Butler Toronadoes

MONROEVILLE – Gateway comes in this year’s with a veteran squad who has met playoff disappointment for three straight years short of a trip the Semi-Finals, the last two to eventual Penguins Cup finalists Bethel Park in 2002 and Allderdice in 2001, and the short end of a double overtime loss to Upper St. Clair 7-6 in 2000. Head Coach Dan Serakowski has done everything to try to prepare his team to do the simple things necessary to have the Gators move past the second round. The unreal statistic in 2002-2003, was the number of games won by Gateway when they were able to get the first goal and the flip side of losses when the don’t making it critical to get the first tally against Baldwin. Baldwin has not been to the Playoffs since 1991, which is a long time for a program with a storied history of two Class AAA State Championships in 1975 and 1988. Coach Mike Cox, a former Highlander, was hoping to draw from that history to bring this unheralded group of Baldwin players to defend a 20-9-0 playoff record when the purple and white takes the ice in the post season. Baldwin opened this season losing a heartbreaking loss to Gateway in the games final minute but rebounded with an outstanding season. A huge crowd gathered at possibly the last game at the Golden Mile Ice Center for the first round Class AAA playoffs in 2003, which opened in the mid-1980’s and has now fallen behind the new rink craze. In the first period, Gateway had some decent chances but Baldwin goaltender Matt King was sharp. Then at 11:41, Nate Obringer picked Matt Kopaczynski’s pocket and in one motion snapped one past David Himes to give the Highlanders a 1-0 lead. The opening frame was evenly played after that as the Gators struggled against the fine defensive play of Baldwin, in particular Chris Falce and Andy Walker, who were solid on the blue line in front of King. The good patience by the Highlanders paid off at 4:48 as Alex DelGreco beat the Gator defense and Himes for a 2-0 lead. Gateway was now in a hole and they tried to turn up the heat on Baldwin outshooting the Highlanders 19-10 in the 2nd, but Matt King was outstanding between the pipes. The speedy Ray Wilhelm got by the Gateway forecheck and broke down the left side and blasted a wrist shot which Himes turned aside, but Obringer was there for the rebound at 11:05 and Baldwin now had a 3-0 lead. Gateway could not capitalize on their power play chances as Obringer, Walker, Falce, King and the rest of the Highlanders displayed great resolve in their penalty killing and maintained their 3-0 advantage. Then the backbreaker came as Russ McHugh scored with just :01 left in the 2nd on a rebound after some great corner work by Wilhelm to give Baldwin an almost insurmountable 4-0 lead at the end of two. On to the third and the Gators wasted no time getting on the board as Justin ‘L.A.’ Scott [which could stand for Left Alone] banged home a puck at his feet in the crease area at 14:36. Scott’s next shift would be on the power play and he scored again from right in front at 12:30 and all of the sudden it was now 4-2. Gateway really turned up the heat as Matt Kopaczynski, Zach Flora, Lucas Pepper and Chris Gyke all had chances but could not beat King, who remained solid in trying to ward off the Gator onslaught. Then with 5:01 left, Flora slipped a shot on the forehand past King and we now had a hockey game at 4-3 Baldwin. The Gators pounded away at the Highlanders, outshooting them 20-9 in the third and 51-30 on the evening. After a big scramble in front with under three minutes to play, apparently one of the Highlander defensemen covered the puck in the crease, but the four official team missed call, a big break for the Highlanders, much to the dismay of the Gators, whose comeback would fall short when Nate Obringer completed the Hat Trick with :12 seconds left sending Baldwin to the second round with their first playoff win since 1988, which was the Highlanders last State Championship. Frustration broke out after the final buzzer as the Gators took exception to the Baldwin victory , but the Highlanders moved on with a well deserved hard fought 5-3 win.