Persistence pays for Indiana with spot in PHIL title game

Indiana let a huge opportunity slip through its fingers when it failed to convert on a power play chance late in the third period of a tie game with Kiski Area.

“Our power play chance was not well-used because our guys just came off a giant, long shift,” Indiana coach Jordan Haines said. “We had them down in their end for a good three or four minutes and with our [top] power play unit and we put our power play No. 2 unit out to start and then we put out No. 1 and I could see they were gassed.”

Indiana might not have converted with the man-advantage, but it did on the next faceoff and, as a result, earned a spot in the championship game.

Center Korbin Wilson pulled the draw back to the point to defenseman Ethan Angello, who ripped a shot to the top corner past Kiski Area netminder Eric Petika and into the twine at 12:15 of the third period. Wilson capped it with one of his own at 14:41 to give Indiana a 4-2 victory in the PIHL Class 1A Penguins Cup semifinals at Robert Morris University Island Sports Center.

“We changed it up and put one of our offensive defensemen out just to get a shot,” Haines said. “We knew he could get the puck there … and we might have enough guys in front and we were cutting a lot of guys in front and it found its way into the net.”

Ben Nettleton scored two goals and assisted on Wilson’s as Indiana earned its first final appearance since losing to Franklin Regional in 2017. The Little Indians have never won a Penguins Cup title.

Kiski Area, which defeated Indiana in both of their regular season meetings, led 1-0 when defenseman Aiden Sites scored at 3:44 of the first period, but it was mostly Indiana after that. The Little Indians outshot the Cavaliers, 34-14 in the game, including a 16-2 barrage in the deciding third period.

Other game

Thomas Jefferson 4, North Catholic 1: Colby Bilski scored the opening goal 39 seconds into the game, and the

Jaguars never trailed. Dominic Dezort scored for the Trojans with 32.2 seconds remaining in the first period. Thomas Jefferson only allowed nine shots in the first two periods and none in the third until only 41.9 seconds remainined. Thomas Jefferson, which has not won a Penguins Cup since winning three consecutive Class 2A titles (1998-2000), will play Indiana at 8:30 p.m. Monday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.