Baldwin Highlanders - 1975 & 1988 AAA

HARMARVILLE – Bethel Park has gone through the first half of the season undefeated and frankly may be a little bored as the Hawks have shreaded the competition in Class AAA in the regular season to post a 12-0-0 mark. The thing that has to concern coach Jim McVay and Hawk fans is the so-called meaningless tournaments thus far this year, where BP lost to Central Catholic 2-1 in their Invitational and then was humbled by North Allegheny 5-1 in the Pa Hockey Scholastic Showcase Director’s Cup final last week. Bethel has looked awesome at times, but will have to prove it five consecutive games in March and that is something they have accomplished and the goal of this season as they are currently ranked # 1 statewide in the Pa Hockey Elite 8 poll. Fox Chapel had a great season in 2003-2004 and returns its top players from a team that captured a division title from a year ago. So Jim Damp probably figured on having a legitimate shot at repeating that division title from a year ago and also redeeming the early exit by the Foxes from the post season. FC has struggled at times this season and watched as Plum has seized the division lead through the first half of the season and a win over Bethel Park, which would be three years in a row by my count, could put the Foxes back in the division race with a tough stretch for the Mustangs on the horizon. Bethel Park came out in the first period and dominated the game in shots with a 24-2 advantage with aggressive play and determination to take control of this contest. Justin Kreps caught their defense being a little too smug and threaded a tape-to-tape pass on the stick of Matt Quigley, who sped in on a breakaway and beat Rick McLuckie on a backhand at 9:12 for a 1-0 Foxes lead. Eric Thiessen made a couple of real nice saves including a great glove save on Adam Kaczmarek at 6:36. A combination of some real undisciplined play by Fox Chapel and possibly a phantom empress from the sky aligning with the moon put Bethel Park on a 5 on 3 power play with 6:24 left in the opening period and this would turn this contest as Bethel Park finally cracked Thiessen as Jason Hedglen took advantage of some sloppy defensive play as he beat two defenders and the Foxes goaltender on the backhand for a tie game at one apiece. The 2nd period was all Bethel Park as the Hawks out shot Fox Chapel 19-5 for a 43-7 advantage through two periods. Another 5 on 3 power play and this time it would be the relentless Conner McLean banging home a 4th or maybe 5th crack at a rebound past Thiessen and BP now had a 2-1 lead with 5:47 left in the 2nd period. Jason Hedglen nearly extended the lead to two goal when he hit the outside post with 1:20 left before the ice cut. On to the third period and Fox Chapel failed on the power play early in the period and Bethel would get their chance at 8:46 to put the game out of reach. Adam Kaczmarek deflected a Jacobus Bliek shot from the left point past Thiessen and the Hawks were now in control 3-1 with 8:28 left in regulation. The Foxes only had 11 shots on the evening to Bethel Park’s 54, but Ryan McDonald had a golden opportunity to pull FC within one, but Rick ‘Lucky’ McLuckie stoned him on a breakaway and Bethel Park went on to defeat the Foxes 3-1 before a nice crowd at Harmarville.