Varsity Ties Connellsville

  12/22/08 -  The Varsity Golden Tigers gave themselves an early Christmas present by coming back from 3 and 2 goal deficits to achieve a 5-5 tie against Connellsville, a team they had lost to earlier in the season by a lopsided score.

After spotting Connellsville an 2-0 lead, Junior Chris Baker got the Golden Tigers on the board with a wrist shot from the right wing that the goaltender was unable to handle cleanly with his glove.  Connellsville led 2-1 at the first intermission.

The Golden Tigers started slow in the second period yielding two early goals finding themselves on the short end of a 4-1 hockey game.  The Donovan-Pacifico-Robertson line then went to work tallying two Golden Tiger goals reducing the deficit to two goals going into the ice cut.

The 3rd stanza would be all Hollidaysburg as they ratcheted up both the offense and defense while Junior Goaltender Bryan Wilk shut the door on the goal frame.  Junior Nate Reid would score the equalizer on a power play to send the game into overtime. 

Both coaches put out their top lines for the majority the overtime but neither team could knock in the game winner.

"We got off to our typical slow starts in both the first and second periods but we were able to battle back and tie the game and nearly had the game winner early in the overtime.  Although the outcome was a tie, I was very pleased with the overall effort and I'm seeing some of our younger players beginning to learn what it takes to play at this level from a discipline and decision making perspective.  Once again, these young men turned in a performance that earned them the right to feel good about themselves.   We have a much needed ten or so days to rest and heal up before we play Kiski Area on the road on January 2nd." commented Head Coach Jeff Adams.

The Golden Tigers will travel to Center Ice in Delmont on Friday, January 2nd as they take on Kiski Area at 6:15 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ Junior Netminder Bryan Wilk saved 27 of 32 shots. ~

~ The Donovan-Pacifico-Robertson line had a hand in 3 of the 5 Golden Tiger goals. ~

Wilk & Co. Shutout Derry

  12/18/08 -  Junior Netminder Bryan Wilk turned away all 22 shots he faced as the Golden Tigers exacted a bit of revenge for their loss against Derry Area two weeks ago as they posted a convincing 7-0 win.

Junior Alex Robertson (Pacifico) got the Golden Tigers on the board first at the 2:59 mark of the first period.  Less than two minutes later Senior Michael Pacifico (Robertson, Donovan) would find the back of the net to stake the Golden Tigers to a 2-0 lead at the first intermission.

The Golden Tigers didn't let up in the 2nd period on goals by Robertson (Pacifico), Junior Nate Reid (Baker), and Freshman Scott Cohen (Pacifico, Robertson) that gave the Golden Tigers a five goal advantage going into the ice cut.

Robertson buried the biscuit twice in the 3rd stanza with Cohen and Pacifico assisting on one of the goals and Pacifico getting the lone helper on the other Robertson goal to set the final score at 7-0.

"We needed a performance like this to get our confidence back.  Wilky played great in net and we were able get the puck past their goalie with more regularity than two weeks ago.  The kids turned in a performance that earned them the right to feel good about themselves.   Hopefully, we can carry this momentum into our final game against Connellsville before the holiday break." commented Head Coach Jeff Adams.

The Golden Tigers will travel to DiVito Park on Monday, December 22nd as they take on Connellsville at 7:20 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ Junior Alex Robertson recorded another hat trick + one to go with 2 assists. ~

~ Freshman Scott Cohen turned in a solid effort with a goal and an assist. ~

~ Senior Michael Pacifico had an outstanding game tallying 5 helpers and a goal. ~

Varsity Drops Heart Breaker

  12/11/08 -  The Golden Tigers took a penalty with eight seconds left in the game and were unable to keep the game winner out of the net with one tick left in regulation time en route to suffering their 4th consecutive setback 7-6 at the hands of the Ligonier Valley Mounties.

The score was knotted at 2-2 after one period of play courtesy of goals by Junior Alex Robertson (Pacifico) and Senior Michael Pacifico (unassisted and shorthanded).

The Golden Tigers then had a bit of a let down as the 2nd period got underway as the Mounties tallied 3 goals in little over a minute.  Goals by Junior Chris Baker (Donovan) and Alex Robertson (Donovan, Pacifico) cut the deficit to just a single goal going into the ice cut.

The first 10 minutes of the 3rd stanza was a defensive battle until Alex Robertson (Donovan, Pacifico) tickled the twine on the power play to tie things up at 5.  Just seven seconds later, Robertson (Donovan) would find the back of the net yet again to give the Golden Tigers their first lead of the game.  The Mounties knocked in the tying goal at the 11:23 mark and completed the comeback with a power play goal with one second left on the game clock.

"We came out strong in the 1st period but then sort of had a lull at the end of the 1st period and the beginning of the 2nd period and found ourselves down 3 goals.  To our credit, we were able to regroup and rally in the later part of the 2nd period to make it a one goal game.  We kept up the intensity in the 3rd period and took the lead but we were unable to hold on.  This is a tough loss to take but as I told the players, what doesn't kill you, will make you stronger.  The character and resiliency of this team will be tested by a game such as this.  We have Derry next Thursday, a team we outplayed just last week in every facet of the game except the score board.  Hopefully, we will be able to bounce back." commented Head Coach Jeff Adams.

The Golden Tigers will try to get on track when they faceoff against Derry Area on Thursday, December 18th with the puck dropping at 8:00 pm at Galactic Ice.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ Junior Alex Robertson recorded a hat trick + one. ~

~ Junior Jeff Donovan was Mr. Assist tallying 4 assists. ~

~ Senior Michael Pacifico contributed a 4 point effort (1 G, 3 A) . ~

~ Junior Chris Baker had a sweet back door goal. ~

Varsity Drops 2 Games Below .500

  12/9/08 - The Golden Tigers have only been able to knock in 2 goals in their last two games that have resulted in losses to Connellsville 7-1 last Thursday at home and Derry Area 3-1 last night at Center Ice.  Defenseman Chris Matish has been the only Golden Tiger with the scoring touch as of late.  The Golden Tigers have run up against two very good and hot goaltenders and undisciplined play hurt them in the Connellsville loss.  Despite out shooting Connellsville 25 to 22 and Derry Area 42 to 15, the Golden Tigers are struggling offensively.

