Early hole dooms Falcons in loss to Knoch
Connellsville trailed by four goals early in the third period before cutting the deficit to one, but Knoch was able to hold on for a 5-4 victory on Monday night in PIHL play at the Frozen Pond Arena in Valencia.
The Knights improved to 7-3-1-0, and with 23 points, lead the Falcons (6-3-0-0) by five in the D2 Gold Division. Knoch has two games in hand.
Synjun Mchattie opened the scoring for the home team when he converted on a penalty shot with 13:44 left in the first period.
The Knights extended their lead to 2-0 with 5:07 left in the opening frame when Zack Weiland set-up Brady Linamen for a power-play goal.
Mchattie scored on the power play 44 seconds into the second period for a 3-0 advantage. Linamen and Tyson Voloch assisted on the tally. Knoch was 2 for 3 with the man advantage.
Connellsville cracked the scoreboard with 15:25 left in the second when Sam Denny set-up Will Whittaker on the power play.
The Knights regained their three-goal lead at 10:01 of the middle period when Mitchell Myers put in an even-strength tally. Brayden Knauss assisted on the goal. Knoch took a 4-1 advantage into the third period.
The Knights had a 24-15 edge in shots on goal through the first 34 minutes of play.
Mchattie completed the hat trick 45 seconds into the third for a 5-1 lead. Linamen recorded his second assist on Mchattie’s tally.
The Falcons found their offense the remainder of the game, and Matty Smith’s unassisted goal on the power play with 12:05 left pulled the visitors with three at 5-2.
Logan Hause cut the deficit to 5-3 with 10:08 remaining on an even-strength goal that was assisted by Smith and TJ Snyder.
Liam King got his team within one on an even-strength tally with 8:55 left. Denny assisted on the goal.
Connellsville had an opportunity to tie the contest when a boarding call 12 seconds after King’s goal put the Falcons on a power play, but Knoch was able to kill off the two-minute penalty and preserve the victory. Connellsville was 2 for 4 with the man advantage.
The Falcons had a 13-5 advantage in shots on goal in the final frame, which cut the Knights’ edge for the game to 29-28.
Knoch’s Brady Helsel and Connellsville’s Nick Daniels-Nimick made 24 saves apiece.
The Falcons return to the ice on Dec. 4 when they host McDowell (3-4-0-0) at CFS Bank Arena in Rostraver Township. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.