Fox Chapel denies Norwin comeback

Short-handed goal, Wiseman hat trick help sends Foxes on to Class 1A final

MacekNorwin boys hockey had been handled well by Fox Chapel throughout their Penguins Cup semifinal.

But despite that, the Knights were only down two goals and had a golden opportunity to turn up the heat on the Foxes and make a game of it when they were given a power-play with 3:30 remaining in regulation. All it took was one bad bounce and nine seconds to turn that optimism into defeat and end Norwin’s championship reign.

Fox Chapel’s Liam Wiseman scooped up a loose puck at center ice and capped off a hat trick with a shorthanded goal at 13:39 of the third period to take away any chance of a Norwin comeback and help Fox Chapel ( 20- 2- 0) to a 7- 3 victory against the Knights in the PIHL Class 1A semifinal at Robert Morris University Island Sports Center.

“It changed the perspective,” Wiseman said “They had a lot of energy going into the power play. But as soon as we got that shorthanded goal, the game was practically over.”

So was the lengthy Fox Chapel championship game drought. The Foxes, who have had a program since the 1972-73 season, have never won a championship and will be playing in the Penguins Cup final for only the third time and first since 1997.

“It’s pretty amazing actually,” Fox Chapel coach

Cameron Raidna said. “We’ve had the same core group of seniors, junior and sophomores and they were here last year for the heartbreak, so this one’s special for us.”

A year ago, Fox Chapel fought back after being down 3-1 to take a 4-2 lead on a Ryan Zatman goal with 8:57 remaining in regulation. But it only lasted 19 seconds as Alex Thomas scored to tie it and set up Mario Cavallaro for the game-winner at 12:47 of overtime.

Considering how last year played out, the late penalty loomed even larger.

With Fox Chapel’s Nate Sarra in the box for roughing and holding onto a 5-3 lead, it appeared Norwin (175-1) had the break it needed to make it a one-goal game and, maybe, have a chance to pull netminder Owen Burmeister to tie it in the waning seconds.

Instead, the puck jumped over the defenseman at the left point and out to center ice where Wiseman pounced for the breakaway. He cut laterally across the goal crease and snapped a shot under the crossbar nine seconds into the power play.

“Sometimes it’s just the way it goes,” Norwin coach Mike Robinson said. “Fox played a super, super great game.”

In the early going, it looked like Fox Chapel was going to blow out Norwin exactly the way it did during the regular season with 7-3 and 9-2 victories. The Foxes jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the second period on goals by Sam Smith, Wiseman and Alex Macek.

But Norwin came back with goals from Thomas and Dominik Costantino 2:04 apart midway through the second period to make it a 3-2 game headed to the third period.

Mason Heininger and Wiseman scored to pad the lead to 5-2 before Thomas scored his second of the night at 11: 47 to get the Knights back within two, 5-3.

But any hope Norwin had of making it back to the finals for the second straight year were dashed by the shorthanded hat-trick goal from Wiseman.

Other game

Kiski Area had dropped both regular season matchups against Greensburg Salem, but with a trip to the Penguins Cup finals on the line, the Cavaliers finally had the Golden Lions number.

Junior forward Ethan George scored a goal in every period, including the empty net clincher with 13.5 seconds remaining in regulation, to help Kiski Area (18-5-0) to a 3-1 upset of Greensburg Salem (18-4-0).

Kiski Area will be making its first finals appearance.

Greensburg Salem had its best chance with 12:43 remaining when Kiski Area took two penalties, one the original call and one in a delayed penalty rush by the Golden Lions, for a full two-minute two-man advantage.

But Kiski Area killed off 1:46 of it before Greensburg Salem took a penalty of its own to all but negate the remainder.