Victory puts Golden Tigers in title game with State again
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UNIVERSITY PARK -- Hollidaysburg made it to the championship game of the Laurel Highlands Mountain Hockey League at Johnstown's First Summit Bank Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial last year, but fell short there, 5-2, to State College.
That loss stuck in the craw of this year's senior-laden Hollidaysburg team, which has been on a laser-focused mission ever since.
After compiling an 18-0 regular-season record, top-seeded Hollidaysburg blanked fourth-seeded Richland, 3-0, Thursday night in a semifinal matchup at the Pegula Ice Arena.
Thursday's victory gives Hollidaysburg another opportunity to win a league championship, and they'll meet third-seeded State College in a title-game rematch Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. at the War Memorial. State College earned its spot with a 6-5 victory over second-seeded Forest Hills in Thursday's other semifinal game at Pegula.
Senior Tyler Duey registered a 21-save shutout performance and Hollidaysburg got goals from seniors Kaden Kirkham and Seth Burger, along with another from junior Isaac Miller, to hike its season record to 19-0.
Hollidaysburg coach Cory Reed said that winning a title has been the Golden Tigers' top goal all season.
"We've used the loss last year as motivation,'' Reed said. "One of our goals this year was to finish the regular season on top of the league standings and get into the playoffs. Now after winning the semifinal we've turned the corner and our focus will be on the championship game.''
Duey and his Hollidaysburg teammates are thrilled about the return trip to the league title game.
"It feels good to be back this year after losing there last year,'' Duey said. "We're excited to be back, and we're coming in with a different outlook.''
Kirkham opened the scoring in Thursday's game by roofing home a backhand shot from the side of the net at the 7:50 mark of the first period.
Less than two minutes later, Miller found himself in open space in the Richland zone, sped toward the net, and beat sophomore Alexa Ladika with a 15-foot wrist shot to give the Tigers a 2-0 advantage.
Ladika turned in a stellar performance in goal for Richland (11-8-1), stopping 40 of 43 Hollidaysburg shots in the game.
"She's been our rock star all season, and she turned in a phenomenal effort tonight,'' Richland coach Pete Bearjar said of Ladika. "Hollidaysburg has a great team, and it would have been quite a different score if she hadn't played as well as she did for us tonight.''
Hollidaysburg took a 3-0 advantage when Burger - who also had an assist on Kirkham's goal - converted a pass from junior Porter Weise at the 12:51 mark of the second period.
The way that Hollidaysburg was playing defense, three goals were more than enough for the Golden Tigers.
"We wanted to apply pressure with our forechecking, and let our top line go to work early tonight,'' Reed said.
The game became a little chippy late in the third period, when Richland drew a 10-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and Hollidaysburg drew roughing and interference penalties. The tensions led to a game-ending scrum involving the two teams before cooler heads and the team handshakes prevailed.
Hollidaysburg had a methodical game plan, and worked it to perfection to earn its return trip to the league championship final.
"We came in here with a game plan and we executed it,'' Reed said. "We were focused and ready to play.''
SCORE BY PERIODS
Richland 0 0 0--0
Hollidaysburg 2 1 0--3
SCORING SUMMARY
First period
1, H--Kirkham (Burger, Burket), 7:50; 2, H--Miller (J. Smith), 9:26.
Second period
3, H--Burger (Weise), 12:51.
Penalties: R--(roughing), H--(unsportsmanlike conduct), 6:13. H--(unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:50.
Third period
No scoring
Penalties: H–(roughing), 7:49. R--(hooking) and H--(bench minor), 10:36. R--(unsportsmanlike conduct, 10-minute unsportsmanlike conduct major) and H--(interference), 13:15. R--(tripping), 14:42.
Shots on goal: Richland 8-6-7-21; Hollidaysburg 12-18-13-43.
Saves: Ladika, R, 40; T. Duey, H, 21.
Records: Richland (11-8-1); Hollidaysburg (19-0).
Officials: Domonkos, Grove, Stahl.