Bethel Park hockey battling hard at end of regular season

By: Ray Fisher
Saturday, February 24, 2024 | 11:01 AM

The Bethel Park hockey team found itself in a battle for a PIHL Class 3A playoff spot coming down the stretch in the regular season.

The senior-laden Black Hawks were tied with Central Catholic in seventh place with a 9-7-0-1 record and 19 points, trailing Seneca Valley (30 points), Pine-Richland (27), Peters Township (26), North Allegheny (24), Upper St. Clair (23) and Mt. Lebanon (21) with three games to play.

“The team has been working hard and buying in,” said Michael Schall, Bethel Park’s coach. “The division is extremely tight this year.”

Schall said having 13 seniors on the roster is a team strength. The Black Hawks are led offensively by senior forwards Ethan Cooley, Will Alborg, Anthony Karner and Doug Hartman.

With regular-season games remaining against North Allegheny, Pine-Richland and Mt. Lebanon, Cooley had accounted for four goals and 21 points. Alborg was next in line with seven goals and 16 points.

“We have a tough schedule coming up, but that’s what we want,” Alborg said. “It will get us playoff ready (with) what to expect going forward. I have a lot of trust in the team as we are very connected and have lots of trust in each other to make a great push for the playoffs.”

Karner led the team in goals with 10 to go along with five assists while Hartman chipped in nine goals and three assists.

The foursome is joined by nine classmates, including forwards Ryan Tierney, Ky Bedner, Ryland Jones, Noah Pichora and Tyler Kellgren, defensemen Mason Devett-Raeder, Zach Mazzacone and Jude Kozak and goalkeeper Reilly Gusky,

“They have all been great leaders for us this season,” Schall said. “Each of them provides something different to help the team.

Sophomore goaltender Kevin Teamann had an 8-8 record with a 2.93 goals-against average and .879 save percentage.

After winning nine of its first 14 games, Bethel Park went into the home stretch of its schedule on a three-game losing streak.

Along with the group of seniors on this year’s 27-player roster, the Black Hawks have four juniors and seven sophomores, along with three freshmen.

“I’m proud of the group and how they are working together,” Schall said. “We are hoping for an opportunity in the postseason and see what happens.”

Tags: Bethel Park