NA Grabs Sole Possession of 1st Place with 4-1 win Over Central Catholic
by Bob Orkwis
Tonight’s game marked the halfway point of the season for North Allegheny and the Tigers came into the contest against Central Catholic tied for first in 3A with Pine-Richland and Upper St. Clair.
North Allegheny scored three second period goals on its way to a 4-1 victory over the Vikings at the Baierl Ice Complex in Warrendale.
After a scoreless first period, both teams traded power goals in the second. Owen Logan opened the scoring at (5:34) of the period taking an Evan Perrotte pass in the right circle and blistering a wrist shot into the net for his 3rd goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.
The Vikings answered at (8:18) on an industrious game tying goal. Evan Benscoter gained the zone on the right wing and got the puck on net, where Judah Brophy kept the puck alive and eventually stuffed it home to tie the game at 1-1.
North Allegheny would score the game’s final three goals. Ravi Desai scored the eventual game winner at (11:39) when he took a pass in front and slammed home his 1st goal of the year for a 2-1 lead.
Late in the period, Luke Walkauskas would spring Evan Kerber on a breakaway with a great stretch pass, and Kerber would bury his team leading 9th goal at (15:33).
Not to be outdone, Marc Joyson would add an insurance goal early in the third period with his 9th goal of the year. Joyson and Perrotte worked a 2-on-1 one to perfection and Perrotte’s pass from the left wing found Joyson for a tip in at the right post to make the score 4-1 Tigers.
Senior Andrew Long made 24 saves in the net for North Allegheny to improve to (6-0) on the season. The Tigers are now (8-2) and are two points ahead of the Rams and the Panthers in the PIHL standings.
Evan Perrotte, who recently returned to the Tigers lineup, garnered the Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors with his two-assist performance.
North Allegheny hits the road next Thursday when the Tigers visit Mt. Lebanon, before returning home for a pair of home games early in the new year against Peters Township and Pine-Richland.
Ice Hockey Summary vs. Central Catholic, 12-11-23
| GAME SUMMARY | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCORE BY PERIODS | 1 | 2 | 3 | FINAL |
| Central Catholic | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| North Allegheny | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |