18 more shots at Bearjar, who made several spectacular saves, but the Trojans could only muster 3 shots on the Lancers Jiri Frkal. Finally at 3:56 of the middle period, Stefan Krisay weaved his way around the Johnstown zone and beat Bearjar to make it 4-0. The third period was the Mike Watson show as he scored the natural hat trick starting with a slapshot at 14:51, beating the Trojan defense at 10:42 and finishing a nice passing play from Jason Graney at 5:56 on the power play. Johnstown’s Dan Chorik broke Frkal’s shutout bid in the third period on a breakaway, but Deer Lakes moved within two points of Steel Valley setting up a must win game with Mars on Monday night.

MT LEBANON ~ Mt Lebanon had a little coming out party on Thursday night pasting Central Catholic 7-2 and putting a little exclamation point on their # 1 ranking in Class AAA. Coach Paul Taibi now set his sights on a big matchup with defending Pennsylvania State Champion Meadville in a rematch of a 2-1 Bulldog win earlier in the season. The Blue Devils are looking like a team on a mission and would get to test themselves in a match-up, which many consider a possible Penguins Cup final on March 27th. Meadville coach Jamie Plunkett always likes to know where his team stands and he puts his schedule together in late summer accordingly to set the Bulldogs on course to challenge each year for the crowned jewel of Class AAA, the Pennsylvania State Championship. The Bulldogs are the defending champions and were unbeaten in 19 games until Thursday’s 3-1 loss to nemesis Bethel Park, who has beaten Meadville four straight times dating back to 1999 and maybe caught the Dawgs looking ahead to Saturday’s match-up with Mt Lebanon, which is a recipe for bad things in late February and early March and is frankly, may I use the term Un-Bulldoglike under coach Plunkett. The first period displayed end to end action with tight checking much like a playoff game before another nice crowd at the Mt Lebanon Rec Center as we settled in with Jamie Cummings and a visit from 1976 Pennsylvania State champ Head Coach and Mt Lebanon program founder Mickey McDermott, who its always great to see and more fun to visit with. The Blue Devils had the best chance of the opening period, but Danny O’Sharuk was sharp in stopping Eric Sloan, who found his way past the Bulldog defense and then stopped Tony Valerino on the rebound. The second period was much of the same until 9:29, when Billy Leckenby’s snapshot handcuffed O’Sharuk and trickled past him for a 1-0 Mt Lebanon lead. The Blue Devils turned it up a notch and looked to go ahead by two but Valerino could not find the open net at 8:28 over a fallen O’Sharuk and the Meadville goaltender robbed Chad Uddstrom on a shot ticketed for the upper corner. Meadville could not capitalize on the power play at 4:03 and Mt Lebanon almost went up two as Eric Sloan rifled a shot off the crossbar with just 14 seconds remaining in the middle period, as this one would be 1-0 Mt Lebanon going to third. Close hockey games are sometimes decided by a great play or momentum switch or possibly an undisciplined play by your opponent or a big hit. Mt Lebanon started the final period on the power play and was looking for the knockout and Tony Valerino provided it with a big hit on David Moyer in the third period’s opening shift. Moyer retaliated and received a 2 minute minor, a 5 minute major and a Game Misconduct putting the Blue Devils on a 5 on 3 power play, which was frankly, may I use the term Un-Bulldoglike under coach Plunkett and the Dawgs would have to survive without who many and I consider the best defenseman in Western Pa. Anthony Scarpino made a great play in killing of the 5 on 3 advantage and almost tied the game at 12:55, but a great effort by the Mt Lebanon defense deflected the puck wide of goaltender Matt Vaughn. This would be a turning point as the Blue Devils set up patiently and Billy Leckenby sprung Tony Valerino in behind the Bulldog defense, who place a wrist shot just over the glove of Danny O’Sharuk to give Mt Lebanon a 2-0 lead with 9:47 left. The Bulldogs fought back and poured the pressure on the Mt Lebanon defense and Vaughn for the games final 6 + minutes. Phil Siverd was stoned by Vaughn with 4 ½ left from just in front. The Dawgs finally got on the board with just 9 seconds left as D.J. Durkee scored on a scramble in front, but it was too little and too late for Meadville and Mt Lebo picked up a thrilling 2-1 victory.

Once again...we at Pa Hockey have looked far and wide over the rosters of Major Junior A and NCAA Division 1 Colleges across the United States and in Canada and came up with the players from the State of Pennsylvania playing at that level. Keep in mind that this list does not include ACHA Division 1 or NCAA Division 3. Now we know that when this list gets combed over that we may have omitted a player or two......so if you know of someone playing at that level, please let us know !