Welcome to the
NORTH ALLEGHENY SPORTS NETWORK

The Official Source of North Allegheny Sports

 

Roster

Schedule

Standings & Rankings

Photo Gallery

Game Summaries

GAME SUMMARIES

TIGERS BLANK PETERS TOWNSHIP FOR PENGUINS CUP TITLE

Penguins Cup Photo Gallery

(3/21/13) North Allegheny won its first Penguins Cup Championship since 2007 with an exciting 2-0 triumph over the Peters Township Indians on Wednesday night at the Consol Energy Center.  Senior Joe Griffin paced the Tigers with two third period goals and North Allegheny used a rock solid team defense to shut out the top scoring team in Class AAA. For North Allegheny, the win marked their second ever Penguins Cup Championship while Peters Township suffered their third straight defeat in the title game. The loss also snapped a 15-game winning streak for the Indians.

In the first two periods, neither team was willing to allow many open looks, let alone shots on net. Repeatedly, the Tigers and Indians defenders blocked numerous shots before they could reach their respective goalkeeper. When the pucks did manage to find the net, NA’s Bradford Thornburgh and PT’s Brian Baker smothered any potential scoring threats. Thornburgh earned the win with his fourth shutout of the season, making 20 saves. Baker was sharp as well and was matching Thornburgh until the Tigers got a fortunate bounce five minutes into the third period.

With Peters Township on the power play and in its own zone, Joe Griffin was pressuring Carter Ekberg when the Indians defenseman attempted to clear the puck from behind his net. The puck caromed off the back skate of Baker and into the Peters Township cage for the first goal of the game. Griffin was given credit for the goal and the Tigers led 1-0 with 11:50 remaining.

While the Tigers first goal may have been a stroke of luck, Griffin left no doubt on the his second tally of the game as Matt Fantaski placed a perfect feed at the right wing circle and NA’s leading goal scorer buried the wrist shot past Baker for a 2-0 advantage with 3:47 to play. North Allegheny’s defense continued to prevent the talented Indians, like forward Trevor Recktenwald, any open space in the middle and held off Peters Township in the waning minutes for the PIHL Class AAA crown.

North Allegheny will now vie for a state title as they’ll take on LaSalle College High School on Saturday at 4:30 pm at the Iceworks in Aston for the Pennsylvania Cup championship.  

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2   PETERS TOWNSHIP - 0

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TAKE ON PETERS TOWNSHIP TONIGHT IN PENGUINS CUP FINALS

(3/20/13) Tonight’s PIHL Class AAA Penguins Cup Final is the classic battle of the irresistible force against the immovable object. The top-seeded Peters Township Indians led Class AAA in goals scored, averaging 5.9 goals per game in the regular season. The third-seeded North Allegheny Tigers allowed the fewest goals of any team in Class AAA, giving up a paltry 41 goals all year long. Clearly, something will have to give tonight when the Tigers and Indians meet for the Penguins Cup Championship at the Consol Energy Center at 9:00 pm. 

The Tigers won the Section 2 crown with a record of 15-4-2 and battled their way to two playoff victories to reach the Penguins Cup Championship. Receiving a first round bye, North Allegheny outlasted Canon-McMillan for a 2-1 overtime victory in the quarterfinals and then edged the defending champion Bethel Park Black Hawks, 4-3, in the semifinals. Against Canon-McMillan, goalie Bradford Thornburgh denied J.D. Audi on a penalty shot, and 16 seconds later Cody Black delivered the game winning goal to lift NA to the overtime win. In their tussle with the Black Hawks, senior Joe Griffin scored two goals, including an important short-handed goal, to help advance the Tigers to the finals.

Currently sporting a 15 game winning streak, Peters Township’s trek to the finals saw the Indians capture the Section 1 title with a 17-4-0 record and advance past Central Catholic in the quarterfinals, 7-3, and State College in the semifinals, 3-0. Sophomore Brady Cochrane notched the first hat trick of his career in the victory over the Vikings, while senior goalie Brian Baker made 28 saves for the shutout against the Little Lions.

North Allegheny and Peters Township faced each other twice in the regular season during a home and home set in early December. The road team won each contest as the Indians earned a 6-4 win in Warrendale and the Tigers grabbed a 2-1 triumph at the Iceoplex in Southpointe. As made evident by the final scores of each earlier meeting, the Indians would prefer to play in a high scoring affair while the Tigers ideal scenario is a low-scoring, hard checking battle.

