Butler Toronadoes

Special Report Report provided by Justin Valli & the 4 Spartans CORAOPOLIS - It was upset city at the Airport Ice Arena as #12 seed Elizabeth Forward knocked off host #5 West Allegheny by the score of 4-3. Several fans packed the arena to see these two teams battle it out for rights to the second round. It was Elizabeth Forward who started the scoring on the power play as Billy Repass possessed the puck from behind the West Allegheny net and fed a centering pass to Jeremy Delmaster. Delmaster wasted no time and one-timed it past goaltender Dan Kuzio’s glove side for the 1-0 Elizabeth Forward lead. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Forward goaltender Michael Cole was weathering a West Allegheny storm. Cole made several crucial saves throughout the first period and held West Allegheny off the board. It was seemingly out of nowhere with a minute to play in the first when Delmaster struck again. Delmaster took a lead pass from Zachary Salopek and slapped it low past Kuzio for the 2-0 lead at the end of one. Early in the second, Delmaster continued his hot play. He skated the puck into the West Allegheny zone, shook a defender and made a pass cross ice to a streaking Justin Lizik. Lizik took the shot and scored short side over the shoulder of Kuzio. Kyle Mortimer would replace Kuzio in net for West Allegheny and make some nice glove saves. Elizabeth Forward continued to hit hard but would take a costly penalty to put West Allegheny on the power play. On the power play, Marek Polidor and Ryan Kumpfmiller moved the puck around nicely and it was All-Star Ryne Savisky who would give West Allegheny its first goal. Savisky took the pass from Polidor, cradled the puck, and sneaked a shot just inside the left post. Elizabeth Forward however would quickly answer and put itself up 4-1 when Brian Doak put a shot on net and the puck caromed off a skate in front and slid past Mortimer for the goal. Thinking that this goal would have broken the camel’s back, West Allegheny would not falter and soon began to control the game. With four minutes to go in the second period, West Allegheny was given a two man advantage but Elizabeth Forward was able to kill both penalties. However just as the penalties expired, West Allegheny got the goal they desperately needed. Tony Lutz put a shot on net, the puck got kicked around and squirted loose to the stick of Jeff Rich who finished the job to cut the Elizabeth Forward lead to 4-2. EF’s Bill Repass played the body all night and caused some problems for the West Allegheny Indians. Elizabeth Forward continued to fight to preserve its lead. However with 11 minutes to go, West Allegheny felt differently as Senior All-Star Ian Skacan found a loose puck in front and buried it past goaltender Michael Cole. West Allegheny would continue to pound on the doorstep of Elizabeth Forward, as every player on the ice gave his all. The game flow picked up with 5 minutes to go but West Allegheny would take two tough penalties and Michael Cole was able to turn away two tough shots from Kumpfmiller and Savisky and preserve the Elizabeth Forward playoff victory.