Baldwin Highlanders - 1975 & 1988 AAA

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.