A key tonight for the Tigers is how they handle the speed skaters of Peters Township, starting with forward Trevor Recktenwald. The senior is equally powerful as he is fast, and was the second leading scorer in Class AAA with 28 goals and 67 points. Along with Rectenwald, forwards Adam Alavi and Alex DeBolt have scored 50-plus points this season and are always threats to put the puck in the back of the net.

For North Allegheny, they boast the top goaltender in the Class AAA in Bradford Thornburgh. Thornburgh owned a GAA of 1.98 in the regular season and is helped by a full-compliment of well-disciplined defensemen. Look for senior defenseman Harry Kramer and company to shadow Recktenwald as best as possible to limit scoring chances. While not possessing the lofty numbers of Peters Township, the Tigers do have plenty of skilled scorers, including Joe Griffin who led NA with 19 goals. Senior Cody Black was the leading point getter with 30 points. Forward Charlie Johnson has beaten opposing net minders to the tune of 15 goals and 29 points.

Tonight, North Allegheny is making their first trip to the Penguins Cup Finals since 2007 when the Tigers took the title with a 2-1 overtime win over Bethel Park, en route to a Pennsylvania Cup crown. Peters Township is making their third straight appearance in the Penguins Cup Finals. The Indians have left the title game disappointed the last two years with losses to Bethel Park and Bishop Canevin. Opening faceoff for tonight’s PIHL Class AAA Championship is slated for 9:00 pm from the Consol Energy Center. The game will be broadcast live as Randy Gore and Mark Uriah will have the call on the MSA Sports Network and WJPA Radio, 95.3 FM.  

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS ADVANCE TO PENGUINS CUP FINALS, BOUNCE BETHEL PARK, 4-3

(3/13/13) North Allegheny broke a 2-2 tie with two third period goals to lift the Tigers to a 4-3 win over Bethel Park and a trip to the Penguins Cup Finals. Joe Griffin scored at the 5:41 mark of the third period to give NA the lead and Cody Black followed with a tally less than four minutes later to increase the Tigers advantage to 4-2. However, the reigning champions would not go away easily as the Black Hawks scored with 1:01 remaining on a shot by Chris Siak, with the goalie pulled, to trim the score to 4-3. In the third period, NA goalie Bradford Thornburgh denied Bethel Park repeatedly and the Tigers held on for the one goal victory in the PIHL Semifinals. Thornburgh stopped 31 of the 34 shots he faced, many of which were of the spectacular variety.

In the opening period, Bethel Park seemed determined for a return trip to the Consol Energy Center as the Black Hawks dominated the early action and grabbed a 1-0 lead on a power play goal by Ryan Kusmira. The Tigers regrouped in the second period and evened the score at 1-1 when Charlie Johnson hit the back the net with a shot at the 4:56 mark. Taking advantage of another power play, Bethel Park regained the lead on Siak’s first goal of the game with 7:50 to go in the period to bring the score to 2-1, Black Hawks. Bethel Park was in position to add on with yet another man advantage, but Griffin struck for a short-handed goal and things were even again, 2-2.

From there, Griffin added his second goal of the game in the third period, followed by Black’s pivotal insurance goal, to help NA to the 4-3 victory. The Tigers advance to the Penguins Cup Finals for the first time since 2007. Six years ago, North Allegheny defeated Bethel Park for the Penguins Cup title with a thrilling 2-1 win in overtime at the Mellon Arena. The Tigers went on to win the Pennsylvania Cup as well with a 6-3 win over Holy Ghost Prep.  

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4   BETHEL PARK - 3

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS WIN PLAYOFF THRILLER OVER BIG MACS, 2-1,
IN OVERTIME

To listen to archived broadcast of NA's win, click here!

(3/6/13) In a game that featured two penalty shots and three 5-on-3 power plays, the North Allegheny Tigers outlasted the Canon-McMillan Big Macs for a 2-1 overtime win in the Class AAA PIHL Quarterfinals on Wednesday night. After Tigers goalie Bradford Thornburgh stopped J.D. Oddi on a penalty shot in overtime, senior Cody Black scored the game winner just moments later to send NA on to the semifinals.

NA’s Shawn Baird opened the scoring with a power play tally in the first period and Canon-McMillan’s Austin Tonkovich netted the game tying goal in the second period, bringing the score to 1-1. The game was a tenuous affair that saw scoring chances abound for both teams, especially in the third period, but neither squad was able to take advantage as the deadlock moved to overtime.

