Baldwin Highlanders - 1975 & 1988 AAA

Mt Lebanon 9 Shaler 0 HARMARVILLE – A great night to throw another log on the fire in the fireplace or for the intimate gathering at the BladeRunners an opportunity to see two trains heading in opposite directions [and no references to the CanonBall Please…Ralph and Alf]. Shaler, now 1-8-0 fresh off playing its 7th game in the past four days after an appearance in Erie at the McDowell Invitational, not in the Varsity Tournament, but in a AA Tournament against Beavercreek, Ohio, who the Titans lost to in today’s final 5-3 against and two other teams who are not very competitive. First year coach Steve Esau’s team has rattled off 8 straight losses in league play and appears headed for a 9th this evening on paper against Mt Lebanon. . The Shaler Hockey program, now in its 35th year has struggled the past few years for one reason and one reason only and that’s the pipeline once built by 22 year Coach Ron Steedle has been depleted and replaced by warm bodies, who many could not make Mt Lebanon’s Junior Varsity team. And their parents, many who are former soccer mothers and no nothing about hockey and felt compelled to bend the organization By-Laws and hold a kangaroo court to remove a legendary coach and true gentleman, who built the hockey program and gave it respect and winning seasons for 17 out of 22 years with a record of 245-155-32, which is a .600 + winning percentage during the regular season, which wasn’t good enough for the Tele-Tubbies. Mt Lebanon is on a roll at 8-0 and is the # 1 ranked team in the State of Pennsylvania in the latest Pa Hockey Elite 8 poll. After last season, head coach Paul Taibi appeared headed out of the Mt Lebanon’s organization, but the remaining people in the organization who understand what Taibi brings the program with respect, discipline and hockey knowledge asked him to stay and coach a team with talent, determination and balance needed to win a State Championship for the first time in 29 years. The Blue Devils have destroyed the competition in AAA including an impressive 5-1 victory over defending Class AAA champions Bethel Park. The first period was a Mt Lebanon flurry as the Blue Devils blasted Shaler goaltender Nick Bennardo with 22 shots to the Titans 1, with 2 ½ minutes remaining in the opening period. Lebo started the scoring at 13:16 of the 1st as Jesse Root scored on a backhand through the 5-hole. Then the game turned into the Shane Ferguson show as the crafty winger scored on a tap-in set up by Josh Mandic at 11:10, a one-timer from the opposite face-off circle at 9:16 and a blast over the shoulder of Bennardo at 8:17 as Mt Lebanon cruised to a 4-0 lead. On to the second and the Blue Devils pelted Bennardo with 21 more shot to Shaler’s 4. Ferguson scored his fourth goal on a rebound at 8:43 and added another on a beautiful set-up by Tyler Murovich for a tap-in shorthanded goal at 6:41. What make’s Mt Lebanon a great team was exemplified with under a minute to go in the period as Josh Mandic broke up a two on zero breakaway and poked the puck to safety and preserve Robby Behling’s shutout bid and take a 6-0 lead to the locker room. The third period continued the onslaught on new canon fodder Brent Baburich as Matt Bartkowski scored on a slapshot from the left point at 11:09. Lou Argentari scored another at 6:56 to make it 8-0 and continued the running clock on Shaler, which appears headed to the PIHL holy grail Open Division next season and can hide from playing competitive Varsity hockey with all of the other bad teams doing the same thing. Rick Beuke fought off the Shaler defenders for another goal with 4:45 to go to make it 9-0. Final shots Mt Lebanon 57 Shaler 6 and the playoffs for one team and a 1-9 season for the Titans and a long road ahead.