Connellsville hockey opens season in style
The trip to Butler County was well worth it for the Connellsville hockey team, as the Falcons opened their season in Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League (PIHL) Division 2 play on Monday night in an 8-3 victory over Hampton at Frozen Pond Arena in Valencia.
Connellsville dominated the first period in goals and shots on goal to take a 4-0 lead. The Falcons outshot the Talbots, 14-1, in the frame.
Alex Boone scored Connellsville’s first goal of the season with 10:33 remaining in the first on the power play. Boone’s tally was unassisted.
Hunter Hughes scored 17 seconds later and William Whittaker recorded a short-handed tally with 4:05 left in the first for a 3-0 advantage. TJ Snyder assisted on Hughes’ goal and Larry Baroffio set up Whittaker.
Logan Jenkins assisted on Sam Denny’s goal with 57 seconds remaining in the first for a four-goal lead. Denny’s tally turned out to be the game-winning goal.
Mason Mazak scored a five-on-five goal after being set up by Boone and Denny with 10:16 left in the second frame before Hughes added his second at 7:29 of the second. Ryan Boone and Riley Denny assisted on Hughes’ brace, which pushed the Falcons’ advantage to 6-0.
Hampton broke up the shutout with 2:15 remaining in the second frame on Tyson Voloch’s even-strength goal. Cooper Walbert added the assist, but Connellsville went into the locker room with a comfortable five-goal lead.
Mazak restored the Falcons’ six-goal advantage with a tally on the power play 63 seconds into the third period. Jenkins and Alex Boone added the assists.
Voloch recorded his second goal with 5:17 left in the game on the power play. Dillon Fogle and Mitchell Myers had the helpers.
Jenkins scored Connellsville’s final goal on an unassisted even-strength tally with 2:47 remaining.
Myers was set up by Fogle with 2:03 left in the contest.
The Falcons outshot the Talbots, 20-8, in the second period, and had a 10-8 edge in the final frame for a 44-17 advantage.
Each time recorded a goal with the man advantage, as Connellsville was 1-for-6 and Hampton was 2-for-6.
Andrew Weir made 14 saves to earn the win in goal.
Hampton’s Xavier Sarris stopped 36 shots.
The Falcons’ home opener is scheduled for Thursday against Deer Lakes at CFS Bank Arena in Rostraver Township. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.