At the 2:33 mark of overtime, Canon-McMillan’s Zach Mansmann was called for a tripping penalty that gave the Tigers the first golden opportunity in the extra period. However, it was the Big Macs who owned the best scoring chances from the situation, namely a short-handed backhand shot from the crease by Tonkovich that clanged off the post. Just as the power play expired, an errant Tigers pass led to a Big Macs breakaway for Oddi who was hauled down from behind by North Allegheny. That set the stage for Thornburg’s clutch penalty shot save and Black’s game winning marker with 5:00 to go in overtime. For his game winning goal, Black was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game. Not to be outdone, Thornburgh stopped 37 of 38 shots for the Tigers while Canon-McMillan’s Ryan Christian was outstanding between the pipes as well, blocking 26 of 28 shots he faced.

With the win, the Tigers advance to the PIHL semifinals for the first time since 2007. North Allegheny will await their opponent based on Thursday night’s results. The PIHL semifinals will be held next week at the Island Sports Center on Neville Island.  

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2   CANON-McMILLAN - 1 (OT)

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

BETHEL PARK EDGES TIGERS IN OT, 5-4

(2/28/13) Bethel Park’s Brody Taylor scored the game winning goal four minutes into overtime to lift the Blackhawks to a 5-4 victory over North Allegheny on Thursday night. In a see-saw affair, the Tigers built a 4-3 advantage in the third period behind goals by Matt Fantaski and Harry Kramer. Senior Charlie Johnson scored a pair of goals on the night, a power play tally in the first period and a short-handed goal in second period.

With NA up by a goal with two minutes to play, Bethel Park’s Chris Siak scored his third goal of the night to knot up the game at 4-4 and force overtime. From there, the Blackhawks collected the game winner on Taylor’s marker in the extra period.

North Allegheny ends the regular season with a 15-4-2 record while Bethel Park improves their mark to 16-5-0. With a first round bye already obtained, the Tigers will await the first playoff opponent in the PIHL Quarterfinals next week.

SCORING SUMMARY
BETHEL PARK - 5   NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4 (OT)

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS MANHANDLE McDOWELL, 12-0

(2/27/13) With the PIHL playoffs just a week away, the North Allegheny Ice Hockey team skated to a 12-0 blowout win over the McDowell Trojans on Tuesday night. Senior Charlie Johnson notched a hat trick in a game that the Tigers dominated from start to finish.  Johnson, along with fellow senior Cody Black, collected four points in the victory. Black set up Johnson’s first tally midway through the opening period and ended the night with a goal and three assists. Matt Fantaski , Marty Hubert, and Michael Kramer all scored two goals apiece.

The offensive avalanche was more than enough support for goaltender Joe Hubert who stopped all 10 shots he faced. The freshman goalie picked up his third win of the season, all of which have been shutouts. North Allegheny outshot McDowell, 45-10.

Having already locked up a Section 2 crown, the Tigers improve to 15-3-2 on the season and hope to conclude the regular season on a high note with a visit to Bethel Park on Thursday night. Faceoff is scheduled for 8:20 pm. Meanwhile, McDowell ends their season winless with a mark of 0-21-0.  

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 12   McDOWELL - 0

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS OUTLAST SENECA VALLEY, 4-3

(2/12/13) The North Allegheny Ice Hockey Team crept closer to another Section 2 title with a 4-3 triumph over the Seneca Valley Raiders on Tuesday night. With the victory, the Tigers hold a five point lead over the Raiders in the section standings leaving NA another win, or another Seneca Valley loss, away from the section crown.

Both teams picked and jabbed at each other in the opening minutes of the game before the Tigers' repeated trips into the Raiders zone paid off for the game’s first goal. Following a face-off win to the right of Raiders goalie Tanner Pfeffer, senior Matt Fantaski scored with 4:22 to go in the first period to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Seneca Valley evened the score at 1-1 early in the second period when Luke Reed deflected a Brendan MacFarlane slap shot past NA’s Bradford Thornburgh.

With the Tigers serving a tripping penalty, junior defenseman Harry Krammer struck for a short-handed goal at the 3:06 mark of the second period to give NA a 2-1 lead. Later in the period and North Allegheny owning a 5-on-3 power play, Connor Cash angled in front of the SV net with a back-hand shot that Pfeffer stopped but couldn’t control. The loose puck caromed to Kramer standing clear in the slot who beat Pfeffer for a 3-1 Tigers advantage with 2:33 remaining in the second. Luke Reed committed a costly checking from behind penalty with 24 seconds to go in the period to allow the Tigers another man-advantage. It took North Allegheny only 17 seconds to capitalize as Cody Black blasted a slap shot past Pfeffer for a 4-1 lead.

In the third period, three consecutive penalties by North Allegheny gave the Raiders a lengthy power play that was eventually capped on a Patrick Stough slapper from the right point to cut the score to 4-2, Tigers, with 9:36 to go in regulation. Only 29 seconds later, Christopher Marziotto fed a perfect backhand pass in front of the NA crease to Andrew Gagnon for a quick Raiders goal and the Tigers lead was trimmed to 4-3.

