Back where they belong
NEVILLE ISLAND — Mars senior defenseman Ian Houk-Graves savored watching Owen Vasbinder's shot hit the back of the net before skating to the boards to join the celebration.
Houk-Graves already has plenty of happy hockey memories.
Vasbinder's goal —scored 2 minutes, 26 seconds into overtime during the Planets' 4-3 win over Deer Lakes in a PIHL Class A semifinal Wednesday night at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center — provides Houk-Graves an opportunity to add the one he's missing.
Winning a Penguins Cup at Consol Energy Center.
Mars, which last won in 2011, will have an opportunity to do so against top-seeded Quaker Valley in the finals at 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
“The goal just brings back all those memories going back to the Pens Cup,” said Houk-Graves, who scored twice. “We're getting a ring this year for sure. I want it so bad and it being my senior year puts it over the top.”
The Quakers (19-1-1) advanced with a 3-2 overtime win over Hempfield.
Quaker Valley has won three straight Penguins Cup championships, including wins over the Planets in the finals in 2012 and 2013.
Mars, which will be making it seventh trip to the finals in eight seasons, hasn't won since capturing three straight from 2009-11.
“This team wants to leave their mark on history,” Planets coach Steve Meyers said. “More than likely, we won't be in Single A next year. This is gravy to us and we want to get one more before we move up.”
Deer Lakes goalie Jonathan Lang made the Planets (19-4-1) sweat out the win.Lang made 54 saves, including one on Vasbinder that he caught falling down after it bounced over his head.Paul Maust carried the puck through the zone on the next rush and fired a shot that put Lang out of position.Vasbinder, who was sitting in the left circle, was wide open.He corralled the puck and flipped it past an out-of-position Lang.“It bobbled right to me,” Vasbinder said. “It took me a few seconds to get the puck on my stick, but I finally got it and put it on my stick. After that, I don't remember (anything).”It was a crushing blow for the Lancers, who were an offensive juggernaut. Deer Lakes (17-6-1) scored 182 goals — an average of 7.8 per game — this season.“We tried to play tight and controlled,” Deer Lakes coach Todd Luniewski said. “I think we did. I was happy to make it as far as we made it. To lose this way in overtime was tough.”The Lancers even took a 3-2 third-period lead when Mitch Rupprecht painted the top corner with a shot from left circle with 14:45 remaining.Meyers wanted the Planets to battle back by crashing the net.A wrist shot from Houk-Graves evened the game three minutes later.“This team has been here quite a bit, so there wasn't any panic when Deer Lakes scored,” Meyers said. “If we tried to get it all back at once, we were going to get in trouble with their forwards.”Rupprecht, who was the PIHL's first 50-goal scorer since 2003, got free on a breakaway with 5:55 left after stealing the puck.Houk-Graves made a diving poke check to prevent him from getting close to Mars goalie Tyler Spreng.“There's no way he's getting a goal on this,” said Houk-Graves about his thought process. “I missed the puck and fumbled it and there's no way I was letting him get that.”Beau Heakins scored Mars' other goal on a power play in the first period.The Planets went 1-for-5 with the man advantage and put a barrage of shots on net.“We had a lot of shots and he kept saving them. We knew he was getting a lot of rebounds,” Vasbinder said. “My coaches kept telling me to put it on net.”Vasbinder did.That's why Mars is headed back to the Penguins Cup.Houk-Graves still needs a championship memory.“For a lot of guys this is going to be one of their first time at the Penguins Cup,” Houk-Graves said. “They're going to have nerves. It's my job to calm them down and make sure they're all right and focus on the whole picture. Just focus on the game.”