"Coach Adams and I both agree that our last two losses have not been for lack of effort or hustle.  Against Connellsville we spent too much time in the box.  Combine that with a hot goaltender and its a recipe for an unfavorable outcome.  We outskated Derry Area and outshot them by nearly a 3 to 1 margin but we were only able to punch in one goal.  We had quality scoring chances but were unable to convert.  It's unusual to run into two consecutive hot goaltenders but that's reality.  We have to keep plugging away and hope things turn around offensively.  Against Derry, the positives were our effort and more disciplined play by staying out of the box." commented Assistant Coach Wolfe.

The Golden Tigers will try to break their three game losing streak against a quality opponent in Ligonier Valley on Thursday, December 11th with the puck dropping at 8:00 pm at Galactic Ice.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ Senior Chris Matish has played solidly at both ends of the ice and has the Golden Tigers' only two goals in their last two games. ~

Varsity Falls Short

  11/13/08 - The Hempfield Spartans were not very nice guests as they handed a 11-5 setback to the Varsity Golden Tigers in PIHL Open Division hockey action at Galactic Ice.

The teams traded 2 goals each for the first 12 minutes of the 1st period.  The Spartans however tallied a couple of goals in the waning minutes of the frame to take a 4-2 lead into the 2nd period.

The 2nd period was not kind to the Golden Tigers as Hempfield reeled off four answered goals to stretch their lead to a five goal advantage at the midpoint of the period.  The Golden Tigers then put the power play to work scoring twice to build some momentum and slicing the deficit to three going into the ice cut.

The 3rd stanza started well for the Golden Tigers on a goal by Junior Alex Robertson (Donovan) but that would be as close as the Golden Tigers would get as Hempfield went on to control the remainder of the contest.

"Tonight was obviously not our best effort and the players know that.  We did not play hard and smart for 45 minutes.  We have just as much talent as Hempfield, we just got outworked.  To be successful at this level, you cannot take shifts off because when you do, teams are good enough to take advantage and that is what happened tonight.  These kinds of games will hopefully bring this team together so they will be stronger as a unit.  We'll see what kind of character this team has in the coming weeks.", commented Head Coach Jeff Adams.

The Golden Tigers will try to turn things around as they face off against Ferndale on Thursday, November 20th with the puck dropping at 8:00 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ Junior Alex Robertson recorded two goals and an assist in a three point effort. ~

  ~ Junior Jeff Donovan tallied a goal and two assists for  a three point night. ~

~ Senior Michael Pacifico contributed a power play goal and an assist to aid the Golden Tiger cause. ~

~ Junior Chris Baker scored a power play marker. ~

Varsity Makes History

  11/6/08 - The Varsity Golden Tigers made history when they defeated Greensburg Salem 7-2 at Kirk Nevin Area.  It was the first victory ever for the Golden Tigers against Greensburg Salem as  Hollidaysburg was 0-6 against the Lions dating back to when both teams played in the Laurel Highlands Hockey League.  Leading the charge were Senior Michael Pacifico and Junior Jeff Donovan who each scored a hat trick.  Sophomore Jeremy Budd knocked in a solo tally to help the Golden Tiger cause.

The Golden Tigers jumped out to a two goal lead and added another a little over five minutes into the 2nd period and never looked back.  The teams would trade goals in the waning minutes of the 2nd frame allowing the Golden Tigers to maintain a three goal advantage going into the ice cut.  The 3rd stanza was much like the first as the Golden Tigers put their foot to the throttle scoring 2 early goals to essentially put the game away.  The teams would trade goals in the later portion of the period to set the final score at 7-2 in favor of the Golden Tigers.

"Tonight the players again made a conscious decision to win each shift just as they did last week against Burrell.  With the exception of the last four minutes of the second period, we were able keep up the intensity and get the W.  We asked the boys before the game and during the ice cut to visualize themselves hustling, making plays, and being successful.  The players did exactly that and it translated into a really fun game to coach and a well deserved team victory.", commented Head Coach Jeff Adams.

The Golden Tigers return home as they take on Hempfield on Thursday, November 13th with the puck dropping at 8:00 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ Senior Michael Pacifico recorded the hat trick in route a 5 point effort. ~

 ~ Junior Netminder Bryan Wilk turned in his best performance to date stopping 21 of 23 shots he faced. ~

 ~ Junior Jeff Donovan also recorded a hat trick and added 2 assists for a 5 point night. ~

~ Junior Alex Robertson was Mr. Assist as he tallied 3 helpers. ~

Varsity Thumps Burrell in Home Opener

  10/30/08 - The Varsity Golden Tigers opened the season at home in fine fashion by defeating the Burrell Bucs 11-4.  The Golden Tigers struck first to take a 1-0 lead.  Burrell then proceeded to score the next two goals to take a 2-1 advantage early in the 2nd period.  The rest of the 2nd period was all Golden Tigers as they reeled of three tallies in a  1:20 to take an 2 goal advantage into the ice cut.  The Golden Tigers came out like gang busters in the 3rd stanza extending their lead to 9 with 7 unanswered goals by the 11:29 mark of the frame.  Burrell was able to find the back of the net twice in the waning minutes of the game but the outcome of the game had already been decided.

"Tonight the players made a conscious decision to win each shift they played as we discussed in the locker room before we took the ice.  Our consistent hustle took time and space away from our opponent which gave us the time and space we needed to get scoring chances and judging by the final score, we took advantage of those chances.  We have a few things to work on but overall, it was a job well done.  The players felt good about their winning effort and as a coach, it's very gratifying to see the kids having fun and being successful.", commented Head Coach Jeff Adams.