North Allegheny’s defense rallied in the final nine minutes of the game and held off Seneca Valley’s desperation attempts to tie the contest. Thornburgh made two key saves on a Raiders power play with three minutes left in the game and Kramer remained a wall in the defensive zone to keep SV off the board as the Tigers claimed the 4-3 victory. With two goals and an assist, along with a strong showing on defense, Harry Kramer was selected as the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

The win improves the Tigers record to 14-3-2 while Seneca Valley falls to 12-5-1. North Allegheny will have the better part of two weeks off until returning to the ice at home on February 26 against McDowell. Faceoff is scheduled for 8:30 pm.

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4   SENECA VALLEY - 3

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

SHALER EDGES TIGERS, 2-1

(2/11/13) The Shaler Titans scored two first period goals and held off repeated attempts to tie the game by North Allegheny in the final two periods for a 2-1 victory on Monday night. The loss for the Tigers breaks an impressive nine-game unbeaten streak, dating back to December 11.

North Allegheny struck first in Monday’s non-section affair on a goal by Charlie Johnson just over two minutes into the game. However, Shaler scored twice late in the period on tallies by Matthew Bour and Luke Grossman to give the Titans a 2-1 advantage. Shaler managed to hold on to their lead thanks to the play in net by goalie Theodore Evans. The Tigers peppered Evans with 44 shots but the Shaler net minder allowed only the early goal by Johnson to earn fifth win of the season. NA goalie Bradford Thornburgh stopped 18 of 20 shots he faced.

North Allegheny falls to 13-3-2 with the loss while Shaler improves to 8-6-2. The Tigers won’t have long to think about the loss as they return the ice on Tuesday night for a huge section game against the Seneca Valley Raiders. The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. Faceoff is slated for 8:30 pm.

SCORING SUMMARY
SHALER - 2   NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

KRAMER'S LATE GOAL HELPS TIGERS TIE PANTHERS, 4-4

(2/5/13) Senior Harry Kramer scored with 13 second remaining to force overtime as North Allegheny played Upper St. Clair to a 4-4 tie on Tuesday night. The goal was Kramer’s first of the season and keeps the Tigers unbeaten in their last nine games. The draw was the second tie for the Tigers in as many games.

North Allegheny opened the scoring immediately as junior Will Rahenkamp scored just nine seconds into the contest to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. The Panthers tied the game early in the second period on a Dan Crockett goal and took a 2-1 lead when Logan Stork found the back of the net at the 9:02 mark of the period. A little over 30 seconds later, the Tigers evened up the score at 2-2 on a tally by Matt Fantaski.

The game remained deadlocked at 2-2 until the roller coaster ride of the final seven minutes of regulation brought about two lead changes. At the 10:47 mark, NA grabbed the lead on a Daniel Bosetedo goal for a 3-2 advantage. However, the Panthers Connor Ackerman tied the game less than three minutes later and Austin Cassidy soon followed with a goal to give USC a 4-3 lead with 2:26 to play. With time running down in regulation, Kramer scored with just 13 seconds remaining to knot the score at 4-4. In overtime, NA goalie Bradford Thornburgh and USC goalie Michael Ambrose permitted no more goals as the game concluded in a stalemate.  Thornburgh stopped 19 shots while Ambrose made 35 saves on the night.

North Allegheny’s record moves to 13-2-2 following the tie, while Upper St. Clair is now 9-5-2. The Tigers hit the ice again on Monday night with a visit to Shaler. Face off is slated for 7:30 pm.

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4   UPPER ST. CLAIR - 3 (OT)

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

NA SKATES TO A DRAW WITH CANON-McMILLAN, 3-3

(1/29/13) The North Allegheny Ice Hockey Team skated to a 3-3 stalemate with the Canon-McMillan Big Macs on Tuesday night. The overtime tie snapped a nine-game winning streak for NA, but did give the first place Tigers another point in the Section 2 standings.

Canon-McMillan opened the scoring in the contest when Blair Oldaker found the back of the net at the 12:25 mark of the first period for a, 1-0, Big Macs lead. Oldaker’s goal came on the power play, but the man-advantage proved to be the forte of the Tigers on this night.  All three NA goals occurred while on the power play, the first of which was a Shawn Baird tally at 14:24 of the first period to tie the score at 1-1.

In the second period, Colmain Slain gave the Big Macs the lead back with a marker at 9:08. Following an Austin Tonkovich interference penalty, the Tigers evened the game with a Daniel Bostedo power play goal at 13:45 of the second to bring the score to 2-2.

