Butler had three players score goals, and the sixth seeded team in the PIHL Penguins Cup Class AAA playoffs hung on to upset #3 BP, 3-1.

This was the third meeting between the teams. Butler won the first match-up, 4-3, on November 3, 2014, but lost the regular season rematch on January 23 of this year, 5-2.

The first period was scoreless as neither team could get used to the opposing defense. However, in the opening minutes of the second period, Butler broke through.

After only two minutes elapsed in the second period, Connor Scott went through BP’s defense to stick the puck in the net. Trevor Gilliand got the assist.

Gilliand got his own goal seven minutes later. Here, he shot the puck straight into the net. Scott got the assist.

The next goal was also scored by Butler, but not by Gilliand nor Scott. Jonathan Fair picked up the point this time with only 27 seconds left in the second period. The goal was assisted by Brendan Ackelson and Benjamin Rodgers.

Butler was held scoreless in the third period. However, BP finally got onto the board with a power play goal.

BP’s Gary Cerrone collected the lone goal for the Black Hawks by swooping by Butler’s defense to score. The goal was assisted by Louie McLinden and Tyler Kruszewski. This was the only goal out of 26 shots on goal for BP.

BP had two golden opportunities in the game to score goals. From the 6:42 mark to the 7:35 mark, Butler was two men down after Christopher Campbell and Fair were penalized for tripping and roughing, respectively. However, BP could not capitalize. Another great chance for BP was the last 1:43 of the game, when Butler was down a man after Cameron Barto got a penalty for boarding and misconduct. Again, BP could not score.

Ethan Wdowiak led BP with four penalty minutes. He was penalized for tripping at the 13:28 mark in the first period, and again in the second period for cross checking after 4:10 passed. No other BP players were penalized.

BP goalie William Lowe III got 17 saves out of 20 shots faced. Butler’s net protector, Clay Bachman, had 25 saves.

This was a disappointing end to BP’s season after a good chance of getting to the semifinals, and possibly the finals. In 2012, the team won the Penguins Cup, while in 2014, the Black Hawks won the USA Hockey National Championship.

Butler goes on to the semifinals, where they will face the #2 Peters Twp Indians, who won the 2013 and 2014 Penguins Cup. The game will be played at Robert Morris University Island Sports Center on Tuesday, March 10. Action will start at 8:30 p.m. The Indians beat the Golden Tornados twice out of two meetings in the regular season.

The other semifinal match will pit the fourth ranked Canon-McMillan team against North Allegheny, who is ranked first in the state. The game will be played at the RMU Island Sports Center on March 10, but will start two hours earlier at 6:30 p.m.