Butler Toronadoes

NEW KENSINGTON ~ Fox Chapel enter the season finale on the brink one of the greatest seasons in the program’s 32 year history dating back to 1971 with an 20-2-1 record. There was 1975-76, where the Foxes went 18-2-2 and fell to eventual Pa State AA Champion Abington 6-3 or 1996 when FC went 18-2-3 and fell in the first round to eventual Pa State AA champion Greensburg CC in the first round 6-4 or 1997 when the Foxes rode a wave all the way to the Penguins Cup Finals, only to be trounced by Cathedral Prep 8-2 after upsetting undefeated Plum in double overtime in the semis. Coach Keith Kearney could care less about that and is more concerned about getting leading scorers Matt Quigley and Joe Budz in the lineup for the playoffs, because if they have Quigley in the lineup, they are an undefeated hockey team and when he’s not they have a loss to Mt Lebanon and Meadville and a tie against a not-so-hot Latrobe team. Shaler has been in a battle just to make the playoffs for the last few weeks and head coach Ron Steedle was hoping for a little magic to avoid a trip to Meadville for the first round of the playoffs. The Titans clinched a playoff spot on Tuesday with a great effort in beating a very improved Penn Hills team 6-2. Shaler was looking to use this game against the Foxes as a measuring stick to atone for a 7-3 beating at the hands of the Foxes in November and possibly a .500 season at 10-11-2, with an upset of Fox Chapel. Shaler came out and took the play to Fox Chapel in the first period outshooting FC 15-9 and scored the first goal as Jim Rouda scooped up a rebound and deposited past Todd Hendry at the 10:00 mark. The second period was all Fox Chapel as they returned the favor outshooting Shaler 11-4 and tying the game on a great pass from Ryan McDonald to a wide open Dan Thiessen on the back door, who buried a snap shot past Nick Bennardo on the power play with 4:35 remaining. The third period and overtime period were just outstanding with end to end action as Shaler held a slim 6-5 shot advantage in the 3rd and the Foxes a 3-1 advantage in OT. The goaltending of Todd Hendry [25 saves] and Nick Bennardo [27 saves] shined as the teams battled to a 1-1 tie. Fox Chapel had the best chance on a 3 on 0 in the 3rd period but Ryan McDonald’s shot glanced of the crossbar as Bennardo just got a glove on it. Shaler had an excellent chance on a 2 on 1 but Jim Rouda’s shot of a Tom Carter pass just went wide. This sets up a re-match in two weeks in the first round of the playoffs as Fox Chapel will more than likely be the # 3 seed and Shaler will be the # 14 seed.

Special Report to Pa Hockey provided by Indiana and Kittanning Hockey ! KITTANNING - Indiana High School Varsity Ice Hockey team ended their season in an exciting rematch against Kittanning Thursday night with a 3-3 tie, curfewing the game before they could play it out in overtime. The Indians scored twice in the first three minutes of the game, first on a power play goal by Zach Diamond, assisted by Mike Hart. Michael Jack came back just 40 seconds later with another goal aided by Zach Damico. Indiana did not get on the scoreboard again till the third period when Cory Mills dropped one in with 6:38 remaining in the game on an assist from Hart and Brad McCoy. Goaltender Mike Mentch had 33 saves on 35 shots for the night. After Indiana built a 2-0 lead, Kittanning rallied for three unanswered goals as Pat Schneider [6:54 of 2nd], Dustin Kellner [1:52 of 2nd] and Shane Troup scored for the Wildcats. The game was curfewed before completion which is a problem that the PIHL current administration just sits back and accepts and has never even addressed at ONE MEETING. This is what make Interscholastic Hockey an illegitimate sport in the eyes of the Media because the game was NEVER decided and will NEVER be decided and its more like a Little League Baseball game than a Varsity Sport with Major League Baseball COSTS and No Collective Bargaining since the League is a Self Serving organization concerned SOLELY about money and not a non-profit Service Organization under its 501 c 3 .....its time for an Audit people !!!!

The Pennsylvania State Finals Robert Morris Island Sports Center ***2004 STATE OF PA HOCKEY ADDRESS IS NOW AVAILABLE*** April 10, 2004 A ~ Radnor 5 Serra Catholic 2 ***GAME SUMMARY IS NOW AVAILABLE*** AA ~ Archbishop Carroll 4 Peters Twp 2 ***GAME SUMMARY IS NOW AVAILABLE*** AAA ~ Malvern Prep 4 Mt Lebanon 3 ***GAME SUMMARY IS NOW AVAILABLE*** MAKE SURE TOM CHECK OUT THE GAME SUMMARIES FOR A COMPLETE IN DEPTH STORY ON THE 2004 Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championships and a recap of the 2003-2004 Season !

