Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Central Cambria's Austin Semelsberger beats Altoona goaltender Seth Conrad on the backhand.

JOHNSTOWN — Top-seeded Central Cambria spent a good chunk of the first period of its Laurel Mountain Hockey League semifinal against Altoona in the penalty box.

But for as important as a power-play goal can be, a short-handed one can be just as problematic, and in some cases it opens the floodgates.

Red Devil forward Austin Semelsberger’s breakaway opportunity — on his way to recording a hat trick — in the shorthanded spot blew the game open as Central Cambria pounded Altoona, 6-2, at 1st Summit Arena at Cambria County War Memorial Tuesday night.

“We got down there early there 1-0, but after that shorthanded goal, that was big,” Central Cambria coach Bryce Boring said. “Our guys just kept going. That gave us some momentum. Everybody got on ship from there. I’m proud of the boys tonight.”

That win sets up a date with Forest Hills in the championship Thursday night at 7:20 p.m. back at the War Memorial.

“We know we have guys that are capable of killing,” Boring said. “We have three solid killing lines that are capable of doing it. We didn’t have any doubt we were able to kill those penalties. We’ve got to be a little bit smarter, take less penalties Thursday.”

The Mountain Lions did score first as Ryan Marinak found the lower right corner to break the ice, but from there, the Red Devils took over.

It under a minute later that Semelsberger recorded his first tally of the game from Zach Lockard for the first of his two scores in the opening stanza.

Lockard later added one of his own late in the first before in the closing seconds T.J. Smith found the back of the net to make it 4-1 after the first.

“I thought shot for shot we were right with them all game long,” Altoona coach Don Burgmeier said. “They were just finishing their opportunities. That was the difference in the game. They finished their chances, we didn’t.”

Both teams were about even in shots on goal at 17-15 in favor of the Red Devils despite them visiting the penalty box three times — once on a 5-on-3 — and four times total for the game.

Lockard struck again with about nine minutes left in the second on a feed from Wyatt Trexler, and Jett Williams before Semelsberger added the third score late in the second period.

“We were able to get on the forecheck real hard, cause some turnovers with our D,” Boring said. “Austin was in the right positions, good skill moves and he got the puck in the back of the net. All three lines tonight that we played worked really well.”

Xavier Jorinscray, meanwhile, was strong in net, deflecting 33 of 35 shots on goal by Altoona.

“He’s been up and down with injuries sometimes in the year, but Xavier has been unbelievable for the most part,” Boring said.

Burgmeier believed the early mistakes came back to bite the Mountain Lions whose season will end at 10-10.

“We gave them three breakaways in the first period. You can’t do that. Even if he saves one or two of them, that’s still not a good thing. But even after that I thought they kept playing real hard. Sometimes, you got to be lucky,” he said.

But, he is proud of the growth his team showed following a slow start to the season.

“To be one game away from the championship after the way we started, we started out really bad this year,” Burgmeier said. “We lost a lot of games early, but I thought they got better as the year went on. If you can get that close, that’s pretty good.”

SCORE BY PERIOD

Altoona 1 1 0 – 2

Central Cambria 4 2 0 – 6

First Period: 1,) A–Marinak (K. Conrad), 3:50; 2,) CC – Semelsberger (Lockard), 4:38; 3,) Semelsberger (unassisted), 7:30 SHG; 4,) CC – Lockard (unassisted), 14:38; 5,) CC – Smith (Park, Martin), 16:50.

Second Period: 6,) CC – Lockard (Trexler, Williams), 8:12; 7,) CC – Semelsberger (Lockard), 14:25; 8,) A – Kauffman (McHenry), 15:24.

Third Period: None

Goalies: S. Conrad, A, 30-36; Jorinscray, CC, 33-35

Power Plays: Altoona 0-for-4, Central Cambria 0-for-1

Records: Altoona (10-10), Central Cambria (16-3).