Moon Tigers

MONROEVILLE - Stu Relnick's Plum Mustangs are already in the middle of a hot battle with Gateway and Franklin Regional for the East Division lead. The division is very close and will come down to the wire at the end of the season. Woodland Hills, on the other hand, is the 'sacrificial lamb' of the PIHL. A debate of where should the league hide the likes of the Wolverines and Connellsville. Unfortunately for the thirteen or so players who suit up for the turquoise and white and coach Tim Wilt, it seems they have no choice but to just play and do their best. The shame is that this team and Connellsville should be playing Junior Varsity.....thats where they belong and since no one will say anything ...I will !! So my 'twisted facts' and 'my supposed undermining of the league' fans can read this and shut their mouths and maybe learn something. Maybe the 'supposed powers' should go watch the waste of time and money that took place on Tuesday at the Golden Mile. Neither team benefited and neither team improved and maybe a couple of players in Black and Purple padded some stats. But you can bet both organizaions will be billed for the game costs ! Anyway THAT WAS THE EDITORIAL and the game summary, well lets just say it was ugly......10:59 and 10:31 and 8:35 and 8:00 and 8:04 and finally :43 of the first Plum scored 6 goals to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Four more goals in the second and mercy two goals in the third for a 12-0 Plum victory. Rob Tunon led the way with four goals and six assists and a ten point night for the Mustang senior. Ryan Griffin, Dave Dincau [two goals], John Kalichuk, Phil Mains, Mike Renna, Travis Senchur, and Aaron Arnold scored as Plum outshot Woodland Hills 50-9 on the evening.

GREENSBURG - Indiana figured to be a strong team this season in Class AA with a majority of their Penguin Cup Finalist squad returning from last season. Indians coach Dom Glavech probably lays awake at night playing what if Casey Haines has stayed at Indiana in his mind time and time again. Greensburg CC coach Joe Dykta on the other hand likes the squad he has inherited since coming over from Norwin and after a big win over Kittanning last week has other visions dancing in his head....like dare we say .....Penguin Cup. The Centurians came out with a vengence in the first period and you just have to wonder if coach Joe [don't call me Mike] was pinching himself as Colin Ludwig scored on the breakaway at 7:41 to give his squad a 1-0 advantage. Just 36 seconds later at 7:05, it was Josh Chiado parked in front lifting a rebound over Mike Mentsch to establish a 2-0 lead for GCC. At 4:28, it was Chiado again as he picked up a loose puck and beat Mentsch on the backhand to make it 3-0. Wow ! Coach Glavech called the timeout at that point to settle his Indiana squad down. The Indians responded immediately as Bryan Schlemmer came right back at 4:14 to get Indiana on the board at 3-1. On to the second period and the next goal would be a big one in this game as Mentsch made several big stops including a magnificent stop on Chiado at 6:52 and a point blank stab on Allen Pershing with just 1:11 in the middle frame. The score remained at 3-1 in favor of GCC. Indiana now began to carry the play in the third period and outshot GCC 28-27 on the evening. Jake Genes was equal to the task until with 6:26 remaining Zach Diamond poked home a rebound to make it a tight 3-2 game. Indiana was now pressing for the equalizer and Genes was keeping them out and the Centurians held on and added an empty netter with just :01 left to capture an important 4-2 victory.

DELMONT - Penn Trafford has built quite a program in a short time via the Center Ice Arena in Delmont and according to some close to the club their 60 players in the program could be closer to 80. Head coach Gary Artz's team made the playoffs at Class AA last season and went 'kickin and screamin' along with the others in the PIHL Northeast Division, which is considered the 'Norris Division' by many AAA coaches. One look at the Warriors lineup card shows youth is on their side in a bright future and has a suprising resulted in 2-0-0 start. Franklin Regional on the other hand is already locked in a battle with Gateway and Plum for the East division crown and the season is just two weeks old. Jim Damp's club has had some excitement already with three games which went down to the final minute tied or a one goal differential and the Panthers have started 2-0-1. The Warriors took no time getting started as Kyle Sidle scored just 32 seconds in to give PT a 1-0 lead. Penn Trafford goaltender Tim Roberts stopped 10 shots in an evenly played first period until Jimmie Daugherty tied the game at 1-1 with :23 left in the opening period of play. Franklin opened up the second witha shorthanded tally by Mike Roth at 14:15 to give the Panthers the lead 2-1. PT's Sidle tied the score with his second goal on the power play at 7:58 of the 2nd on an assist from Chris Cerutti and Matt Haught. Franklin regained the lead at 6:32 as Lou Levine put the Panthers ahead 3-2. In the third period, Joe Ferriero scored on a rebound at 14:10 to give the Panthers two goal cushion. Then at 8:28, Sean Buckley ripped a snapshot past Roberts to put the game on ice and a 5-2 Franklin Regional victory.

HARMARVILLE - Shaler coach Rich Michalowski decided to sit star goaltender Ed Stotts to send a message to his young team last night against Gateway at Harmarville. Gateway was looking to send another type of message to Shaler and the rest of AAA. You see the Gators have a new formula after their opening night comeback victory against a renewed Baldwin squad......they are gonna dump and chase and go hard to the net all night long and challenge you to stop them. After Gateways Matt Kopaczynski and Shalers Jimmy Duss traded goals in the first period, coach Spike had to feel pretty good about that decision. The Gators Mark Wroblewski banged home a rebound past Drew Wenheimer after 3 cracks to give his team the lead 2-1. If there was a turning point in this game, it came at 4:44 of the second as Eric Taormina had a golden opportunity and a wide open net but hit the inside of the post and it was still 2-1. Those pesky Gators continued to bang away as defenseman Chris Gyke jammed home another rebound of a Luke Pepper shot at 1:53 to mae it 3-1. Gateway broke Shaler's back when Pepper scored on a rebound of a shot from Mike DiLorenzo with just :39 seconds left in the middle frame. In the final period, Joe Bianchi kept the play in at the point and Ryan Whitfield found Justin Scott alone who scored on his own rebound at 12:20 to make it 5-1. Scott and Zach Flora added late goals to give Gateway a convincing 7-1 thrashing of the Titans outshooting them 32-20.

The Final Regular Season Elite 8 Rankings for Week 16 are Here !!!! > Pennsylvania # 1 ~ Class AAA - Malvern Prep **Ranked # 56 Nationally on USHO** # 1 ~ Class AA - Holy Ghost Prep # 1 ~ Class A - Serra > Eastern Pennsylvania # 1 ~ Class AAA - Malvern Prep # 1 ~ Class AA - Holy Ghost Prep # 1 ~ Class A - Radnor > Western Pennsylvania # 1 ~ Class AAA - Meadville # 1 ~ Class AA - Peters Twp # 1 ~ Class A - Serra Plus again this season will be the Pa Hockey ~ National Rankings from Mitch Hawkers from the Minnesota State League !!!