Mars won the Penguins Cup last season. Seneca Valley just missed.

Both teams are aimed in that direction again as the 2009-10 PIHL hockey season is under way.

The Planets were 20-1 a year ago, but 37-goal scorer Jake Robash and high-scoring defenseman Steve Tracy are both gone. Mike Mazzotta is the lone returnee from Mars' top two lines from last season.

"We've still got a fairly deep team," second-year coach Steve Meyers said. "We plan to be an extremely aggressive offensive team again."

Mazzotta scored 14 goals a year ago, but Meyers expects him to relish the role of leading the top line in Robash's wake. Robert Sigurdsson andNick Blaney will be on that line with him.

Tyler Whiteford (15 goals-16 assists) and Elliot Tisdale are other key returnees for the Planets, who also bring back stellar goaltender Tyler Stepke.

"We beat Hampton and Kittanning in the St. Margarets Tournament and they have very good teams," Meyers said. "We'll still have two good lines, a strong defense and a lot of fast skaters.

"There's no reason why we shouldn't make another run at the Penguins Cup."

While Mars won the Class A Cup last year, Seneca Valley dropped an overtime decision to Shaler in the Class AAA Penguins Cup finale.

Denis Kirstein guided the Raiders to a 12-5-5 record in his first season at the helm and most of those players are back. SV only graduated three seniors from a year ago.

"Experience is our biggest strength," Kirstein said. "We've got 13 seniors on this team."

Among the veteran players are Sam Jarrett (16 goals-11 assists), Tyler Pfeffer (12-23) and Brandon Platt (15-11). Ryan Schutte returns as goaltender and the defense is anchored by Derek Hathazy, Joe Natoli, James Rankin, Tyler Rose, Kaleb Schwab and Tayler Wagner.

USA Hockey is having a national high school tournament this year and one team from the PIHL will be selected to compete.

"Our goal is to be that team," Kirstein said. "We're picked No. 1 in the coaches' preseason poll, so that bullseye will be on our back. But this team has a lot of toughness and when they drop the puck, we'll respond."

Knoch finished 12-8-1 last season and returns top scorer Evan Gorse (17 goals-31 assists). Joe Honzo is the Knights' new coach.

Gorse and Shayne Hennessy scored goals in a season-opening 2-0 win over South Fayette on Monday.

"We have a balanced team and we didn't duck anyone in preseason," Honzo said. "We've got three balanced lines and two defenseman who are playing with the Junior Penguins."

Tyler Honzo and Matt Eshelman play for the Junior Pens. Ryan Naples has been stellar in goal for Knoch as well.

"I'm excited about the talent that's here and how it's progressing," Honzo said.

Freeport was 10-10-1 a year ago and lost 34 goals with the graduation of Jeremy Hepler and John Reichenbaugh. But Yellowjacket coach Dave Hepler returns two 20-goal scorers in Neil DeCroo (21-13) and Shane Gallagher (22-19).

Cody Lee is a sophomore goaltender and Nate King, a freshman on the Freeport team that won the Penguins Cup two years ago, returns to his defense position after not playing last year.

"Nate's return is a big boost," Hepler said. "Our numbers are always down. We only had 12 or 13 players when we won the Cup.

"We'll be calling up four freshmen for every varsity game. You're not allowed to call up more than that."

Despite low numbers, Freeport has gotten to the playoffs in each of the past five years.

"Get to the playoffs and take your shot," Hepler said. "It's one game at a time And sometimes a hot goalie can steal you a game or the other goalie can steal one from you.

"Bottom line, it's a crapshoot once you get there. But you have to get there."