After struggling at end of regular season, Franklin Regional advances in Penguins Cup playoffs

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, March 9, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

It didn’t matter that the Latrobe hockey team had beaten Franklin Regional in both regular-season meetings this season.

That’s because the PIHL Penguins Cup playoffs are a different animal, and the Panthers have experience in the high-stakes environment. They know how to win these type of battles.

Shawn Sinclair scored two goals, including the game-winner with 9 minutes, 52 seconds left, and the No. 6 Panthers defeated No. 3 Latrobe, 4-3, in the opening round of the playoffs March 4, at Kirk S. Nevin Arena.

The win put the Panthers in the semifinals March 12 at Robert Morris University’s Island Sports Center. A win there will put the Panthers back in the finals against the winner of the Penn-Trafford/Norwin game March 19 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.

“We didn’t end the season like we planned,” Franklin Regional coach John Winebrenner said. “But we’ve been preparing for this time of the season and everyone played well and did their jobs.

“We were working hard and the boys know you just have to just get into the playoffs and then anybody can win. ”

Things didn’t start well for the Panthers as Latrobe grabbed a 2-0 lead on Joey Crimboli’s goals in the first period.

“We came into these playoffs with three consecutive losses, and we didn’t want to do that,” Winebrenner said. “Everyone pulled together. It was awesome to watch. It was a team effort.”

Things changed in the second period. The Panthers were more aggressive with their fore-checking and tilted the ice in their favor.

Goals by Sinclair and Brendan Yohe tied the score. The Panthers continued their pressure and took the lead 3-2 late in the second when a diving Max Williams chipped the puck past goaltender Brock Pflugh on a rebound.

“We changed our attack in the second period and started to fore-check them more,” Winebrenner said. “We got that first goal and everything started to go and we started to get some bounces and the officials let them play and decide the game.”

After Latrobe tied the score on a Vinny Amatucci power play goal, the relentless Panthers continued to put the pressure on the Wildcats.

Then came the break the Panthers needed. Sinclair, Max Rutkowski and Jackson Falkner came down on a 3-on-2. After a scramble in front of Pflugh, the puck found its way onto Sinclair’s stick, and he chipped it into the goal.

“I think we were a little nervous in the first period,” Sinclair said. “We weren’t playing with speed. But the coaches got on us between periods and told us what we needed to do. We started moving and our defense was getting it up to the forwards. We flipped the switch.

“We came out more aggressive. They couldn’t handle our pressure. We all played well. On the winning goal, our hard work paid off. We came down with speed and they couldn’t handle it.”

It won’t get an easier for the Panthers. Thomas Jefferson is seeded No. 2.

But the win against Latrobe gave the Panthers confidence that they can beat anyone, at least Winebrenner hopes so.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional