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TIGERS DROP 5-4 DECISION TO SHALER IN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

The Tigers were edged, 5-4, in the championship game of the best of three final series for the PIRHL title on Sunday night at the RMU-Island Sports Center.  NA had won game two, 9-6, to even the series at 1-1.

The Tigers ended the season with a final record of 16-7 and a section title.

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TIGERS RALLY TO TIE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES AT 1-1

After losing the opening game of the PIRHL championship series, 6-4, on Saturday afternoon, the Tigers rallied from a three-goal deficit on Sunday to defeat Shaler, 9-6, to tie the series at 1-1.  Steve Leibhart and Dylan Rohar both posted three-goal hat tricks at Bladerunners in Harmarville for the winning Tigers.  Shaler had taken a 5-2 lead after one period before the Tigers rallied for the victory.

Shaler jumped off to an early 2-0 lead before Dan Leibhart scored on a Tim Murphy assist to cut the margin to 2-1.  Shaler extended the margin to 3-1 on a power play goal before Dan Leibhart answered again on a Murphy assist to make it a 3-2 game.  The Titans scored two more goals, one shorthanded, before the period ended to take a 5-2 advantage going into the second period.

Early in the second period, Steve Leibhart netted his first goal on an assist from Rohar to cut the lead to 5-3.  Steve Leibhart scored again to make it a one goal game.  Shaler came back to extend the margin to 6-4 after two periods of play.

The Tigers exploded in the final period to score five goals and secured the victory.  Rohar's second goal with Niko Kovacevic assisting narrowed the margin to 6-5, and Cody Burdwood sent a slapshot home with 10:30 remaining to tie the game at 6-6.  Kovacevic scored an apparent go ahead goal, but the officials waved it off stating that the whistle had blown to stop play.  The Tigers were not to be denied, however, as Rohar scored shortly after the ensuing faceoff to put NA on top, 7-6.  NA then had to kill off a full two-minute two-man disadvantage with Rohar and Burdwood and goalie Brian Schick combining to shut down Shaler.  During the penalty killing, the Tigers added a pair of empty net goals to secure the victory with Rohar and  Steve Leibhart scoring their third goals of the game.

With the win, NA evened the final series at a game each.  The final and championship game will be played at the RMU-Island Sports Center on Sunday night with game time scheduled for 7:30 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 9  SHALER - 6

INDIVIDUAL SCORING (NA only)

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SHALER - 6  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4

In the first game of the championship series, Shaler built a 4-1 lead after one period and held off the Tigers to take a 6-4 victory.  Dylan Rohar scored a goal and added two assists while Steve Leibhart, Niko Kovacevic, and Cody Burdwood also scored for NA.

In the first period, Steve Leibhart scored on an assist from Brian Carothers to give NA a 1-0 lead.  It would be the only Tiger lead of the game as Shaler came back to score the next four goals and take a 4-1 lead after one period.  Kovacevic cut the lead to 4-2 with a goal on a Rohar assist in the second period, but the Titans still held a 4-2 lead going into the final period.

In the third period, Shaler scored first to open a 5-2 advantage before the Tigers rallied.  Rohar scored an unassisted goal to cut the margin to 5-3, and Burdwood hit the net on a Rohar assist as NA crept to within one at 5-4.  A late Shaler goal pushed the lead back to two as the Titans went on to the 6-4 victory.

The win gave Shaler a 1-0 lead in the best of three series with game two scheduled for Sunday at 5:00 pm at Bladerunners in Harmarville.

GAME SUMMARY
SHALER - 6  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4

INDIVIDUAL SCORING (NA only)

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TIGERS DUMP BALDWIN, 10-2, TO WIN SEMIFINAL SERIES

The Tigers overwhelmed defending champion Baldwin, 10-2, on Sunday night at Bladerunners in Harmarville in the third and final game of the best-of-three semifinal series.  Junior Dylan Rohar led the way with three goals and four assists with Brian Carothers adding two goals and three assists for the winning Tigers.

After Baldwin opened a 1-0 lead just 1:33 into the contest, the Tigers came back to score the next four goals in the following ten minutes to take command of the contest.  Carothers tied the game on Rohar's assist with Rohar giving NA the lead for good at 2-1 on an assist from Dan Leibhart.  Rohar scored an unassisted goal to increase the lead to 3-1 before Steve Leibhart scored with Tim Murphy picking up the helper.  The Tigers took a 4-1 advantage into the second period.

NA scored the first three goals of the second period to increase the margin to 7-1.  Cody Burdwood, Brian Carothers and Rohar all found the net as the Tiger lead went to 7-1.  Baldwin finished the second period scoring with a power play goal, but NA lead, 7-2, after two periods.  In the third period, Rohar scored his fourth goal of the game shorthanded on an assist from Niko Kovacevic to make it an 8-2 game.  After Tony Lomupo scored, Murphy ended the game with the mercy rule being invoked with the Tigers holding an eight-goal lead.

All eight skaters figured in the scoring for the winning Tigers as NA captured the series, 2-1.  With the win, the Tigers advance to the championship final series against Shaler.  The first game in the best-of-three final series will be held on Saturday afternoon at Bladerunners in Harmarville.  Game time is scheduled for 2:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 10  BALDWIN - 2

INDIVIDUAL SCORING (NA only)

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BALDWIN - 5  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4

Baldwin took an early lead and made it stand up as the Highlanders defeated the Tigers, 5-4, in game two of the best-of-three semifinal series.  Brian Carothers had a pair of goals  and Dylan Rohar two assists to pace NA.

Baldwin scored two early goals to take a 2-0 lead in the first period.  The Tigers rallied, however, to tie the game.  Rohar cut the lead in half on an assist from Cody Burdwood, and Dan Leibhart scored a power play goal to tie the game.  The teams went to the first intermission tied at 2-2.

In the second period, Baldwin scored twice to take a 4-2 lead.  Carothers scored a power play goal on an assist from Rohar to cut the margin to 4-3 after two periods.  Early in the third period, Baldwin scored a fluke shorthanded goal off an NA clearing attempt to make it a 5-3 game.  The Tigers cut the lead to one again on a power play with Carothers picking up his second goal of the game on an assist from Steve Leibhart.  NA applied late pressure but were unable to tie the game.

With the win, Baldwin sent the series to a final and deciding third game.  In the game, NA killed two of three penalties, and scored on three of six power plays.  It was not enough as the series was tied at 1-1.

GAME SUMMARY
BALDWIN - 5  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4

INDIVIDUAL SCORING (NA only)

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TIGERS TOP BALDWIN, 5-1, IN FIRST
GAME OF SEMIFINAL SERIES

Brian Carothers and Steve Leibhart scored two goals each to lead the Tigers to a 5-1 victory over Baldwin in the first game of the best-of-three semifinal series at Bladerunners in Harmarville on Sunday night.  Dylan Rohar had a goal and two assists for the winning Tigers.

Carothers got the Tigers off and running with an unassisted goal early in the first period as NA took a 1-0 lead.  Steve Leibhart made it a 2-0 game on an assist from Rohar.  The Tigers took the 2-0 advantage into the second period.

The Tigers added three more goals in the second stanza.  Carothers got his second of the game off a Rohar assist to increase the lead to 3-0.  Steve Leibhart was able to score a power play goal from a scrum in front of the net as the Tigers took a commanding 4-0 advantage.  Rohar's unassisted tally gave the Tigers a 5-0 lead after two periods.

Baldwin was able to score a late shorthanded goal, but the Tigers went on to the 5-1 victory.  Brian Schick stopped 23 of 24 shots to earn the victory in net for the Tigers.

With the win, the Tigers take a 1-0 lead in the semifinal series.  Game two will be played on Saturday night at Bladerunners in Harmarville with game time set for 6:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 5  BALDWIN - 1

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

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TIGERS KNOCK OFF BETHEL PARK, 6-4, IN
FIRST ROUND OF PIRHL PLAYOFFS

The Tigers defeated Bethel Park, 6-4, in the first round of the PIRHL playoffs on Saturday night at Bladerunners in Harmarville.  Junior Dylan Rohar led NA with a three-goal hat trick with Steve Leibhart, Dan Leibhart, and Niko Kovacevic all scoring for the winning Tigers.

The Tigers got off to a slow start as Bethel Park scored the first two goals of the game, one on a power play.  Rohar got NA on the board with an assist from Dan Leibhart, but the Tigers still trailed, 2-1, after one period.  In the second period, Steve Leibhart tied the game at 2-2 on a power play goal with Brian Carothers and Rohar assisting.  Rohar scored his second goal of the game on a breakaway to give NA its first lead of the game at 3-2.  Dan Leibhart scored later in  the period as the Tigers extended the margin to 4-2.  The Blackhawks came back to score before the period ended as NA took a 4-3 lead into the second intermission.

Early in the third period, Bethel Park scored another power play goal to tie the game at 4-4.  Kovacevic got the game winner on an assist from Cody Burdwood as NA took a 5-4 lead.  Rohar added an unassisted insurance goal as the Tigers went on to the 6-4 victory.  Brian Schick was in goal for the win stopping 20 of 24 shots.

With the win, the Tigers advanced to the semifinals of the tournament.  The Tigers will meet Baldwin on Sunday night at Bladerunners in Harmarville in the first game of a best  of three series with game time scheduled for 6:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6  BETHEL PARK - 4

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

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Any questions or comments should be directed to Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto at:  bbozzuto@northallegheny.org