Next up is a road game against Greensburg Salem, a team Hollidaysburg has never defeated, on Thursday, November 6th with action getting underway at 7:15 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ Freshmen Scott Cohen and Alex Satkunas notched their first Varsity goals and assists. ~

 ~ Junior Chris Baker led the scoring frenzy with a 4 point effort (2 G, 2 A). ~

~ The team was not whistled for any penalties showing outstanding discipline while going 2 for 5 on the power play ~

~ The Golden Tigers peppered the Burrell goaltender with 47 shots while Junior Bryan Wilk turned away 11 of 15 shots. ~

Varsity Drops Season Opener

  10/23/08 - The Varsity Golden Tigers came into the Johnstown War Memorial with high hopes against the Johnstown Trojans, a team they, for the most part, have owned for the past two seasons.  The Trojans, however, had other ideas and pinned a 7-0 loss on the Golden Tigers.  The Golden Tigers had plenty of scoring chances but were unable to solve the Trojan netminder.  "We lack some depth and experience at certain positions which will cause us to struggle at times.  Also, we are still getting to know each other as this year's team consists of Hollidaysburg students, Central students and players from surrounding school districts.    I expect as the season progresses, we will see improvement and more consistent play from this team.  We do have a couple of key players on the shelf but being part of a team means the other players have to turn it up a notch.", commented Assistant Coach Wolfe.

The Golden Tigers will try to right the ship when they take on Burrell in their home opener on Thursday, October 30th with the puck dropping at 8 pm.

Alumni Michael Stell to Play Division I ACHA Hockey at Slippery Rock

  9/10/08 - 2008 graduate, Michael Stell will suit up this year for Slippery Rock University.  As a Senior, Michael led the Golden Tigers in scoring with 65 points (36 goals and 29 assists) and only 6 penalty minutes.  Michael was also an integral part of the Altoona Tracker team that won the Midget U18AA Tier II Western PA Mid-Am District.  The entire Golden Tiger Hockey Nation wishes Michael the very best academically and athletically at The Rock!

9/3/08 - The Golden Tigers Training Camp was a huge success as players from all divisions took part.  The Camp was led by Varsity Head Coach Jeff Adams along with head and assistant coaches from the Varsity and Freshman divisions.  Coach Adams had this to say about the camp, "The kids were pushed hard and met the challenge.  We concentrated on skating, conditioning, and communication.  Overall, I'm very pleased with the effort and looking forward to practices and games."

Congratulations to Kevin Koronowski, Michael Pacifico, Alex Robertson and Michael Stell

for being a part of their Altoona Tracker team that won the Midget U18AA Tier II

Western PA Mid-Am District.  Their team moved onto inter-district play in Carmel, IN where

they came up short in the District Championship in a shoot out.  We extend a hearty

congratulations to our Golden Tiger Trackers!

  Congratulations to Kevin Koronowski, a Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League (PAHL) $1,500 Scholarship recipient!

Golden Tigers Push Woodland Hills to the Limit in OT Loss

2/24/08 - It's very difficult for a team to defeat another team three times in one season but Woodland Hills did just that as they sent the Golden Tigers to the sidelines in 1st round action in the Northeastern Open Division PIHL Playoffs at Center Ice in Delmont, PA.

After going down a goal early in the game, Senior Michael Stell (Larkin) evened the score at the 7:14 mark of the 1st period.  Woodland Hills recorded a couple of goals late in the period to hold a two goal advantage at period's end.

The 2nd period was all Golden Tigers as they clawed back to knot the score at three a piece on goals by Michael Stell (Koronowski, Reinhardt on a power play) and Senior Kevin Koronowski (M. Stell, Robertson).

In the 3rd period, the Wolverines came out with renewed determination and tallied two goals less than a minute a part.  It took more than nine minutes for the Golden Tigers to begin their 2nd comeback of the game as Senior Matt Burns redirected a sweet feed from Sophomore Jake Jones through the Woodland Hills goalie's five hole to cut the deficit to a single tally.  The Golden Tigers then proceeded to complete the comeback just 19 seconds later as Sophomore Alex Robertson (Baser) lit the lamp with 3:21 remaining in regulation play to send the game into overtime.

The Golden Tigers dominated the extra session but were unable to convert on several quality scoring chances.  At the 4:52 mark of overtime, Woodland Hills was able to knock in the game winner to punch their ticket to the semis.

"The effort was certainly there." said Head Coach Jeff Adams as his #7 seeded Golden Tigers took the #2 seed to overtime.  Coach Adams went on to say, "This loss really hurts especially for our seniors but I hope they and the rest of the team hold their heads up high as they have nothing to be ashamed of because the team as a whole left everything they had on the ice.  We were down by two goals twice in the game and came back both times to tie it.  That kind of performance and effort showed the true character and heart this team has."

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ The Golden Tigers were 1 for 3 on the power play and were perfect on the penalty kill ~

~ Senior Netminder Ronnie Williams made several key pad and glove saves to keep his team in the game ~

~ Michael Stell led the offense with 3 points (2g, 1a) while Kevin Koronowski and Alex Robertson posted 2 points (1g, 1a) each ~

Golden Tigers Bow to Sabers

2/18/08 - Senior Michael Stell's 5th hat trick of the season wasn't enough as the Golden Tigers fell to Ford City, 8-6 at the Belmont Ice Complex in Kittanning, PA.

Michael Stell (Pacifico) tallied a power play goal at the 2:52 mark and followed up just two minutes later with his 2nd goal with Sophomore Alex Robertson and Kevin Koronowski notching assists.  Ford City responded with a goal midway through the period before Sophomore Jake Jones (M. Stell, Koronowski) lit the lamp on the power play with a little less than four minutes remaining in the period.  Ford City again responded with a goal with less than two minutes remaining to set the score at 3-2 after one complete period.

The 2nd stanza was all Ford City as they ran their unanswered goal streak to four to take a 5-3 advantage into the ice cut.

