38th Annual CHE Playoffs
Round 1
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2009
Location: BladeRunners Ice Complex; Bethel Park, PA
Game 1: PSA 3 d. RMU D-III 2
Game 2: PSB 4 d. FSU 3
Round 2
Date: Sunday, February 22, 2009
Location: BladeRunners Ice Complex; Bethel Park, PA
Game 1: PSB 7 d. UPJ 0
Game 2: CUP-I 9 d. PSA 3
Game Recaps: Round 1
#6-Penn State Altoona 3 vs. #3-Robert Morris D-III 2
Penn State Altoona kicks the CHE Playoffs off with an upset, as the 6th seeded Lions defeat the 3rd seeded Colonials. Balance was the key for Altoona, as three different players scored for PSA. Chris Ryan was also solid in net, stopping 30 of the 32 shots he faced. Altoona took the early 1-0 lead, thanks to a Ryan Kramer goal in the 1st period. Robert Morris tied the score four minutes later as Jack Erathscored. RMU took the lead 44 seconds into the 2nd on a goal from Brendan Boyle. The Colonials took the 2-1 lead into the 3rd, but PSA took over from there. TJ McCormick tied the score four minutes in and Chad Coval scored the game winner eight minutes later to give PSA the victory. John Dominick stopped 33 shots in the Colonials loss.
#5-Penn State Behrend 4 vs. #4-Fredonia State 3
Behrend exacts some revenge on Fredonia, who had beaten them three times previously this year (Twice in the Regular Season, once at Regional’s). Eric Theissen was the star of the game, providing excellent goaltending; stopping 39 of the 42 shots he faced to help contain the Blue Devils. Chris Simanic & Josh Horvath each notched two points in the Lions victory. Fredonia took a 2-1 lead in the 2nd period on a goal from Louie Maier. From that point on, PSB scored three unanswered goals to take a lead they would not give up. Nick Winarski scored the game winning goal one minute into the 3rd period. Dan Schwab scored with three minutes left to cut the lead to one, but FSU couldn’t muster one last goal to tie the game.
Game Recaps: Round 2
#5-Penn State Behrend 7 vs. #2-Pitt-Johnstown 0
Penn State Behrend continues it upset-minded ways, as the Lions defeat the 2ndseeded Pitt-Johnstown Ice Cats. Chris Simanic was a dominating force in the game, notching four goals and two assists in the PSB victory. UPJ could never get the offense going and couldn’t solve goalie Eric Theissen, who stopped all 31 shots he faced. PSB started quickly on a Josh Horvath goal ten minutes into the game. Behrend extended the lead to 3-0 in the 2nd period on goals by Simanic and Chad Wagner. In the 3rd period, the Lions put the game away with four goals, two of them coming while shorthanded. Penn State Behrend advances to the CHE Championship Series for the first time in school history.
#1-California of PA-I 9 vs. #6-Penn State Altoona 3
California scoring firepower was too much for Altoona to handle, as Cal attempts to win their 3rd consecutive CHE Championship. The Vulcan’s scored the first four games of the game, taking a lead that they never surrendered. Ryan Jones, the CHE Regular Season Points Leader, continued his strong play with three goals and three assists. CHE Defensemen of the Year Nick Posa notched four assists in the Cal victory. Altoona cut the Cal lead to 4-2 on consecutive goals by Kevin McAndrew & Chris Lewis. Four minutes later, California extended the lead on a goal by Joe Powell. CHE Goalie of the Year Josh Gilliam stopped 23 of the 26 shots he faced in the victory. McAndrew added another goal for PSA in the loss.
