Baldwin Highlanders - 1975 & 1988 AAA

BETHEL PARK ~ If there is one thing McDowell coach Marlin Coon would like to happen before the 2003-2004 season ends, it would be to play a couple of games with an entire lineup similar to the one that is used for a league roster. The Trojans were on the road to face Bethel Park without leading scorers injured Gary Peterson and suspended Brian Hammel. McDowell was also looking to get back on the scoreboard after being shut out by North Allegheny 7-0 and Franklin Regional 3-0. Bethel Park coach Jim ‘Mort’ McVay has had his own problems, with the off-ice circus, which has been a distraction for the Bethel Park team just to play hockey at times. Fortunately, the Blackhawks have overcome and have put together a pretty nice season, with their only 2nd half losses to division rival USC and a heartbreaking 2-1 setback to Erie Cathedral Prep, in a game where the Hawks outshot the Ramblers badly, but could not solve Prep’s Ryan Zapolski, who is one of the best goaltenders in Class AAA. Now BP would have one more issue as star defenseman All-Star Danny Zabkar will be out of the lineup indefinitely, so BP would have to come up with a big effort, but could be comforted that the game is at Bethel Park BladeRunners, where ‘there’s no place like home’. Bethel Park dominated the opening period outshooting the Trojans 17-2 with the play in McDowell’s end for most of the period. A Bethel Park power play at 5:33 resulted in the Trojans John Cleary robbing Michael Diethorn at 5:05 to keep the game scoreless. Diethorn would have another great chance at 4:01 and make it count as he buried a rebound from high in the slot to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. On to the second and Bethel extended their lead as Jason Hedglen finished off a nice give and go with Scott Scheeser at 12:22 to make it 2-0. McDowell picked up their game and started to get some chances on untested sophomore BP keeper Brian Meriam and posted 10 shots in the middle period to Bethel’s 7. Mark Skirzynski found the net with some hard work from linemates Ed Maras and Anthony Mihalik at 3:02 and all the sudden we had a hockey game at 2-1. McDowell dominated the third period with a 12-5 advantage in shots and several golden opportunities to tie the game. Brian Meriam made a nice save on Skirzynski at 7:05 and another one on Anthony Miahalik at 6:29, but those were just routine compared what would happen in the final 3 ½ minutes. The Trojans really started to break through the BP defense at this point and Ed Maras was parked right in front for what seemed to be a sure goal, but Meriam snatched the puck out of the air at 3:37 to keep the Hawks in the lead. Another great save on Mihalik with exactly two minutes left, as the Trojans could not buy a goal. McDowell kept coming and Skirzysnski walked in alone with ten seconds left but Meriam would deny him and Bethel Park would hold on with a 2-1 victory and a little turnabout from their trip to Erie last week.