The 3rd frame began the same as the 2nd as the Sabers forged ahead with two more goals to stretch their lead to four midway through the period.  The Golden Tigers then staged a comeback on goals by Kevin Koronowski (Robertson on the power play), Junior Michael Pacifico (Koronowski on the power play), and Michael Stell (Koronowski) to cut the deficit to a single goal.  With a little more than a minute remaining, Head Coach Jeff Adams pulled his goalie in favor of an extra attacker.  With 31 seconds left in the game, Ford City was able to gain control of the puck just outside the Hollidaysburg blue line and deposit it in the empty net to seal the deal.

The loss drops the Golden Tiger's record to 8-10-1 and they remain tied for the 6th seed for the playoffs with five teams still in the running for four playoff spots.

The Golden Tigers hit the road again Friday, February 22nd as they take on Kiski Area at Center Ice in Delmont, PA in their season finale.  Game time is 6:15 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ The Golden Tigers were an impressive 3 for 8 on the power play, were 8 for 10 on the penalty kill, and yielded a shorthanded goal ~

~ Senior Michael Stell notched his 5th hat trick of the season ~

~ Kevin Koronowski led the offense with 5 points (1g, 4a) while Michael Stell had a 4 point (3g, 1a) night ~

Golden Tigers Fall to Wolverines

2/14/08 - Despite hat tricks by Seniors Kevin Koronowski and Michael Stell, the Golden Tigers fell to Woodland Hills, 8-6, at Center Ice in Delmont, PA.

On two goals by Michael Stell (assisted by Koronowski and Larkin, respectively), the Golden Tigers clawed their way back from an early 3-0 deficit cutting the Wolverine advantage to a single goal after one complete period.

In the 2nd stanza, the Golden Tigers were able to knot the score at 5-5 on goals by Kevin Koronowski (Robertson, Donovan on a power play) and Sophomore Jake Jones  (unassisted).

The 3rd frame saw Woodland Hills rip off three straight goals in the first four minutes setting the Golden Tigers back on their heels.  The rest of the period would be a standoff until with less than a minute remaining, Kevin Koronowski completed the hat trick.  The last 51 ticks saw the Golden Tigers pull their goalie in favor of an extra attacker but were unable to close the gap any further.

The loss drops the Golden Tigers below .500 at 8-9-1 and they remain the 6th seed for the playoffs with five teams still vying for four playoff spots.

The Golden Tigers hit the road again next Monday, February 18th as they take on Ford City at the Belmont Ice Complex in Kittanning, PA.  Game time is 7:15.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ The Golden Tigers were an impressive 3 for 8 on the power play, were 8 for 10 on the penalty kill, and yielded a shorthanded goal ~

~ Senior Michael Stell notched his 4th hat trick of the season ~

~ Kevin Koronowski led the offense with 5 points (1g, 4a) while Michael Stell had a 4 point (3g, 1a) night ~

Golden Tigers Notch Win on Senior Night

2/11/08 - In another game where the Golden Tigers needed a win, the Seniors came up big as they defeated a feisty Connellsville squad, 6-5.  Seniors Kevin Koronowski and Michael Stell each posted a hat trick to lead the Golden Tigers to victory while Senior Jeremiah Larkin did his part by contributing two assists.

On goals from Kevin Koronowski (M. Stell, Robertson, power play) and Michael Stell (Koronowski) the Golden Tigers held a tenuous 2-1 lead at the end of the first period.  Connellsville's goal came shorthanded late in the period.

In the 2nd stanza, Michael Stell (Koronowski) and Kevin Koronowski (unassisted and shorthanded) each found the back of the net.  Connellsville kept pace by tallying two markers of their own to keep the Hollidaysburg lead to a single goal.

The 3rd frame saw Connellsville take the lead for the first time on two goals less than a minute apart.  At the 11:10 mark Michael Stell (Larkin) would bury the biscuit to knot the score at 5-5.  Kevin Koronowski (Larkin, Reinhardt)then proceeded to tally the game winner with just 93 ticks remaining on the clock.

The win gives the Golden Tigers an 8-8-1 record and jumped them up a spot to the 6th seed for the playoffs with five teams still vying for four playoff spots.

The Golden Tigers' remaining games are on the road the first of which is against Section 3 frontrunner Woodland Hills this Thursday at Center Ice in Delmont, PA @ 6:30 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ The Golden Tigers were 1 for 5 on the power play and yielded no power play goals on 5 penalty kill attempts~

~ Both teams yielded a shorthanded goal ~

~ Senior Kevin Koronowski led the offense with 5 points (3g, 2a) while Michael Stell had a 4 point (3g, 1a) night ~

Golden Tigers & Trojans Skate to 5-5 Deadlock

2/7/08 - The Golden Tigers needed a win badly and couldn't afford a loss but they got neither as they had to come back to come away with a tie against the Johnstown Trojans.

Johnstown by virtue of two 1st period goals on 5 shots, held a 2-0 advantage going into the 2nd frame with goals at 4:08 and 12:03.   The Golden Tigers registered 7 shots on the Trojan netminder while missing the net on several occasions.

In the 2nd stanza, Senior Michael Stell (Robertson, Budd) tickled the twine with a power play goal to jump start the Golden Tiger offense.  After a Johnstown goal at the midway mark, Senior Kevin Koronowski (M. Stell) found the back of the net to pull the Golden Tigers to within one going into the ice cut. 

The 3rd frame produced half of the game's goals as the teams traded goals for a little over 10 minutes.  Michael Stell (K. Koronowski) tallied his 2nd marker of the game at just 59 seconds while Kevin Koronowski (Reinhardt, Robertson) recorded his 2nd goal when he buried the biscuit at the 7:12 mark.  Still down a goal and time ticking away, Head Coach Jeff Adams pulled Senior Netminder Ronnie Williams in favor of an extra attacker with 1:15 left in game, but unlike the Ligonier Valley game, the Golden Tigers were able to punch their ticket to OT by knocking in the tying goal with a little over a minute left in regulation play.

