Site last updated: Saturday, April 20, 2024

Log In

Reset Password
MENU
Butler County's great daily newspaper

Raider hockey all about balance

Seneca Valley taking on Central in PIHL semifinal

JACKSON TWP — Look as long as you like at the PIHL Class AAA scoring leaders.

No names from Seneca Valley will appear among the top 25 players on that list.

The Raiders (11-8-2) will appear in the PIHL semifinals, however, taking on top-seeded Central Catholic (17-4) at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at the Robert Morris University Ice Complex.

“We are very balanced and we’ve been able to adjust our bench to accommodate certain situations,” SV coach Anthony Raco said.

“We really don’t have a top six we throw out there as our top two lines. We mix and match. That’s been effective for us.”

Giovanni Sarachine leads the Raiders with seven goals and 17 points this season. SV has 10 players who have scored between three and seven goals, including defenseman Zach Broskey.

Tyler Murphy has scored seven goals, Noah Watkiss six, Chris Lipnicky and Braden White five each for SV.

By comparison, Central Catholic has three of the top scorers in all of PIHL Class AAA in Ryan Kingerski (18 goals-19 assists), Jake Tepe (16-16) and Ryan Haag (19-11).

“Those three players win games for them,” Raco said. “We’re going to have to get more aggressive defensively in front of (goaltender) Dylan (Sloat). We’re going to have to help him and block some of those shots.

“They have a formidable power play unit, too, so we have to stay out of the penalty box. We’ve been like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that way, staying disciplined some games and taking eight penalties in others.”

Sloat has been a big key to the Raiders’ success. He is carrying a 2.37 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. Only two PIHL AAA goalies have better numbers: North Allegheny’s Ryan Heil (1.97 GAA) and Sloat’s teammate, Logan Robinson (2.07).

“We are one of the toughest teams to score on in the league and our goaltenders are a big reason for that,” Raco said.

“But we’re also one of the lowest scoring teams in the league. We need to generate more offense in this game.”

That won’t come easily against Central goaltender Nathaniel Cava, who is 15-3 with a 2.85 goals-against.

“If we limit them to a couple of goals, we stand a pretty good chance of winning,” Raco said.

Sloat agreed.

“We’ve been a good defensive team all year,” the goalie said. “My success in net this season is largely because of the defensive help I get every game.

“Everybody contributes to defense on this team.”

Seneca Valley lost a pair of close games to Central — 3-1 and 4-3 — during the regular season.

Sloat has been the Raiders’ starting netminder since midway through last season.

“It’s their big line against our balanced scoring,” he said. “I think we stand a pretty good shot at this.”

North Allegheny faces Peters Township in the other semifinal at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the RMU Ice Complex.

More in High School

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

* indicates required
TODAY'S PHOTOS