Baldwin Highlanders - 1975 & 1988 AAA

HARMARVILLE – Central Catholic coach Kevin Zielmanski has made it no secret that this years team is very young and in a rebuilding mode, but some people’s definition of re-building is different than other and the young Vikings have looked very proficient early in the season with so many new faces. Another big test for CC would come in the form of Upper St Clair, who has balanced scoring and efficient defense and goaltending. Upper St Clair has had some good points and bad in the season’s first quarter under new coach John Harford and is looking to work toward consistency heading into December to make a run at the Penguins Cup. The Panthers are the only team to defeat North Allegheny, but also lost two close contests to McDowell [3-2] and Mt Lebanon [3-1 earlier this week]. CC came out storming on the opening shift and capitalized as C.J. Burke banged home a bouncing puck past Kevin Gorder for a 1-0 lead at 14:50. After Central registered the games first 8 shots, USC’s first opportunity apparently tied the game at 6:48, but the goal was pushed in with a glove and the Vikings maintain a one-goal advantage. The Panthers would get the equalizer as Zack Crockett picked up a loose puck in the slot and fired a snapshot high over the glove side of Bryan Adamczak to tie the game at 1:29. On to the second period and Central regained the lead as Ryan Gebler scored on a rebound low on the ice at 13:38. USC tied it as Brian Gorder scored through the 5-hole after some nice work by linemates Jake Klancher and Ian Joyce, who cycled with great control and passing to set up the goal at 11:45. Back came the Vikings to regain the lead as Ricky Monti picked up the garbage in front and deposited behind Kevin Gorder at 7:52 for a 3-2 CC lead. Gorder robbed CC’s Andy Hanno from point blank range at 3:32 and kept the lead at one goal. As we sat and watched USC dismantle the Central defense in the third period, we joked that maybe longtime Panther coach R.T. Ford gave a Knute Rocke speech during the intermission, but as it turns out the usually mild mannered coach Harford delivered an effective message to the troops it worked ! The Panthers scored at 14:15 as Brian Gorder blistered a quick shot past Adamczak to tie the game at three apiece. Then after killing a Central Catholic power play, USC went to work as Jake Klancher parted the CC defense and scored on the backhand for the Panthers first lead at 10:46. Just 14 seconds later, it was Mike Penkrot who took advantage of a quick opening off the face-off and made it 5-3 at 10:32. Penkrot was not finished as he beat the CC goaltender low on the stick side at 10:04 to give USC a 6-3 lead with three goals in under a minute. Ian Joyce closed out the scoring with 1:19 remaining and USC captured an impressive 7-3 win at the Harmarville USA rink.