The Golden Tigers dominated the 5 minute extra session registering 8 shots to just 2 for the Trojans.  Head Coach Jeff Adams made a gutsy move as he pulled Williams again for an extra man as the Golden Tiger's had two face offs in their offensive zone with less than 10 seconds left in the game.  The strategy however didn't pan out as the clock struck 0:00.  The Golden Tiger's 7-8-1 record places them very tenuously as the 7th seed for the playoffs with five teams vying for 4 playoff spots.

The Golden Tigers will face off against Connellsville at Galactic Ice on Monday, February 11th at 7 pm in their home finale as we honor our six graduating seniors.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ The Golden Tigers were 1 for 3 on the power play and yielded 2 power play goals on 3 penalty kill attempts~

~ The Golden Tigers out shot the Trojans 32 to 14 ~

~ Senior Kevin Koronowski led the offense with a 4 point (2g, 2a) effort while Michael Stell & Alex Robertson had 3 points each ~

Varsity Loses a Close One as Koronowski Posts a Hat Trick

1/31/08 - The Golden Tigers came up on the short end of a closely contested game against Ligonier Valley bowing to the Mounties, 5-4.

Ligonier Valley drew first blood at the 6:37 mark of the 1st period but it didn't take the Golden Tigers very long to even things up as Junior Michael Pacifico found the back of the net unassisted from close range just 36 seconds later.  Less than a minute later the Mounties would strike again a held a 2-1 advantage by the end of the period.

The 2nd stanza for the most part belonged to Hollidaysburg as Senior Kevin Koronowski went on a scoring frenzy reeling off 3 consecutive goals with Senior Michael Stell and Freshman Derek Baser notching 2 assists each.  Ligonier Valley responded with a goal late in the period to close the Golden Tiger advantage to a single goal. 

The 3rd frame belonged to Ligonier Valley as they tallied a the tying goal at the 1:01 mark and then the game winner with just a little more than two minutes left on the game clock. Head Coach Jeff Adams pulled Senior Netminder Ronnie Williams in favor of an extra attacker with 1:30 left in game, and while avoiding an empty net goal, the Golden Tigers were unable to punch their ticket to overtime.  The loss dropped the Golden Tigers league record to 7-8-0.

The Golden Tigers will tangle with the Trojans of Greater Johnstown at Galactic Ice next Thursday, February 7th at 8 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ The Golden Tigers were 0 for 1 on the power play and killed the only penalty they faced ~

~ The Golden Tigers out shot Ligonier Valley 30 to 25 ~

~ Senior Kevin Koronowski recorded his 2nd hat trick ~

Junior Defenseman Michael Pacifico Nets Game Winner in OT to Down Valley

1/28/08 - It was Senior Night for Valley when the Golden Tigers came to the Valley Sports Complex to take on the Vikings.  The Golden Tigers turned out to be not very nice guests as they came away with an overtime win courtesy of Junior Michael Pacifico's game winning power play goal in overtime.

Freshman Josh Stell (Koronowski, Jones) got things started for the Golden Tigers when he found himself all alone in front of the Valley net as he buried the biscuit.  Junior Defenseman Michael Pacifico (Robertson, M. Stell) tallied the first of his two goals in the waning minutes of the period giving the Golden Tigers a 2-0 lead to begin the 2nd period.

After a Valley power play goal early in the 2nd period, Senior Kevin Koronowski dominated play by netting two goals with Alex Robertson and Michael Pacifico being credited with helpers.  In the latter stages of the 2nd period, Valley responded with two goals of their own that sandwiched an unassisted goal by Senior Michael Stell that kept Hollidaysburg's 2 goal advantage after 2 complete periods of play. 

Hollidaysburg and Valley traded goals at the start of the 3rd stanza with Josh Stell (Koronowski, Jones) tallying his second of the game in the exchange.  The Golden Tigers then proceeded to yield short handed and power play goals late in the period allowing Valley to knot the score at 6-6 at the end of regulation.  Fortunately for the Golden Tigers, Valley took an untimely holding penalty with only 32 ticks on the clock giving the Golden Tigers the power play opportunity they needed to win the game.

The Golden Tigers began the overtime with the man advantage working the puck very well while getting 4 shots on goal.  The stage was set and Michael Pacifico performed when his blast from the left point found the top corner of the Valley net just over the netminder's glove at the 2:04 mark in overtime.   Let the celebration begin!

The Golden Tigers return to the friendly confines of Galactic Ice when they face off against Ligonier Valley this Thursday, January 31st at 8 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ The Golden Tigers were 1 for 6 on the power play and killed 3 of 5 penalties ~

~ Junior Michael Pacifico, in addition to his 3 point (2 g, 1 a)  effort, tagged Valley players on 8 different occasions with punishing hits. ~

~ Senior Kevin Koronowski tallied 4 points (2 g, 2a) to lead the Golden Tiger's scoring ~

Varsity Rebounds Against Derry

1/24/08 - The Golden Tigers were able to rebound from a 2 game skid posting a 6-3 victory against the visiting Derry Trojans.

Senior Michael Stell (Pacifico) started the Golden Tigers scoring when he found the back of the net just 1:35 into the 1st period.  Senior Kevin Koronowski (Jones, Reinhardt) then proceeded to deposit his first of three goals on the night on the power play at the 11:50 mark.

The 2nd period saw the Golden Tigers tally two more goals by Michael Stell (Reinhardt) and Kevin Koronowski (J. Stell) while the Golden Tiger defense helped limit the Trojans to just 6 shots.

Hollidaysburg would strike first in the 3rd frame as Kevin Koronowski (Pacifico, J. Stell) tickled the twine once again on the power play to earn the hat trick.  Derry made the game interesting by closing the gap with a couple of goals of their own but Freshman Josh Stell (Pacifico, Jones) would seal the deal with a goal at the 8:15 mark on the power play.  Senior Netminder Ronnie Williams had a respectable showing turning away 11 of the 14 shots he faced.