Late in the third period, it appeared North Allegheny might close in on a victory thanks to a Joe Griffin power play goal with a little over four minutes to play in the game. However, Lucas Lavella tied the game for the Big Macs a minute later to send the game into overtime. From there, NA goalie Joe Hubert and CM net minder Ryan Christian would not allow another goal. Hubert stopped 25 shots while Christian made 44 saves in the game.

The top-ranked Tigers stay atop the Section 2 standings with the tie, sliding their record to 13-2-1. Canon-McMillan remains in third place in Section 1 with a 9-5-3 record. North Allegheny will face another fierce foe from Section 1 when the Tigers host the Upper St. Clair Panthers on Tuesday night.

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3   CANON-McMILLAN - 3 (OT)

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

NA WINS 6th STRAIGHT BEHIND SECOND PERIOD SURGE

(1/15/13) North Allegheny broke a 2-2 tie with three second period goals on their way to a 7-2 win over the Norwin Knights on Tuesday night.  Norwin opened the scoring in the first 18 seconds of the game when Daniel Merz scored to make it 1-0, Knights.  After Merz was called for a penalty midway through the first period, the Tigers took advantage of the power play with a Connor Cash goal to even the score at 1-1.  Merz struck again with less than two minutes left in the period to give the Knight the lead back.  However, the lead was short-lived as Marty Hubert scored for the Tigers just 19 seconds later to knot the score at 2-2 at the end of one period.

North Allegheny seized control of the game in the second period behind power play goals by Charlie Johnson and Cash, and an even strength goal by Shane Snyder to pull the Tigers ahead, 5-2.  In the third period, tempers flared between the two teams with numerous game misconducts being handed out to both teams.  With the Knights frustrated, North Allegheny buried Norwin with two more goals, one by Marty Hubert and another by Dominic Zangaro on the power play. Goalie Bradford Thornburgh stopped 24 of 26 shots for his 10^th victory of the season. 

The win improves the Tigers record to 12-2-0, the best in Class AAA.  Norwin, the top team in Section 3, falls to 8-6-0.  North Allegheny will look for their seventh win in-a-row with a visit to Erie McDowell next Thursday night.  Game time is slated for 8:30 pm.    

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 7   NORWIN - 2

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TROUNCE WARRIORS, 12-0

(1/7/13) The North Allegheny Ice Hockey Team dominated Penn-Trafford from start to finish for a 12-0 win on Monday night.  Tigers senior Connor Cash netted a hat trick and two assists for a game high five points.  Cash scored the game's first goal to initiate the rout. 

The Tigers held a 6-0 lead after two periods and finished off the Warriors with six more goals in the third.  Senior Charlie Johnson collected four points, including three assists.  Dominic Zangaro, Cody Black and Harry Kramer all finished with three point nights.

The Tigers improve their record to 10-2-0 on the season.  Penn-Trafford remains winless with an 0-10-0 record.  North Allegheny is back in action Tuesday night against Butler Golden Tornado.  Face-off is slated for 9:00 pm at the Penguins Pond. 

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 12   PENN-TRAFFORD - 0

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

GRIFFIN'S PAIR HELPS NA EDGE STATE COLLEGE, 2-1

(1/3/13) Joe Griffin’s two goals lifted the North Allegheny Ice Hockey Team to their third win in-a-row as the Tigers edged the State College Little Lions, 2-1, on the road.  Jared Karas gave the Little Lions a 1-0 lead with his first period goal.  However, Griffin tied the game late in the second period and netted the game winning goal early in the third to give the Tigers a hard fought victory.  North Allegheny goalie Bradford Thornburgh stopped 18 of 19 shots to earn his seventh win of the season.  Thornburgh owns a goals against average of just 1.66 on the year.

North Allegheny maintains their lead in Section 2 with the win, climbing their record to 9-2-0.  State College stays in second place in Section 3, with their record falling to 4-5-0.  The Tigers visit Penn-Trafford on Monday night with the opening face-off slated for 6:30 pm. 

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2   STATE COLLEGE - 1

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TAKE TITLE AT PA HOCKEY SCHOLASTIC SHOWCASE

(1/3/12)  Over the Holiday Break, the North Allegheny Ice Hockey Team continued their stellar season by winning the PA Hockey Scholastic Showcase.  It was the second tournament championship for the Tigers this season as NA rolled through opponents from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland.  Amongst the Tigers victories, NA topped Chartiers Valley, 7-2, Serra Catholic, 10-1, and Hun School of Princeton, 5-0. 

