Butler Toronadoes

VALENCIA - Pine Richland 6 West Allegheny 0 A who’s who night of Western Pennsylvania AA Hockey tonight as yours truly and Earl ‘Mr Center Ice’ Bugaile’ headed a star studded cast as Ed ‘Jake’ Jacobs, some ‘Concerned Citizens of Montour’, the Kittanning coaching staff of Jon Yackmack, Lee Grafton and Jamie King, former PR coach Bobby Black, Brian Cole, Quaker Valley assistant Jim Miller, Dave ‘Robin the Boy Wonder’, Joe Avi, Joe Ritchey, Hampton’s Brian Steckel among the Concerned Citizens of Pine Richland and West Allegheny Pine Richland and West Allegheny entered this evening’s game holding down the top 2 spots in Class AA for the upcoming Penguins Cup playoffs and the winner would capture the # 1 seed position. Both teams are looking to keep the playoff edge as the opening round will be contested later this week and WA and PR will await the first round winners for action beginning next week. Norm Cook and Jimmy Black both feel their teams have a great shot at capture their respective schools first ever Penguins Cup at Mellon Arena on March 25th. Pine Richland didn’t take long to strike as a streaking Josh Fodor converted a feed from Jordan Yoklic at 14:32 for a quick 1-0 lead. Kyle Mortimer made the game’s first big save at 10:32, stopping multiple cracks and the 2nd rebound for Jordan Yoklic from point blank range. The Rams made it 2-0 as George Saad walked the puck out of the corner and beat Mortimer squeezing the puck through the 5 hole at 9:12. Pine Richland continued to dominate the opening period and with 1:08 remaining in opening period as Jordan Yoklic tipped a long shot off the stick of Geoff Bagnato. Sweet replaced Mortimer in goal to start the second period. George Saad pounced on a Brian Miller rebound at 10:48 and beat Sweet to make it 4-0. The Rams just kept on coming and at 7:52, they would not be denied as Brian Miller banged home a rebound of linemate George Saad to turn this on into a 5-0 runaway. At 8:19, the Rams lit the lamp again as George Saad completed the hat trick with an assist to Brian Miller and a 6-0 lead. With 4:29 remaining, Stoney Hildreth kept his shutout stopping Jeff Cupelli. Pine Richland earned a convincing 6-0 win over the Indians and has built quite a bit of momentum for the upcoming playoffs and will also be the # 1 seed.