The Golden Tigers return to the friendly confines of Galactic Ice when they face off with Ligonier Valley this  Thursday, January 31st at 8 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ The Golden Tigers were 3 for 5 on the power play and killed 1 of 2 penalties ~

~ Junior Michael Pacifico was the playmaker of the game with 3 assists. ~

~ Newcomer Michael Reinhardt had his 1st multiple point game as a Golden Tiger notching 2 assists ~

Varsity Suffers Loss to Kiski

1/17/08 - The Golden Tigers were unable to rebound from their loss last week to Altoona as the Kiski Area Cavaliers came to town and came away with a 6-3 victory.  The Golden Tigers, who found themselves down 6-1 after two periods, were able to stage a rally in the third frame tallying two goals, but it was too little too late as the game had already been decided.  Senior Kevin Koronowski tallied two goals and an assist to help the Golden Tiger cause.  Senior Mike Stell would net the other Hollidaysburg goal and Sophomore Alex Robertson and Junior Michael Pacifico were each credited with a helper.

Next up for the Golden Tigers is Derry Area on Thursday, January 24th at 8 pm.

***Game Notes***

 ~ The Golden Tigers were 3 for 5 on the power play and killed 1 of 2 penalties ~

Varsity's Four Game Winning Streak Snapped

1/10/08 - The Golden Tigers' four game winning streak came to an abrupt halt courtesy of Altoona as the Mt. Lions posted a decisive 7-0 win.  Despite yielding a goal within the 1st minute of the game, the Golden Tigers didn't lose their pose as they trailed only 1-0 going into the 2nd period.  The 2nd stanza would be a different story as the Golden Tigers power play not only couldn't capitalize on their man advantage opportunities, the Golden Tigers gave up a back breaking three shorthanded goals in the span of less than two minutes that allowed Altoona to extend their lead to 6-0 as the period came to a close.  Altoona tallied a goal in the final frame to round out the scoring.

Next up for the Golden Tigers is Kiski Area on Thursday, January 17th at 8 pm.

***Game Notes***

 ~ The Golden Tigers were 0 for 6 on the power play ~

 ~ The Golden Tigers were not whistled for any penalties ~

  ~ Shots were 27 to 18 in favor of Hollidaysburg ~

Varsity Posts 4th Straight Win

1/3/08 - The Varsity posted their 4th straight win by besting the Johnstown Trojans by a 6-2 count.  It's been the tale of two seasons so far for the Hollidaysburg Golden Tigers as they stumbled coming out of the gate in their first 6 games posting a 1-5 record.  The last 4 games have been a very different story as the Golden Tigers have righted the ship by reeling off 4 straight victories getting them to the .500 mark for the first time since October 29th.

Senior Mike Stell led the way against the Trojans as he tallied a hat trick and an assist for a 4 point effort.  Senior Kevin Koronowski began the scoring just 21 seconds into the game.  With a little over 11 minutes gone in the 1st stanza, Sophomore Alex Robertson took a sweet feed at his point position from Senior Matt Burns and using a screen, ripped a slapper the Johnstown netminder never saw.  Mike Stell netted his 1st goal of the game shorthanded and unassisted at the 13:09 mark of the 2nd period.  The 3rd period began well as Senior Jeremiah Larkin (M. Stell, Reinhardt) deposited the puck in the net.  Mike Stell netted 2 more goals to round out the scoring.

Next up for the Golden Tigers are the Altoona Mt. Lions on Thursday, January 10th at 8 pm.  WRTA 1240 will be broadcasting the game.

***Game Kudos & Notes***

 ~ Mike Stell notched his 3rd HT of the season ~

 ~ Newcomer Michael Reinhardt tallied his 1st Tiger assist ~

 ~ The Golden Tigers were 1 for 7 on the Power Play ~

 ~ The Golden Tigers committed only 2 penalties ~

Golden Tigers Trounce Ferndale

12/20/07 - The Golden Tigers extended their winning streak to three games as they soundly downed the Ferndale Yellow Jackets by a 11-3 count.  Sophomore Goaltender Bryan Wilk made the most of his Varsity debut by turning away 13 of 16 shots.  Senior Michael Stell had a stellar performance by racking up 5 points that included 4 goals and an assist.  Other goal scorers were Freshman Jeremy Budd (1G, 1A), Senior Matt Burns (1 G), Senior Tyler Ermin (1G, 1A), Sophomore Jake Jones (1G, 1A), Junior Michael Pacifico (1G, 1A), Senior Jeremiah Larkin (1G), Freshman Josh Stell (1G, 1A).  Senior Kevin Koronowski and Sophomore Alex Robertson were the playmakers of the game each tallying 3 assists.  With the win, the Golden Tigers improved their record to 4-5-0.

Next up for the Golden Tigers are the Greater Johnstown Trojans at the War Memorial in Johnstown, PA on Thursday, January 3rd with action getting underway at 7 pm.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ The Golden Tigers now have a three game winning streak  ~

~ Goaltender Bryan Wilk notched his first win as a starter ~

~ Senior Michael Stell recorded a Hat Trick + 1  ~

Golden Tiger Teams Come Up Short in DPLSC Finals

The Freshmen Golden Tigers dropped a very close 3-2 contest to the Mid-Penn Grizzles before a nice sized crowd at Galactic Ice.  The Little Golden Tigers would take a penalty late in the game and then just moments later yield a power play goal in the waning moments.  Freshmen Derek Baser and Josh Stell tallied Hollidaysburg's two goals.

The Varsity did not fair much better as they reluctantly gave up the DPLS cup that they've owned for 5 years to the Altoona Mt. Lions.  The 3-1 score was indicative of the closeness of the game both physically and defensively.  Both teams were physical from the drop of the puck and were very defensive minded as quality scoring opportunities were at a premium.

