PIHL High School Hockey Notebook – 01/14/2013

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, January 14, 2013 | 10:30 AM

Welcome to another edition of “PIHL Notebook,” your weekly companion to “The PIHL Power Play” on the MSA Sports Network. We have your weekly thermometer of streaking teams in “Melting the Ice.” Plus, the “Scoreboard Watch” includes several match-ups between currently playoff-bound teams. Finally, our MSA broadcast preview shines the spotlight on a key contest in Section 1-AAA. So, let’s light the lamp on this edition of “PIHL Notebook.”

MELTING THE ICE:

Class AAA: North Allegheny (5-0-0), Peters Township (4-0-0), Pittsburgh Central Catholic (4-0-1), Seneca Valley (3-0-0)

Class AA: Chartiers Valley (5-0-1), Erie Cathedral Prep (4-0-0), Latrobe (4-0-0), Gateway (3-0-0)

Class A: Quaker Valley (12-0-0), Mars (8-0-1), Thomas Jefferson (3-0-0)

Open Class: Blackhawk (13-0-0), Ford City (7-0-0), Altoona (5-0-0), Wheeling Park (4-0-0), Hollidaysburg (3-0-1)

SCOREBOARD WATCH:

1/7/13 – Class AA – Non-Section – Kiski Area 4, Plum 2 … The Cavaliers (4-9-0) blew a pair of two-goal leads, but managed to hang on and defeat the Mustangs (4-6-1). Alexander Welsh factored in Kiski Area’s first three goals, scoring two of them with one coming on the power play and setting up another. Meanwhile, his brother Shawn netted an insurance marker at 16:58 of period three, and Ben Crawford stopped 34 shots. For Plum, Joe Randazzo scored both goals, including one with the man advantage, and Taylor Cestra made 32 saves.

1/8/13 – Class AAA – Non-Section – Seneca Valley 5, State College 4 … The Little Lions (5-6-0) led 2-1 after one period, but the Raiders (9-2-1) scored the next four goals and held off the rally from there to secure the win. Luke Reed and Chris Marziotto each scored a pair of goals for Seneca Valley while Brendan MacFarlane set up two and got the shorthanded winner. For State College, Dalton Brown picked up one goal and one assist while Andrew Skipper had two helpers. Credit Tanner Pfeffer with 34 saves in the winning effort.

1/9/13 – Class A – Non-Section – Mars 4, Freeport 1 … The Planets (10-2-1) controlled this one from the word go, scoring the first three goals en route to victory over the Yellowjackets (9-2-1). Craig Mazzotta led the Mars attack with two goals, one on the power play, and two assists. Maxwell Master also managed a power play tally and one assist while Christian Knapp turned aside 21 shots. On the Freeport side, Hunter Kepple had the lone goal while Matt Huston was the busier goaltender with 28 saves.

1/10/13 – Class AA – Non-Section – Chartiers Valley 5, Pine-Richland 4 … The Colts (8-2-1) let the Rams (8-3-0) come back from a 3-1 deficit after one period to eventually tie the score at 4-4 just 1:13 into the third, but Cullen McMahon prevented overtime at 14:09. McMahon also set up a pair of goals for Chartiers Valley, Anthony Franks paced the offense with four points (1 G, 3 A), Rich Monti scored twice, Kevin Kocak matched McMahon’s output (1 G, 2 A) and Noah Stevenson made 24 saves. For Pine-Richland, Zach Richey wound up with three points (2 G, 1 SH, 1 A) and Dillon Kessy finished with two (1 SHG, 1 A).

1/11/13 – Class AA – Non-Section – Erie Cathedral Prep 10, North Hills 2 … The Indians (6-5-0) led 1-0 after 17 minutes of action, but the Ramblers (7-2-0) scored the next nine goals, including six in the second, to pick up an impressive victory. Erie Cathedral Prep got multiple points from seven players, led by five from Trevor Faulkner (3 G, 1 PP, 2 A) and four out of Jimmy Bufalino (3 G, 1 PP, 1 A) while Jacob Ordos scored twice, including the winner on the power play. North Hills got both of its goals on special teams, one on the power play and one shorthanded, with Tyler Heisel picking up two points (1 PPG, 1 A). Between the pipes, Grant Kennedy stopped 26 shots in the winning effort.

UPCOMING MSA BROADCASTS:

1/17/13 – Class AAA – Section 1 – Upper St. Clair (7-5-1) @ Canon-McMillan (7-4-2) … These two skated to a 4-4 tie back on December 6, so expect another close one here. Both teams come in with 2-3-0 marks in their last five contests, with the Big Macs on a three-game losing streak and the Panthers coming off a win. Austin Cassidy leads Upper St. Clair in most offensive categories (17 G, 6 PP, 15 A) while Michael Ambrose (6-5-1, 3.29 GAA, 0.880 SV %, 2 SO) has seen most of the minutes in net. Canon-McMillan still leads the class with 78 goals, 17 of them coming from Carmen Dalesandro, also the team leader with 30 points. Ryan Christian (6-4-2, 2.82 GAA, 0.875 SV %, 1 SO) has been the top goaltender for the Macs. The puck drops at 9:10 PM with Bob Orkwis and Alex Richert on the call.

That wraps up this edition of “PIHL Notebook,” but check back every Monday through March for more news from around the league. In the meantime, Adam Hoerner and Josh Rowntree host another episode of “The PIHL Power Play” on Wednesday night at 8:00. Joining us this week will be Wheeling Park forward Nicco Catalano, Canon-McMillan “B-team” head coach Nick Godfrey and North Allegheny head coach Jim Black. Your home for the 2013 Penguins Cup Playoffs is the MSA Sports Network!