Butler Toronadoes

HARMARVILLE – Shaler coach Ron Steedle has coached Interscholastic hockey since 1978, which is before most of the players in the Fox Chapel – Shaler opening round Penguins Cup playoff were born, so its safe to say that the long time Titan coach has a little playoff experience and was looking to lead his 10-11-3 club against a very talented Fox Chapel team. The Titans started the 2003-2004 season 1-5-1, but rebounded to be arguably one of the most improved team in Class AAA the season’s second half with a 9-6-1 record with a victory over # 6 seed Upper St Clair and a season ending 1-1 tie with their playoff opponent rival the # 3 seed Fox Chapel 20-2-2. The Foxes coach Keith Kearney had to be pinching himself in the lobby and if he didn’t, his assistant coach Chris Sturm was at the prospects of having leading scorers Joe Budz and Matt Quigley back in the lineup. Budz was returning from an injury, but its Quigley, who is the sniper and in my opinion may be the most valuable player to his team in all of Class AAA. Matt Quigley is a player, who will go along way in hockey and as a sophomore doubles his time with the Pittsburgh Hornets, a AAA midget team, who’s coaches have basically told its players that high school hockey ruins their careers. Well Sunday afternoon at Harmarville, a split season team which hadn’t played together for two months of ALL high school players called the Pittsburgh Predators, defeated the mighty Hornets 3-1 and eliminated them from the USA Hockey National playoffs and the Pennsylvania State playoffs. So anyone looking for some ice time for the playoffs, can get some at Neville Island and Interscholastic Hockey players who want to play both High School and Travel should play for split season teams and finish their high school careers, then go on to Juniors and then collegiate hockey and when they are mature enough and have learned enough about the game can entertain thoughts of professional hockey. Ryan Malone played for Upper St Clair, then Shattuck St, Mary’s, then St. Cloud State and then the Penguins and isn’t it amazing that the article written by Bob Smizek earlier this week revolved around not the Hornet’s, but Malone’s plight of not making Team Pittsburgh as a player for Upper St Clair [by the way that was 6 years ago in 1998]. So Matt Quigley should stay in school, whether it be Prep or Fox Chapel, go to Prep School or the USA National Developmental team, then Junior A, then collegiate hockey and then entertain a shot at pro hockey. That is the path and that’s what he can do if he wants to pursue it ….. this kid is just 15 years old, a sophomore at FC and rather than ruining his career he can help jump start it by leading the Foxes to the promised land because the Foxes are undefeated when he is in the lineup. So now we know why Mr Kearney and Mr Sturm are pinching themselves! The first period was action packed before an electric crowd of over 800 at the new beautiful rink at Harmarville as the Fox Chapel and Shaler, long-time rivals would square-off in the first round of the 2004 Penguins Cup playoffs. After Shaler killed off the games first penalty, the Foxes struck first as Joe Budz slid a perfect pass to Quigley, who cut down the off wing and buried a snap shot past Nick Bennardo at 11:33 for a 1-0 FC lead. Shaler picked their game up and started to pressure Fox Chapel, but could not beat Todd Hendry with any of its six 1st period shots. The Foxes extended their lead as Quigley banged home a Kyle Misour rebound at 7:45 and FC was up 2-0. The second period was all Shaler as they picked up their physical play and outshot the Foxes 11-7, including a 17-7 game total midway through the 2nd. Justin Carnprobst, who returned late in the season and was buried on the Shaler bench crashed the net and tipped an Alex Gore shot which just trickled by Todd Hendry and the Titans had new life with 8:31 remaining at 2-1. The game was there for the taking for Shaler and as Jimmy Duss gathered the puck in his own end, he was hauled down by a Fox Chapel player, which apparently none of the four officials on the ice saw and would have given Shaler a power play and the momentum. A bad break for Shaler and part of the game I guess? What happened next turned the tide for Fox Chapel as the Titans were whistled for a questionable high sticking call at 6:44. Fox Chapel made the best of their opportunity as Quigley completed the hat trick on a wrist shot with assists from his linemates Budz and Misour to give Fox Chapel a 3-1 lead with 5:44 to go in the middle period. The third period was a classic defensive game for Fox Chapel as Jason Kreps, Sam Stack, Dan Uminski, Todd Hendry and the rest of the Foxes shut down Shaler and held the Titans to just 5 shots. Nick Bennardo was brilliant for Shaler in defeat stopping several FC chances, but Fox Chapel would hold on and move to round 2 with a 3-1 victory as the Foxes improved their record to 21-2-2 and await their opponent at their new home in Harmarville.