In the tournament semifinals, North Allegheny edged Bethel Park in overtime, 4-3, thanks to a game winning goal from Charlie Johnson.  In the championship game, which was played on New Year’s Eve, the Tigers bounced DeMartha Catholic, Maryland, 6-4.  Harry Kramer, Cody Black and Joe Griffin were named to the Scholastic All-Star Team while Charlie Johnson received the "R.J. Umburger Award" as the Showcase MVP.

 The Tigers return to regular PIHL competition when NA visits State College tonight at 6:45 pm. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 

GRIFFIN NETS OVERTIME WINNER, TIGERS TAKE DOWN RAIDERS, 2-1

(12/18/12)  Joe Griffin's goal at 3:04 into overtime was the difference maker, giving North Allegheny a section win over Seneca Valley, 2-1.  The Tigers scored first in the contest, courtesy of Dominic Zangaro's second period goal, before Seneca tied the score midway through the third period.  The win boost North Allegheny to an 8-2 mark.  The Tigers have now won two straight after dropping a pair in a row earlier this month.  The hockey team will resume competition after Christmas, traveling to State College on January 3rd.

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2   SENECA VALLEY 1

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

LATE GOAL HELPS TIGERS OVERTAKE INDIANS, 2-1

(12/12/12)  Joe Griffin's goal at the 16:13 mark of the third period gave North Allegheny a 2-1 over Peters Township on Thursday night.  After trailing after one period, Charles Johnson scored the game-tying goal at 5:34 of the second period, set up by Cody Black and Marty Hubert.  Reliable goaltender Bradford Thornburgh stopped 26 of 27 pucks to pick up the win for the Tigers, who improved to 7-2 on the second.  The victory also helped North Allegheny avenge a loss to Peters Township earlier in the week.  The Tigers will be back in action on Tuesday at home against Seneca Valley.  Faceoff is scheduled for 6:30 pm.

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2   PETERS TOWNSHIP 1

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

INDIANS EDGE TIGERS, 6-4

(12/11/12)  The NA Ice Hockey Team dropped a 6-4 decision to the Peters Township Indians on Tuesday night at the BladeRunners Complex in Warrendale.  The Indians broke a 4-4 third period tie with goals by Alexander Debolt and Adam Alavi to claim the victory.  Trevor Recktenwald posted a four point night with two goals and two assists while Joe Griffin led the Tigers in scoring with a pair of goals, increasing his team best tally to 10 goals for the season.

The contest began with a wide-open first period that saw the teams combine for five goals.  After falling behind 1-0 within the first minute of the game, the Tigers quickly answered 33 seconds later on a tally by Matt Fantaski to even the score at 1-1.  North Allegheny grabbed the lead at the 5:15 mark of the period when Joe Griffin scored on an assist from Wyatt Glover to grab a 2-1 advantage. 

The Indians scored the game’s next three goals and held a 4-2 lead by early in the second period.  Charles Johnson netted a goal in the second period and Griffin tied the game with 6:35 to play in the third period to bring the Tigers all the way back, 4-4.  However, Debolt and Alvari answered with two unanswered goals within in the last five minutes to give Peters Township the win.

The Tigers fall to second place in Section 2 with 6-2 record.  Peters Township keeps pace in tough Section 1 with the win, owning a 4-3 record.  North Allegheny will try to bounce back on Thursday night with a visit to Southpointe for a rematch with Peters Township.  Face-off is slated for 9:10 pm from the Iceoplex.     

SCORING SUMMARY
PETERS TOWNSHIP - 6   NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

NA DROPS 5-2 DECISION TO CANON-McMILLAN

(12/5/12)  The North Allegheny Ice Hockey Team suffered its first loss of the season on Tuesday as the Canon-McMillan Big Macs claimed a 5-2 win over the Tigers at the Iceoplex in Southpointe.  Playing without their top three defensemen due to injury, the Tigers defense did well to keep the Big Macs from developing an offensive rhythm throughout much of the game.   Not until a third period flurry by Canon-McMillan did the Big Macs gain control of the contest.

With the game not even in two minutes old, North Allegheny scored the night’s first goal with a slap shot by Will Rahenkamp that caught CM goalie Ryan Christian by surprise to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.  Midway through the first period, with 7:52 on the clock, Carmen Dalesandro took advantage of a power play opportunity and tallied a goal to even the score, 1-1.  It was the first goal allowed by the Tigers in nearly a month.   

