UNIVERSITY PARK — It’s been eight years since Hollidaysburg has appeared within the Laurel Mountain Hockey League championship recreation, and 20 years for the reason that Golden Tigers have gained a league title.
Hollidaysburg — which is seeded first on this yr’s four-team league event — is hoping to make up for that misplaced time this coming Tuesday evening, when the Golden Tigers will face third-seeded State School within the LMHL championship recreation at Johnstown’s First Summit Financial institution Area on the Cambria County Battle Memorial at 7:30 p.m.
Led by junior middle Carson Younger’s two third-period targets and a very good goalkeeping effort by junior Tyler Duey, Hollidaysburg earned its spot within the championship recreation by grinding out a 5-3 semifinal victory over Central Cambria Thursday evening on the Pegula Ice Area.
State School superior to the title recreation with a 5-0 victory over second-seeded Richand in Thursday’s different semifinal that was performed at Pegula.
“This was an important crew effort,” stated Hollidaysburg coach Cory Reed, whose Golden Tigers improved their season document to 16-3. “We knew that this was going to be a troublesome recreation.
“We began gradual tonight, and we realized that we had higher choose it up as a result of it wasn’t going to be straightforward for us,” Reed added. “We haven’t been to a league championship recreation in eight years, and we’re glad to be getting this chance.”
After Kase Kamzik’s unassisted energy play aim tied the rating for fourth-seeded Central Cambria, 2-2, on the 54-second mark of the third interval, Younger got here up large to offer the Golden Tigers a two-goal lead.
Younger obtained his stick on a free puck close to the web and scored on the 5:19 mark of the third to offer the Golden Tigers the lead for good, 3-2.
“Considered one of their gamers tried to move it out, nevertheless it bounced proper in entrance of the web, and I got here in and put my stick on it, and it went in,” Younger stated.
Simply over 4 minutes later, on the 9:47 mark, Younger scored on an unassisted shot from the left lip of the aim crease to place Hollidaysburg forward, 4-2.
“Carson has been clutch for us all season,” Reed stated of Younger, who facilities a line with sophomore Isaac Miller and senior Colin Horn on the wings. “Carson is a good middle who performs a 200-foot recreation. He’s all that you could ask for in a participant.
“His aim to place us up 3-2 was an enormous one which obtained us going,” Reed added. “Then he utilized the dagger by scoring our fourth aim.”
The Younger line performed a pivotal function in Thursday’s recreation for Hollidaysburg. Miller scored a aim on a tip-in to tie the sport for Hollidaysburg, 1-1, simply 24 seconds into the second interval.
Standing together with the cage, Horn rapped Miller’s sharp move behind Central Cambria goalie Charles Edwards with Hollidaysburg on the facility play on the 15:22 mark of the second interval to offer the Golden Tigers a 2-1 lead on the second intermission.
Fourth-seeded Central Cambria (12-7), which opened the scoring on Brayden Rado’s first-period aim 5:58 into the sport, tied the rating 2-2 on an influence play aim by Kamzik 54 seconds into the third interval.
Miller additionally had two assists for Hollidaysburg, which obtained a 36-save efficiency in web from Duey that drew the admiration of each coaches.
“Their goaltender performed a heck of a recreation — he was outstanding,” Central Cambria affiliate coach Bryce Boring stated of Duey. “I’m very pleased with the way in which that our guys performed, however give Hollidaysburg credit score. They performed a stable, all-around recreation.”
Reed stated that Duey has been lights-out in aim for Hollidaysburg all season lengthy.
“Tyler has been stable for us all season,” Reed stated. “For my part, he’s the most effective goaltender within the league. He all the time exhibits up large for us within the large video games.”
Central Cambria drew to inside 4-3 on Rado’s second aim of the sport, with the Purple Devils on the facility play, on the 14:11 mark of the third interval.
A Central Cambria participant was whistled for hooking with simply 1:12 left although, negating any benefit that Central Cambria would possibly get by pulling its goaltender for an additional attacker within the ultimate minute.
Edwards did depart the aim, nonetheless, and simply as he had reached the bench, Hollidaysburg padlocked the result on an unassisted empty-net aim by senior defenseman Braden Burkey with simply 45 seconds left within the recreation to clinch its first berth within the league title recreation in fairly a very long time.
“It feels nice, to be sincere,” Younger stated. “This a reasonably large second for us.”
SCORE BY PERIODS
Central Cambria 1 0 2 — 3
Hollidaysburg 0 2 3 — 5
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1, CC–Rado (Lundberg, Semelsberger), 5:58. Penalties: Central Cambria (roughing minor), 8:51.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 2, H–Miller (Smith, Horn), :24; 3, H–Horn (Miller, Younger), ppg, 15:22. Penalties: Central Cambria (tripping minor), 13:42; Hollidaysburg (hooking minor), 16:07.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 4, CC–Kamzik (unassisted), ppg, :54. 5, HOL–Younger (Miller), 5:19. 6, HOL–Younger (unassisted), 9:47. 7, CC–Rado (D. Park), ppg, 14:11. 8, HOL–Burkey (unassisted), ppg, 16:15. Penalties: Hollidaysburg (holding minor), 13:41; Central Cambria (hooking minor), 15:48.
Photographs on aim: Central Cambria–9-14-15-39; Hollidaysburg–8-12-8-28.
Saves: Edwards, CC, 23; Duey, H, 36.
Information: Central Cambria (12-7), Hollidaysburg (16-3).
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