CASTLE SHANNON— Jake Robash takes the "C" on his sweater very seriously.

"I have to," the senior Mars hockey forward said. "We want to get back to the Penguins Cup. Part of my duties as captain is making sure we maintain that focus."

So far, so good.

Robash was part of a high-powered Mars attack last season, scoring 25 goals as the Planets posted a 22-2-1 record before their season ended with a 3-1 loss to Quaker Valley in the Penguins Cup Class A championship game at Mellon Arena.

Gone from that team are 60-point scorer Ian Finney, 33-goal scorer Michael Heltman, top defenseman Sean Roach and goaltender Greg Lewis, who sported a 0.82 goals against average.

But key players like forwards Robash and Mike Mazzotta, defensemen Steve Tracy and Tyler Whiteford, were coming back.

"You have to believe in the system," Robash said. "And we've got a pretty good one."

The Planets took a 13-1 record and an 11-game winning streak into Monday's game with Knoch. Mars has outscored the opposition 103-20 so far.

Tyler Stepke and Martin Lamneck have divided time in goal. Stepke is 5-1 with a 1.16 goals-against average while Lamneck is 6-0 with a 1.76 GAA.

Robash has become Mars' biggest scoring threat, notching 20 goals, 16 assists and 36 points. His 20 goals tie him for third in PIHLClass A, his 36 points are tied for fourth in overall scoring.

Robash is averaging more than three points per game.

"I don't worry about scoring goals as much as I do going into the corners, getting the puck and setting up a teammate,"Robash said. "I have more fun watching one of them put the puck in the net than doing so myself."

Along those lines, he had two assists and no goals in Saturday's PIHLClass AAll-Star Game at the Ice Castle in Castle Shannon.

Matthew Wingert has 11 goals for Mars and Derek Sitterly has 10. Everyone else is in single digits.

Mars averaged 7.9 goals per game last year. The Planets are netting 7.3 per game this year despite losing Finney's and Heltman's production.

"Everybody's role changes every year,"Robash said. "We just piece the puzzle back together again."

A good-sized forward, Robash doesn't shy away from the physical part of the game. Still, he's taken only one penalty all season, and has one power play and one short-handed goal.

Most of his production comes when the teams are at equal strength.

"We like to make things happen, force the issue and get the lead,"Robash said.

Also a teammate of Tracy's on the Pittsburgh Viper Stars Class AAAamateur team at the Valley Sports Complex in New Kensington, Robash keeps a busy schedule.

"I'm on the ice six days out of seven and usually play four games in a week," he said. "I've been playing this game since I was about 4 years old.

"I remember going out in the backyard as a kid, just shooting pucks around. It never got old."

It still doesn't.

"I'm going to the University of Pittsburgh and will try to walk on," Robash said. "I know I have to continue honing my skills. I'll keep doing that."