Special Report to Pa Hockey provided by Indiana Hockey # 6 The Indiana High School Varsity Ice Hockey team shut-out South Park 5-0 last night at the Ice Castle Arena in Pittsburgh. Mike Nesper led the scoring for the Indians with a hat trick, the second in one week. Nesper had a shorthanded goal unassisted, and one power play goal. Cory Mills and Zach Diamond also had goals for Indiana. Mike Hart led assists with two, while single assists were registered by Mills, Nesper, Joey Lenz, Alan Halapin, and Mike Appolonia. Indiana now 15-4 heads to Kittanning Thursday night for their final game of the season before preparing for playoffs in two weeks.

DELMONT ~ The greatest part about the final week or weeks of the season is that you can sit back as an observer and watch the teams and the scores and pretty much predict what is going to occur heading into the playoffs. Gateway has had a rollercoaster ride this season and the final games have been pretty much the story of the 2003-2004 campaign. A 7-2 loss to McDowell and a 4-2 decision to Penn Trafford made some people think Gateway was out of the playoffs, but Lou Biancanello’s Gator’s are doing what its talent filled predecessors couldn’t, which is finding ways to win big games. A valiant effort fell short last Thursday against # 2 Fox Chapel 4-3 in overtime, which was shortly after two overtime wins against Latrobe 4-3 and Penn Hills 7-6 [when the Gators were down 6-3 with a little over six minutes to go]. This is a young team which seems to be finding its niche, who was facing elimination with a tie or loss. Shaler should have clinched a playoff spot several times over the past few weeks, but the achille’s heel to Ron Steedle’s club is the inability to score big goals when they need them against quality opponents and the ability to put teams away when they have the lead. A 4-4 tie to North Hills was the best example, when the Titans blew a 4-2 lead in the games final 1:25, but this is the tip of the iceburgh as Shaler dropped a 3-2 decision to Plum and a 2-1 overtime game in Erie to Cathedral Prep, in games where they held the advantage in shots and the territorial play, but could not bury chances to win the hockey games. This is a sign of a team who could end up watching the playoffs from the stands or be sent into execution against Fox Chapel, Meadville or Mt Lebanon, if it cannot produce some big goals leading to victories in the season’s final week. The not well known ‘Bash Line’ of John Shannon, Scott Kramer and Kevin Gladish for Shaler started the game in style as the came out in the game’s first minute and scored the opening goal the only way they know how, as Kevin Gladish crashed the net and Scott Kramer slammed home the rebound for a 1-0 Titan lead at 14:42. Senior Josh Huber, who never played Ice Hockey until this season, extended the Titan lead at 6:23 as he converted a Bob Snyder pass and beat J.D. Dominick for a 2-0 lead. Back came the Gators on the power play at 3:04, as Ryan Whitfield found a loose puck and beat Nick Bennardo into an empty net. The momentum of this game really changed with just 12 seconds remaining in the first period as Matt Domyancic did a great job holding the zone and just throwing the puck to the net and it found its target like it had eyes on it and the game was tied despite a 11-5 shot advantage for Shaler. On to the second and Gateway took the lead as Michael DeLorenzo converted a Matt ‘Pete’ Rose pass and beat Nick Bennardo at 14:23. Shaler poured 16 shots on Dominick, who was in control of his rebounds and frankly made it look easy against the Titans. Shaler apparently tied the game on the power play, as the puck clearly went over the goal line [according to people sitting behind the net and caught on tape as well] but the inexperienced referee was out of position and did not see Dominick swipe the puck out, which was a big break for Gateway and is part of the game. The Gators capitalized on a turnover in the neutral zone as Brennan ‘TP’ DiBasilio made a great play to steal the puck and a better pass to a streaking Michael DeLorenzo, who beat Ben Burns on the stick side for a 4-2 Gateway lead at 3:40. It was do or die for Shaler in the third period, as the poured twelve more shots on J.D. Dominick, who was just brilliant between the pipes facing 39 Shaler shots. With a little over four minutes to play, Grant Duss found Jimmy Duss in front all alone, but Dominick robbed him on a great save. Matt Yost did find the net for Shaler finally with 2:35 remaining beating Dominick over the glove hand to pull the Titans within one 4-3. Gateway would hold on, as Shaler pulled goaltender Ben Burns for the extra attacker, but could not score, which is becoming a story of falling short for the Titans.