Announcement
2014 Penguins Cup Preview AAA Final 4 should happen
Bethel Park (17 3 0) AAA
o Bethel Park has been Western Pa’s top AAA Team with Peters Twp all season and the Hawks will need goaltending to get to the Penguins Cup as they have survived many close games. Forward Christian Siak gets special attention from the opposition and still puts up impressive numbers as the Coach McVay’s Hawks know it takes 26 players to be a part of the process for the State Championship, which is the goal of the program and # 6 looms if other Hawks pick up the scoring
Peters Twp (16 4 0) AAA
o The Indians were a bounce one way or the other away from the Penguins Cup a year ago, which is a lot closer than the previous two years for coach Tingle’s PT squad. Peters has the numbers and the goaltending of Brian Baker to win it and championships are won by a combination of your numbers at the AAA level and those unheralded younger players who sometimes go under the radar and what I like is the balance of this lineup and the way PT plays the game and will maybe need an unlikely aforementioned to be the hero FINAL 4 is Possible
North Allegheny (12 7 1) AAA
o This may be one of Jim Black’s best coaching years ever after the Tigers won the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Championship in 2013. Developing players and trust me this is a young team he has and maybe that late season loss to Fox Chapel was just the wake-up call that NA needed to get back to work on defending their title because you must score big goals to do it as they found out a year ago and if they do it will be Marty Hubert and with Bradford Thornburgh between the pipes, it is a good bet that the Tigers will get another shot at either Bethel or Peters in the Semis.
Pine Richland (11 8 1) AAA
o Bags has numbers and his program rightfully made the jump to Class AAA with over 80 kids in Development for the Rams. Maturity says Pine Richland is a year away and a combination of youth and experience with Kyle Cunningham, Nick Matelin, Ryan Cole, and Matthew Cole this may be a team that leaps from the pack and claims a final 4 spot, which gives them a great chance to compete for a Penguins Cup.
Butler (13 7 0) AAA
o Mike Guentner has had an interesting season as the Golden Toronadoes have been through highs and lows. If you watch this club closely, you’ll see some pretty patient players on offense and great ability to have team scoring across the board with Troy Double, Connor Scott, Nick Whann and Tanner Chuba leading the pack. My only question is can Butler make a commitment to team defense and get great goaltending from Logan Rothbauer to carry their efforts through a very deep Penguins Cup field…this is a dangerous team in an elimination game…can’t wait to watch.
Seneca Valley (11-9-0) AAA
o Anthony Raco learned a lesson in October and another in December and maybe the biggest one in early February as Seneca Valley has navigated its way through a very interesting season. When you watch the younger players on the Raiders you can see it coming and my question is that group going to bound with the older players in front of goaltender Tanner Pfeffer. Chris Marziotto, Brendan McFarlane and Peter Kipin when combined a young group led by Alexander Crilley could give SV two lethal scoring units and this is another very solid team that could have a coming out party sooner than expected if the stars align. FINAL 4 is a Stretch
Canon McMillan (11-8-1) AAA
o Terry Virtue inherited a program at Canon Mac that has numbers, has front end talent and has competed well in the Penguins Cup very well over the past few years. A late season shredding of Seneca Valley showed the Big Macs can score with JD Oddi, Austin Tonkovich and Zach Mannsmann leading the way and my question is does this team have the necessary discipline to get it done against the big boys
Central Catholic (12-7-1) AAA
o The Vikings have not been a part of the Penguins Cup process for several years and Billy Connelly and his coaching staff have some decisions to make when the playoff bell rings. Baptism by fire sometimes produces great results and CC has some excellent young talent to insert into a solid lineup and a very good goaltender in Brian Burger. If they find the right combinations in the season’s final week against PR, NA and Butler, this could be the beginning of a title search for Central over the next few years and my question is why not
Penn Trafford (12-8-0) AAA
o With all due respect, Penn Trafford has not won much in their history and does not have a great track record in the Penguins Cup playoffs outside of a couple of glimpses over it history. Parents do not win championships and it’s the players and coaches who make the right decisions, when the chips are down who will bring their programs closer to being a part of the process. Brian Lehneke has one of the best goaltenders in Western Pa in junior Eric Phelps and the line of Jonah Graffius, Jacob Miller and Jordan Eisenstat can score and what the program has developed is numbers and they need to use three lines against the very good Penguins Cup AAA field to be able to compete for a shot at glory and when they figure that out maybe their teams will start producing results.