The game would remain tightly played in the second period until Dalesandro came free in the NA zone with 2:42 to go in the period, and fed a pass to Lucas Lavella who found the back of the net for a 2-1 CM lead.  North Allegheny came out of intermission determined to find the equalizer and indeed they did with 10:31 remaining in the contest.  Wyatt Glover dug the puck out the left corner of the attacking zone and found Marty Hubert for an open shot that just squeezed through Christian’s five-hole, tying the score, 2-2.  The Tigers momentum was short-lived however as CM’s Austin Tonkovich stole an NA pass, streaked up ice, made a fantastic move around a defenseman and positioned himself in front of the Tigers net for an open shot and goal to give the Big Macs the lead back, 3-2.  Delasandro scored again with 5:37 remaining and Tonkovich iced the game with an empty netter with 1:11 on the clock to lift the Big Macs to a 5-2 victory.

In the Tigers outstanding effort in disrupting the play of CM’s talented forwards, especially in the first two periods, North Allegheny played a sound defensive team game.  Participating in that bid was junior Will Rahenkamp.  For his effort on the backcheck, and also tallying the game’s first goal offensively for the Tigers, Rahenkamp was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

Despite the loss, the Tigers remain on top of Section 2 with a 6-1 record.  Canon-McMillan improves to 5-1-1 with the win and stays atop the standings in Section 1.  North Allegheny looks to rebound next Tuesday with a home contest against the Peters Township Indians.   The puck drops at 8:30 pm at the BladeRunners complex in Warrendale. 

SCORING SUMMARY
CANON-McMILLAN - 5   NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS BLANK THIRD STRAIGHT OPPONENT,
CRUSH SPARTANS, 7-0

(11/27/12)  The North Allegheny Ice Hockey Team buried the Hempfield Spartans, 7-0, on Tuesday night at the BladeRunners complex in Warrendale.  The Tigers bombarded Spartans goalie Alex Androkites with 55 shots, scoring all seven goals within the first two periods.  Senior forward Charles Johnson led NA with two goals on the night, including the game’s first tally five minutes into the opening period. Senior Joe Griffin scored his eighth goal of the season minutes later to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead heading into the second period.

The Tigers brought forth an avalanche of goals in the second period, as Ryan Spengler, Cody Black, Chris Como and Martin Hubert all scored during the onslaught.  Senior Matt Fantaski assisted on four of the NA goals in the contest.   With the Tigers leading comfortably at 7-0, NA coasted through a scoreless third period for the victory.  North Allegheny goalie Joe Hubert got his first start of the season and kept the Spartans scoreless, stopping all 15 shots he faced.  By blanking Hempfield, the Tigers have shutout their last three opponents. 

The Tigers improve to 6-0 on the season while Hempfield falls to 0-4-1.  North Allegheny will visit Canon-McMillan to battle the Big Macs.  The game will be broadcast live from the Iceoplex in Southpointe on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  Face-off is slated for 9:20 pm.   

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 7   HEMPFIELD - 0

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS SHUT OUT BLUE DEVILS, 3-0

(11/13/12)  North Allegheny hockey pitched its second shutout in as many contest, dropping the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils, 3-0 at Bladerunners in Warrendale.  The Tigers never trailed as they peppered Blue Devils goalie Clay Wyda all night, ending the game with 61 shots.

William Rahenkamp and Justin Leonard scored first period goals, as the Tigers came out roaring.  Charles Johnson also added an insurance marker at the start of the second period.  Bradford Thornburgh earned his second consecutive shutout in net, having blanked Upper St. Clair last week.  Thornburgh stopped all 17 shots he faced for the victory.

The win boosts the Tigers' record to 5-0.  This season, North Allegheny has outscored opponents 22-3.

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3   MT. LEBANON - 0

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS POWER PAST PANTHERS, 4-0

(11/8/12) The Tigers scored three power play goals and stifled Upper St. Clair with an air-tight defense as North Allegheny topped the Panthers on Thursday night, 4-0, at the Ice Castle in Castle Shannon.  North Allegheny tested USC goalie Michael Ambrose with numerous shots on net, outshooting the Panthers 25-to-12 on the night.  NA net minder Bradford Thornburgh was solid in goal as he stopped all of the shots he faced to post his first shutout of the season.

In the first period, senior forward Cody Black scored the only even strength goal of the night at the 4:44 mark on a great pass from Will Rahenkamp to give NA a 1-0 lead.  Rahenkamp found Black in the high slot for a rocket shot past Ambrose’s left shoulder and the Tigers owned the early lead. 

