PIHL notebook: Teams streaking toward Penguins Cup playoffs

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, February 25, 2018 | 6:12 PM

Only a handful of regular-season games remain. But before the PIHL Penguins Cup tournaments begin in March, here is a look at which teams enter the postseason with the most momentum, as well as a preview of the two remaining games that have playoff implications.

Longest winning streaks

Class AAA: Butler (five games). The Golden Tornado hasn't lost since early January.

Last Tuesday, Butler defeated Canon-McMillan, 4-1, securing fifth place in the classification. Butler will face fourth-seeded North Allegheny in the first round in the playoffs.

Class AA: Armstrong (three games). The River Hawks have been the top team in Class AA for almost the entire season, so it's fitting Armstrong finishes the regular season as the hottest team.

The River Hawks defeated Pine-Richland and Hampton, then closed the regular season with a 15-1 rout of North Hills on Thursday. Armstrong's 32 points easily outpace the rest of Class AA. The River Hawks open the playoffs against the winner of a play-in game.

Class A: Bishop McCort (20 games). The Crimson Crushers completed an undefeated regular season last Tuesday by routing Freeport, 13-0. The team also finished the season with the most goals scored and the fewest goals against.

As the top seed, the Crimson Crushers will await the winner of a play-in game between Sewickley Academy and Fox Chapel.

Division 2: Moon (six games). Moon lost once all regular season: 4-2 to Ringgold just before Christmas. The Tigers rebounded in 2018, however, winning all six of their games after the holiday break.

Moon is the top seed in the postseason and will face No. 8 Central Valley in the first round.

Playoff implications

Shaler Area vs. Penn-Trafford: The fifth and final spot from the Class AA South/East Division will be determined via a qualifier game. The Titans and Warriors finished tied with 20 points and will meet at 6:45 p.m. Monday at UPMC Lemieux Complex in Cranberry. The Warriors won both regular-season contests, defeating the Titans, 6-3, in their season opener and 7-6 in the first game after the holiday break. The winner enters the playoffs and will play Quaker Valley in the play-in round.

Meadville vs. Beaver: The Bulldogs are assured of a good seed in the Class A playoffs, but a victory would put them in a better position. Meadville hosts the last-place Bobcats at 7:35 p.m. Monday. Meadville, which is tied for third with West Allegheny with 32 points, would move into a tie for second with a win. The Bulldogs hold the tiebreaker over current No. 2 Thomas Jefferson, however, and would leapfrog the Jaguars into the second seed. As the second seed, the Bulldogs will face the winner of the No. 7 vs. No. 10 play-in game. They would face the No. 6 or No. 11 seed if they remain the third seed.

Sean Meyers is a freelance writer.

Tags: Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Moon, Penn-Trafford, Shaler