Wildcats Lose in Hockey Cup Semi-Finals

by Jonathan Weaver

For the second-straight year, the Kittanning Wildcats hockey team couldn’t make it to the Class A Penguins Cup finals – this time, losing to the top-seeded Quaker Valley Quakers 7-1 Monday night.

Kittanning Assistant Coach Dustin Kellner said the Wildcats had a tough start to the game, which was played at the Island Sports Center in Moon Township, and were behind 1-0 after the first period.

“(Quaker Valley was) moving the puck pretty well and it put us back on our heels to start. The kids began to respond a little bit but after the second period, it was 3-1 and (Quaker Valley) was taking advantage of the power plays they were getting and some of the mistakes we had made,” Kellner said.

Kellner said ‘ill-timed’ penalties and not being able to get the puck out of the offensive zone hurt the Wildcats.

“I’m not sure if we were 100 percent prepared for how aggressive (Quaker Valley) would be on some of the simple mistakes we made,” Kellner said.

The lone Wildcat goal was scored in the second period by senior forward Heinz Koster, who will go on to play for the Aberdeen Wings of the North American Hockey League.

The team’s other three seniors – assistant captains Luke Mitchell and Ryan Toy and defensemen Ethan Eisenbrandt – will further their education and might play college hockey.  

“It was rough to see their last game,” Kellner said. “We wish all of them nothing but the best, and if they ever need anything, as coaches we hope to help them out through any situation.”

Coach Kellner will speak to Head Coach Jamie King about possibly arranging a pick-up game before graduation.

The Wildcats end their season with a 14-6-1 record.

Kittanning Advances in PIHL Playoffs

The Kittanning Wildcats hockey team celebrates after a 4-1 victory over Serra Catholic in the first round of the Class A PIHL playoffs.

by Jonathan Weaver

The hometown favorite-Kittanning Wildcats hockey team is moving on to the next round of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League playoffs after a win Thursday night 4-1 over the Serra Catholic Wolves.

Playing before a full crowd at the Belmont Complex in East Franklin Township, Kittanning proved they were ready to play early when Sophomore Hunter Grafton registered the first goal of the game only 21 seconds into the first period.

“I think it took away some of the nerves from the players,” Grafton said. “I wasn’t nervous, but that helped settle everyone in and start the game off the right way.”

After a Serra Catholic goal, Class A scoring leader and Kittanning captain Heinz Koster scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal with one minute left in the first period.

Senior Captain Heinz Koster scored two goals in the victory, but said the team has to work together to win the Penguins Cup.

Koster was pleased with the win to continue his senior season.

“It feels awesome. If we come out and play as a team, no one can play with us,” Koster said. “If we’re going to be individuals, it’s not going to work. But, if we play as a team, we have all the skill in the world and can do anything.”

Grafton and Koster agreed that there is chemistry on the scoring line – with both scoring two goals on the night – and left Serra Catholic scrambling.

“Once we got a 3-1 lead going into the third, they started getting anxious and running, and that helped us even more,” Koster said. “We just kept hammering it on them and they couldn’t get it out (of their zone). It helped out a lot.”

Coach Jamie King said Kittanning’s next opponent has to find a way to shut Koster down to advance to the Penguins Cup finals.

“Every team that plays us, that has to be their main focus on how to stop him. If you see a better player in Western Pennsylvania, I haven’t seen him yet this year – at any level,” King said.

King said his team will work on defense and the power play before their next game, which will be Monday night against the top-seeded Quaker Valley Quakers.

“The thing about playoffs is that it is more team-structured because some of the guys are beat up – you’ll see half the guys with ice packs on – but we always say that’s what it takes to win in the playoffs,” King said.

Serra Catholic beat Kittanning in the playoffs two years ago, but now exit the playoffs early.