The PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs continue with Day 2 of the high school hockey quarterfinals.
The margin between two PIHL Class 3A rivals was tight all season, until the end when there was no difference.
Both North Allegheny and Pine-Richland finished in a tie for fourth place along with Central Catholic, all with 34 points.
The Tigers ended the regular season with nine wins, six losses, an overtime victory and two overtime losses.
The 2024 Penguins Cup champion Rams finished with eight wins, five losses, two OT victories and three overtime losses.
The two square off Tuesday on their home ice at the Baierl Ice Complex in Warrendale at 8:30 p.m.
North Allegheny won the first meeting between the teams this year in overtime in October, 2-1.
In the second clash in early January, Pine-Richland picked up the victory, 5-3.
In the other 3A semifinal slated for Tuesday, No. 7 South Fayette (7-10-3-0) goes up against No. 2 Peters Township (14-4-0-2) at Printscape Arena at Southpointe at 9 p.m.
The Indians won the first game in November, 5-3, while the 2025 runner-up Lions earned a split 12 days ago, 4-3.
Historic powers collide
Both Bethel Park and Bishop McCort have rich traditions of success on the ice with a combined 14 PIHL Penguins Cup championships.
Both programs have won seven high school hockey crowns. In fact, in 2005 and 1997, they were both cup winners, the Black Hawks in 3A and the Crimson Crushers in Class A.
The Hawks’ last title was 14 years ago in 2012 and the Crushers last took home gold to Johnstown in 2018.
Now, both programs are in 2A and will clash in a quarterfinal Tuesday at the YMCA in Bethel Park at 9 p.m.
No. 4 Bethel Park has 13 wins, five losses and one overtime win and loss each this season.
No. 5 Bishop McCort has eight wins, nine losses, two OT victories and one overtime loss.
The Black Hawks won both games against the Crimson Crushers this season, winning in November, 5-2, and then a month later in December, 3-2.
In the other 2A quarterfinal Tuesday, No. 7 Latrobe (7-10-2-1) battles No. 2 Armstrong (16-3-1-0) at the Belmont Ice Complex in Kittanning at 7:30 p.m.
The River Hawks swept the regular season series, 8-4 and 5-2.
Rest vs. rust
All but two of the Class A PIHL Penguins Cup playoff teams have one game under their belt.
Canon-McMillan is one of the two that doesn’t after earning a first-round bye as Blue Division champions.
The top-seeded Big Macs hit the ice for the first time this postseason Tuesday when they host No. 8 Butler at the Printscape Arena in Southpointe at 7 p.m.
Canon-McMillan has 18 wins, one loss and one overtime victory this season; however, it has only played two games in a month and last played more than two weeks ago.
Butler has 15 wins, four losses and one overtime win and loss.
The Golden Tornado edged North Catholic in the opening round last week, 2-1.
This is the first meeting of the year between the teams.
Wednesday action
Looking ahead to Wednesday, there is one game in the PIHL Division 2 hockey playoffs.
No. 8 Deer Lakes (8-11-1-0) heads south to face off against top-seeded Morgantown (15-3-1-1) at the Hope Gas Pavilion in Morgantown at 7:50 p.m.
Tuesday on Trib HSSN
There is one broadcast and three podcasts you can listen to at TribHSSN.TribLive.com on the second day of March.
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast featuring WPIAL boys basketball Team of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast featuring WPIAL girls basketball Team of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast featuring WPIAL girls basketball Player of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIHL Hockey Penguins Cup Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 3A Quarterfinals: North Allegheny vs. Pine-Richland at 8:30 p.m. on the North Allegheny Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com