Sophomore Jake Jones, who was assisted by Senior Tyler Ermin, would net Hollidaysburg's lone goal late in the third period on a power play.  The back-breaker for the Golden Tigers probably was their inability to cash in on a two-man advantage in the 2nd period.

Senior Netminder Ronnie Williams turned in a stellar performance stopping 19 of 22 Altoona shots.

We at Hollidaysburg tip our hats to the Altoona Mt. Lions on a great game and great tournament.

The Golden Tigers resume PIHL play at Galactic Ice this Thursday against none other than Altoona with the action getting underway at 8 pm.

Golden Tigers Fall Short on the Road

11/19/07 - Wins for the Golden Tigers this season are not coming as frequently as they have in past seasons as the varsity absorbed yet another setback at the hands of Connellsville at DiVito Park Ice Mine arena in Leisering, PA.  The game was a see saw battle with the Golden Tigers out shooting Connellsville 33-20 but coming up on the short end of a 7-5 score.  The loss extended the Golden Tigers losing streak to 4 games.  The last and only time the Golden Tigers suffered 4 straight losses was in January and February 2006.  The Golden Tigers have never lost more than 4 consecutive league games in their six years of existence.

Golden Tigers Drop 3rd Straight

11/15/07 - The Golden Tigers saw their winless streak go to 3 games as the visiting Woodland Hills Wolverines led by Billy Sullivan's 5 goals soundly defeated the varsity squad 8-4.  Sullivan also recorded assists on Woodland Hills other 3 goals.

It didn't take the Wolverines long to light the lamp when Senior and 1st year Goalie Ronnie Williams misplayed a dump in from the neutral zone at the 1:05 mark that trickled by his stick and through the 5 hole.  The Wolverines owned the 1st period tallying 3 more goals in route to building a 4-0 lead.

The 2nd period saw the Golden Tigers get untracked offensively as Sophomore Jeff Donovan would tickle the twine short-handed on a feed from Senior Mike Stell midway through the period.  Just two minutes later Mike Stell would find the back of the net himself with fellow Senior Kevin Koronowski getting the helper.  The score going into the ice cut stood at 5-2.

After yielding two Wolverine goals to begin the 3rd stanza,  Sophomore Alex Robertson (Koronowski) would tally his 4th goal of the season on the power play at 10:14.  Just two and a half minutes later, the same Robertson/Koronowski combination would strike again to round our the Golden Tigers scoring. 

"Last year we were able to contain Sullivan and limit his scoring chances.  We tried to do the same thing this time around but as you can see from the score sheet, he scorched us.  We just can't seem to put together three good periods of hockey.  Tonight it was the first period that really hurt us.", commented Hollidaysburg Head Coach Jeff Adams. 

Sullivan, who also plays for the Pittsburgh Jr. B Penguins and are ranked #1 in the nation, recently signed to play next year for the Green Mountain Glades of the Eastern Junior Hockey League which is a Tier III Junior A hockey league located in the Northeastern United States.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ The Golden Tigers out shot the Wolverines 50 to 33 ~

~ Senior Kevin Koronowski tallied 3 assists ~

~ Both teams had a power play and a short handed goal ~

~ WRTA 1240 AM Broadcasted the Game with Dave Weaver and Mike Bowman Manning the Microphones ~

Golden Tigers Fall Short in Home Opener

11/8/07 - The Golden Tigers had high hopes for their home opener as the Ford City Sabres paid their first ever visit to Galactic Ice.  However, the Sabres were not very accommodating guests as they came away with a closely contested 4-3 win. 

It took almost the entire 1st period for someone to light the lamp with Ford City doing the honors at the 12:10 mark.  The Golden Tigers came out hitting from the opening whistle but had nothing to show for their efforts as the period ended 1-0 in favor of the Sabres.

The 2nd period was a see saw affair with both teams knocking in two goals each in alternating fashion.  The Golden Tigers found their rhythm as Senior Captain Kevin Koronowski parked the puck in net at the 4:04 mark with Sophomore Alex Robertson providing the nice feed.  After yielding a Ford City goal, Senior Mike Stell dangled a couple of Sabre defenders as well as the goalie as his goal knotted the score at 2 at the 7:37 mark.  Ford City wasn't done however as they were able to find the back of the net to take a 3-2 advantage going into the ice cut.

The 3rd period would be a defensive battle until the 11th minute when the Sabres extended their tenuous lead to 2 goals.  The Golden Tigers took a timeout and whatever the coaching staff said worked as Kevin Koronowski (Robertson, Mike Stell) sent a laser slap shot from the top of the circles past the Ford City goalie to cut the deficit in half.  After a Ford City timeout, Coach Adams pulled Senior Goaltender Ronnie Williams in favor of an extra attacker in an effort to send the game into overtime.  An untimely penalty thwarted the Golden Tigers in the final 1:39 despite having several quality scoring chances in the waning moments of the game.  With the Golden Tigers playing 5 on 5 and with an empty net, the Sabres were able to hold off the onslaught to come away with the road win.

Golden Tigers Suffer First Loss

10/29/07 - The Golden Tigers hadn't played Ligonier Valley since February 2005 when they came away with a relatively easy 8-3 victory.  The Ligonier Valley team that the Golden Tigers faced at Center Ice in Delmont, PA was a better team than they were more than a year and a half ago as they handed the Golden Tigers a 9-5 setback.

Ligonier Valley would strike first with a power play goal at the 2 minute mark.  Just minutes later Freshman Jeremy Budd would notch his 1st career varsity goal to knot the score at 1-1 with Senior Kevin Koronowski receiving credit for the helper.  Ligonier Valley then turned it up a notch or two and responded by reeling off power play, even strength, and shorthanded goals to take a 4-1 lead into the 2nd stanza.

