Top-seeded Burrell hockey returns from layoff with eye on 1st PIHL title

By: Jerin Steele
Sunday, March 3, 2019 | 11:23 PM

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When Burrell takes the ice Monday for its PIHL Division II first-round playoff game against Trinity it will be 27 days since the Bucs saw their bid for an undefeated season come to an end with a 6-2 loss to Connellsville in the regular-season finale.

The loss was a disappointment for the Bucs and they have had time to mull it over, but the bright side of the situation was described succinctly by senior center Dylan Zelonka.

“It was better to lose in the regular season than to lose in the playoffs,” he said.

Bringing home the Bucs’ first PIHL championship has been priority No. 1 since the season started, and with a major core of the team leaving after this year, they will have one last opportunity to reach that goal.

The top-seeded Bucs (19-1) host the No. 8 Hillers (5-13-2) at 9 p.m. Monday at Pittsburgh Ice Arena in New Kensington.

Zelonka, defensemen Bryce Schueler and Nathan Smith and goaltender Drew Burkett are among the seniors on the team, and junior 50-goal scorer Tyler Stewart is likely going the junior hockey route next season. He has signed a tender with the Johnstown Tomahawks of the NAHL.

They have played together at Burrell since the program restarted in 2016-17, and this is the moment they have been building toward.

“This is their time to shine,” Burrell coach Max Rickard said. “We have to take it game by game. I’ve stressed that and they know that. Hopefully, we can keep the wheels turning and go as far as we can.”

Burrell made the finals last season, where it saw Moon pull away in the third period for a 7-4 win, and two years ago lost to eventual champion Meadville in the playoffs.

The Bucs have plenty of postseason experience in reserve and they’re hopeful they can use it to their advantage.

“It’s nice to have that experience of what it’s like to be in a playoff atmosphere,” Zelonka said. “Anything can happen in the playoffs, so you have to go out there and give it your all. It is one loss and you’re out, so every game is like a championship game. We just have to play our game and not overlook anyone.”

Due to a quirk in the schedule in which the Bucs played four games in two weeks, they finished their season nearly two weeks before almost every other team in Division II.

That has given them some time to digest the loss to Connellsville. The Bucs fell behind early and couldn’t solve Falcons goalie Sebastian Skarzenski, who made 37 saves.

“We obviously wanted to go 20-0, because not many teams in general can say they went undefeated,” Rickard said. “At the same time, we wanted to play smart and get out of there without any injuries or suspensions and we were able to do that. We took the loss and went 19-1, which is still a good achievement.”

A potential rematch with Connellsville looms in the semifinals, but for now Burrell is focused on Trinity.

The Bucs swept the season series with the Hillers, winning 12-3 on Oct. 16 and 9-1 on Jan. 14.

Like he did against most opponents this year, Stewart torched the Hilllers in the two meetings, scoring five goals and three assists between the two games. Stewart has a PIHL-best 76 points.

Since Stewart’s Esmark Stars teammate Gio Palombo joined the Bucs seven games into the season, they have been paired on the same line and have been electric together. Palombo has 27 goals and 50 points in 13 games. Zelonka has 60 points.

Jack Hritsko has a team-best 18 goals and 27 points for Trinity. Garrett Gellner has eight goals and 24 points.

Rickard is hopeful his team can get its skating legs early after the long layoff and get off to a good start on home ice.

“We’re going to have to handle them just like we would if we were playing Ringgold or Connellsville,” Rickard said. “Their two top guys, Jack Hritsko and Garrett Gellner, are good players. There seems to be a trend in Division II hockey where teams have a top line or two that puts all the pucks in the net and then have third and fourth lines that are grinder or utility lines. We’re going to have to be careful when their top guys are out there.”

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