Indians' Playoff Preview: New Class Level, Same Goal

The Peters Township Indians bumped up class levels from AA to AAA this year. That puts Peters hockey in the same league as rivals Canon-McMillan, Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park and Mt. Lebanon.

Although the Indians are facing different competition this year, the goal remains the same.

“Every year we only have one goal—to win the Penguin Cup. Anything else is considered a failure,” said senior co-captain Cole Snyder.

The road to this year’s Penguin Cup definitely will not be an easy one. With the class level change, the competition level increases. Defeating teams such as the Big Macs or the Blue Devils will undoubtedly be a difficult feat. Canon-Mac looks dominant right now, with a threatening offense and a tough goalie.

“There are plenty of good teams in the league this year, but we are still confident we have the ability to defeat any opponent,” said junior Alex DeBolt.

Predicting the future of the Indians in the playoffs is certainly a challenge, mainly because of some inconsistencies on the ice. Sometimes PT plays to the level of fierce opponents such as Mt. Lebanon and Canon-Mac. On other days, the team looks entirely disharmonious and sloppy against weaker competition, such as Bethel Park. Once the Indians can find a way to consistently gel on the ice, the team may find themselves in contention for the Penguin Cup.

If the Indians are to win the Penguin Cup this year, a couple factors must be in order:

First, sophomore goalie Brian Baker has to be on top of his game all postseason. Statistically, Baker ranks as one of the best goalies of the 2011-2012 PIHL AAA season. However, it will be interesting to see how he matches up against consistently strong shooters.

“I will have to play with high intensity and fight to the finish, and as long as the team makes the smart and simple plays we can beat anyone,” said Baker.

Second, the Indians are going to need a dark horse. On any winning team, one player really needs to step up during the postseason. My guess for the position is senior Davan Groom. Groom possesses great speed and agility up and down the ice and has an impressive mental aspect of the game. He seems to know the game very well and rarely ends up in the penalty box. In addition, he can fire a quick wrist shot toward the net, not to mention his ability to set up scoring plays.

Next, the Indians need their Rowdy Red student section.

The fans recharge the team when things look bleak. Although the student section sometimes gets slightly out of control, the players need to hear their loyal fans to excite and motivate them to play.

“I think it really means a lot to the players that I would show up to cheer them on,” said senior Park Bogan.

Lastly, the Indians must receive assistance from their playmakers. Senior leaders Cole Snyder, Taylor Cox and Aaron McDonough need to help the team on and off the ice. On the ice, the trio has to work on setting up plays and keeping the team in check. Off the ice, they need to work on keeping the team focused and motivated. There is nothing worse than an unmotivated team.

“A major thing to do is make sure everyone is focused during practices, because it will lead to focus during games. Also, we need to spend more time together as a team to promote chemistry on and off the ice,” said McDonough.

The Indians kick off the postseason tonight at 7:30 p.m. against Shaler at the Iceoplex. PT is ranked as a fifth seed in the playoff pool.

Editor's Note: Author Josh Glicksman is a sophomore at . Photographer Austin Chappell is a junior.