The Mars hockey team didn't miss a beat when Steve Meyers took over as coach after Tim Coleman and Lynn Sipe were suspended.

PITTSBURGH— Lending a helping hand has become commonplace for Steve Meyers.

And he's pretty good at it.

The 2003 Mars graduate enjoyed a fine hockey career with the Planets, scoring 39 goals his senior season. He went on to play for Slippery Rock University's club team.

"One of our assistant coaches left, so I volunteered to help out in that capacity during my last year there,"Meyers said.

That was during the 2006-07 season. Two years later, Meyers is behind the Mars bench trying to secure the Penguins Cup Class Achampionship.

"It does seem a little strange,"he admitted. "That experience of helping out at Slippery Rock really helped get me ready for this year. I learned so much."

While Mars has won 44 of the 48 hockey games it's played during the past two seasons, Meyers was not a part of the program last year. He came on board this year as an assistant to coach Tim Coleman.

When Coleman was suspended for two years as a result of a brawl at Somerset in mid-January, assistant Lynn Sipe took over as head coach.

When it was learned that Sipe would be suspended for one year, Meyers, who wasn't at the Somerset game, was handed the job.

"The staff thought it was best for stability right now, given the suspensions,"Meyers said.

Meyers' assistants, Bob Brill, Steve Neese and Mike Manganello, are former Mars players as well.

"We don't know what the coaching situation will be next year. We're not worried about that right now,"Meyers said. "Next year is next year. We're trying to get through this year."

The Planets have outscored the opposition 166 to 28. Wednesday's 4-0 semifinal win over Quaker Valley was their fourth conquest of the Quakers this season, following regular season wins of 3-0, 4-1 and 6-0.

Meyers was not the head coach for any of those wins. Wednesday marked just his sixth game as head coach, all victories.

"Our game plan was to collapse in on (Quaker Valley standout)Colin South, have someone in front of him and behind him at all times,"Meyers said. "Bishop McCort and Serra Catholic both have a standout scorer, too, but they also have deeper lineups.

"We won't be able to employ the same strategy the next time."

But there is a next time.

"That's because of the talent we have out there,"Meyers said, smiling. "I'm just minding the store."