It took overtime to decide the PIHL Division 2 championship.
Burrell and Ringgold played the championship game like they did two meetings during the regular season: tight, one-goal games.
Ringgold won both regular season meetings in overtime by the identical scores of 4-3.
It was not an identical score, but Ringgold, on an overtime goal by Anthony Bonari with 2:53 left in the first extra period, defeated Burrell for the third time, 3-2, on Monday night.
It was Ringgold’s third PIHL title.
Ringgold was a Class A winner in 1990 and a D2 winner in 2019.
Burrell had never won the title. It is the third consecutive season that the Bucs lost in the finals.
Both goalies – Burrell’s Seth Munda and Ringgold’s Mason Ribnicky – made huge saves in the final minutes of regulation to keep the score tied.
Both teams played exciting, fast-paced hockey, generating numerous offensive chances.
“Both teams made plays,” Burrell coach Drew Burkett said. “It you look at the past three games, I do not think effort was never ever the question. We gave it all we had.”
In overtime, Burrell’s Dom Rosa hit the post during a power play.
Burrell’s Dante Taliano almost ended it when he intercepted a clearing pass and fired a shot, but Ribnicky made a glove save.
Bonari stormed down the left side, got past the Burrell defense and beat Munda.
Burrell grabbed a 1-0 lead when Rosa scored 3:06 into the game. Cooper Suman had the assist.
Ringgold tied the score 1-1 on a goal by Carl Singer. Vaughn Shannon had the assist.
Burrell reclaimed the lead 2-1 in the second period when Alyx Hatajik scored unassisted.
But late in the second period, Ringgold tied the score 2-2 when Bruce Santina scored from Bonari.
The Rans finished first in the Blue Division and Burrell finished third.
“We always expect to be here,” Burkett said. “We have a big group of 11 seniors, and we picked up players from Kiski, and they got introduced to how we play at Kiski.”