While both teams had power play opportunities in the first period, neither could score as NA and USC went a combined 0-for-4 with the man advantage.  That changed in the second period when the Tigers were granted a 5-on-3 advantage courtesy of back-to-back penalties on Connor Ackerman and Sean Allebrand.  North Allegheny quickly responded on a blistering slap shot from Joe Griffin, his team best seventh of the season, that beat Ambrose’s blocker for a 2-0 lead with 7:19 to go in the period.  Griffin’s tally in the second period began the avalanche of power play goals for North Allegheny, and for his efforts Griffin was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game. 

Just 16 seconds later after the Griffin marker, Shane Snyder scored on a slapper from the right wing circle, in a near identical spot to Griffin’s goal, and the Tigers advantage swelled to 3-0.  Despite a furious set of shots from the Panthers Jacob Puccetti and Connor Ackerman, Upper St. Clair could not find the back of the NA net.  Before the end of the second period, the Tigers scored again while on the power play, this time on a Matt Fantaski goal to bring the score to its eventual final, 4-0.  The Tigers defense would not allow the Panthers to gain much ice time in the NA zone, holding Upper St. Clair off the scoreboard and handing them their first defeat of the season. 

North Allegheny rolls to a 4-0 record with the win while Upper St. Clair falls to 2-1 on the young season.  The Tigers return to action next Tuesday night with a home meeting with the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils.  Opening faceoff is scheduled for 8:30 pm. 

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4   UPPER ST. CLAIR - 0

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

NA ICE HOCKEY BURIES BLACK HAWKS, 7-1

After a scoreless first period, the North Allegheny offensive talent proved too much for visiting Bethel Park, as the Tigers won handily, 7-1, over last year's Penguins Cup Champions.  Joe Griffin was the scoring leader on the night, with a hat trick.  Connor Cash and Dominic Zangaro also enjoyed three point nights.  Cash picked up a trio of assists, while Zangaro scored a pair of goals and a assist.  Zangaro's second goal of the night was scored just six seconds into the third period.  Goaltender Bradford Thornburgh was nearly flawless on the night, making 22 saves on 23 shots.

After a day off, the hockey team will skate with the Panthers of Upper St. Clair on Thursday night.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will broadcast the affair with a pre-game show around 8:30 pm.  Opening face off is set for 8:40 pm.

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 7   BETHEL PARK - 1

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

NA SKATES PAST MT. LEBANON, 5-1

(11/1/12) The top-ranked North Allegheny Ice Hockey team traveled to the South Hills of Pittsburgh and returned home with an impressive 5-1 victory over the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils.   The Tigers tilted the ice toward the Mt. Lebanon net all night long, peppering Blue Devils goalie Clay Wyda with 54 shots while NA goalie Tyler Kuhn faced only 13 shots.

The North Allegheny assault on the Mt. Lebanon net began early as a tripping penalty on Thomas King opened the door for the Tigers’ first goal.  NA took advantage of their power play opportunity when junior Shawn Baird scored to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead at the 12:38 mark of the first period.  Mt. Lebanon tied the game just 30 seconds later on a tally by George Farrell and the score was knotted at 1-1.  The Tigers grabbed the lead back on Joe Griffin’s third goal of the season to take a 2-1 lead at 16:17 of the opening stanza.

The Tigers’ continued pressure eventually buckled the Blue Devils net minder and NA began to pull away with Baird’s second goal of the night in the second period for a 3-1 advantage.  The North Allegheny lead ballooned to 4-1 in the third period on an early tally by William Rahenkamp.  Senior Cody Black capped the scoring later in the period with an unassisted goal to bring the score to its eventual final, 5-1.

North Allegheny improves to 2-0 on the young season while Mt. Lebanon drops to 0-1.  The Tigers will host the reigning Class AAA champion Bethel Park Blackhawks on Tuesday night in Warrendale.  Face-off is slated for 6:30 pm.   

SCORING SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 5   MT. LEBANON - 1

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS WIN OPENER OVER CENTRAL CATHOLIC, 3-1

(10/31/12)North Allegheny scored two third period goals to skate past the Central Catholic Vikings, 3-1, in the Tigers regular season opener on Tuesday night.  Senior Joe Griffin broke a 1-1 tie at 13:13 of the third period to pull NA ahead late, courtesy of assists by Connor Cash and Shane Snyder.  Griffin put the game away with his second tally of the period with an empty netter with time running out. 

The Tigers struck first in the opening period on a goal by Shane Snyder, but the Vikings evened the score on a second period goal at 9:01.  North Allegheny’s Bradford Thornburgh got the start in net and made 23 saves on 24 shots. 

North Allegheny, the top-ranked team in Class AAA according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, is now 1-0 thanks to their opening night win.  Central Catholic falls to 0-1.  The Tigers will visit the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils on Thursday night.   Face-off is scheduled for 9:10 pm.  

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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