The 2nd period didn't begin well for the Golden Tigers as they yielded yet another shorthanded goal to go down by 4 goals with more than half the period remaining.  To their credit, the Golden Tigers regrouped and proceeded to dominate play the remainder of the period as they closed the gap with 2 goals of their own.  Senior Kevin Koronowski (Mike Stell, Ermin) would tally his first goal of the young season at about the 9 minute mark.  With just 13 ticks of the clock remaining, Sophomore Captain Alex Robertson (Mike Stell, Koronowski) would cut the deficit to 2 by knocking home a power play goal.  The score going into the ice cut, 5-3.

The 3rd period would start with the teams trading goals.  The Golden Tigers marker came off the stick of Kevin Koronowski (Robertson).  The Golden Tigers would own the first half of the period but were only able tickle the twine once with Senior Mike Stell (Burns, Donovan) finding the back of the net making it a one goal game.  Ligonier Valley then proceeded to reel off 3 unanswered goals to set the final score at 9-5.

***Game Notes & Kudos***

 ~ Freshman Jeremy Budd Scored his 1st Varsity Goal ~

~ Senior Kevin Koronowski tallied 4 points (2 G, 2 A) ~

~ Senior Tyler Ermin returned to the ice after a 2 year layoff and chipped in with an assist and several quality hits ~

~ The Golden Tigers were there own worst enemy as they allowed 2 shorthanded goals and 3 power play goals ~

Golden Tigers Open Season with Lopsided Road Victory Over Ferndale

10/23/07 - Head Coach Jeff Adams didn't know what to expect from the Ferndale Yellow Jackets when the Golden Tigers took the ice at the Johnstown War Memorial.  Last year, Ferndale was a young and inexperienced team and Adams was expecting a closer contest this year.  As it turned out, that wasn't the case as the Golden Tigers coasted to an easy 12-2 win.  All pistons were firing as seven different Golden Tigers would find the back of the net in the first period as the Golden Tigers built a 7-0 advantage.  Sophomore Jeff Donovan would start the scoring just a little over a minute into the game with Senior Mike Stell getting the helper.  Senior Matt Burns (Robertson, Baser), Sophomore Alex Robertson (Burns), Freshman Josh Stell (unassisted), Junior Michael Pacifico (Robertson, M. Stell), Mike Stell (Robertson, Pacifico), and Sophomore Jake Jones (Budd, Donovan) notched their first goals of the new season with Jones' goal being a one-timer of the power play variety.

The second period would be much of the same with Mike Stell (unassisted and short-handed), Alex Robertson (Pacifico), Jeff Donovan (Baser), and again Jeff Donovan (M. Stell, Robertson) tickling the twine for the Golden Tigers.

In the third period Ferndale's Jordan Jaco and Donnie Blasko would get their team on the board with Blasko's goal coming on the power play.  Josh Stell (Donovan) would tally his second career varsity goal to round out the scoring.

Senior Goaltender Ronnie Williams turned away 11 of the 13 shots he faced in his scholastic ice hockey debut but was disappointed with not getting the shut out he carried through the middle of the 3rd period.

2006 Alum Josh Wolfe Notches 2 Points in Collegiate Debut

Wooster, OH - 2006 graduate Josh Wolfe began his DI collegiate hockey career in fine fashion by recording an assist and a goal when his YSU Penguins faced off against the Bowling Green State Falcons at the Alice Noble Ice Arena in game one of the four team annual Battle of Ohio.  After YSU spotted BGSU a two goal lead, Wolfe would assist Forward Naaman Moorman on YSU's first goal of the season and then tally his first collegiate goal just a few minutes later to knot the score at two.

"My team's first goal was the result of me just filling the lane in the neutral zone after the left winger went for a change.  Mikey (Poljak) made a great pass to me from the red line.  I was able to skate in and pull the goalie to my side of the net.  Naaman (Moorman) filled the right wing lane perfectly and I was able to slide the puck over to him and he finished.  My goal came off a couple of nice passes from my teammates.  The puck came over to me just below the tops of the circles in the high slot.  It was a little up on edge and I didn't have time to settle it, so I just ripped it.  Thankfully, it got by the goalie.  I was able to get the puck and tossed it to my dad who was in the stands.", commented Wolfe.  "The important thing is we won the game.  I've never put up huge numbers.  All I'm interested in is winning and if we win, the stats will be there."  Wolfe finished with a plus/minus of +2 for the tournament.

*Note - YSU plays in the College Hockey Mid-America Conference (CHMA) of the Division 1 American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) www.achahockey.org

Hollidaysburg Alum Josh Wolfe to Play for Youngstown State University in 2007-08

Little did 2006 Hollidaysburg graduate Josh Wolfe know when he was playing floor hockey at the Hollidaysburg YMCA at the age of 5 that his dream to someday play ice hockey at the Division 1 level would come true.  A month before Wolfe would begin his second year with the Pittsburgh Junior Penguins, Youngstown State University's Head Coach Rocky Russo stopped him in the lobby after an exhibition game against the Junior A Mahoning Valley Phantoms of the North American Hockey League, and began recruiting Wolfe.  His dream is now reality.  "It was pretty amazing that a Division 1 coach was talking to me about coming to play for his program.  Coach Russo kept in touch with me throughout the entire Junior Pens season.  My parents and I visited the campus and I knew immediately that I wanted to be a YSU Penguin wearing #29 again", said Wolfe.  Coach Russo had this to say about Wolfe, "I've seen Josh play on several occasions and he is a very steady physical defenseman.  He's not flashy and rarely makes a mistake.  He just gets the job done.  Josh has leadership qualities our team will need and use over the next four years in our quest for multiple National Championships."  Coach Bryan Errigo, Wolfe's defensive coach with the Pgh Junior Pens, had this to say, "Josh is a very respectful young man and a very coachable hockey player.  Although Josh doesn't wear a letter on his jersey, all his Junior Pen's teammates respect him as a player, a person and a leader on and off the ice as well as in the locker room."

The entire Hollidaysburg hockey family would like to wish Josh the very best as he embarks on his academic endeavors and athletic career at YSU.

*Note - YSU plays in the College Hockey Mid-America Conference (CHMA) of the Division 1 American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) www.achahockey.org