EAST FRANKLIN TWP.: Hockey coaches emphasize the importance of getting an early lead in a playoff game to drain emotion out of the other team. Kittanning forward Eddie Germy showed he’s been paying attention. Germy, the team’s leading goal scorer during the regular season, scored twice in the first 3:10 to help Kittanning to a 4-0 win over Montour at Belmont Arena Thursday night. “It definitely lifted our spirits,” Germy said. “We wanted to come out strong and we carried the momentum throughout the game.” Staked to an early two-goal lead certainly helped Kittanning (17-3-1) goaltender Adam Toy, who stopped 19 shots to pick up the shutout. “There were a couple that were pretty close,” Toy said. But I pulled through and made a stick save so I’m happy with my effort.” Toy was challenged early in the first period when Montour sniper Phil Supan launched a wicked shot at the net in the first minute. Toy, though, was up to the task and got his pads down to make the save. “I’ve had trouble with the first shot all year long,” Toy said. “To get that out of the way was big for me.” And for the Wildcats, who took a 1-0 lead seconds later when Germy cleaned up in front, slamming a rebound of Luke Heller’s shot past Montour goaltender Jeffrey Milnarcik at 1:25 of the first period. Not content with just one goal, Germy snapped home another after Joel Shriver set him up in front by making a terrific pass from his stomach to put Kittanning in front by a pair at 3:10 “Joel was working hard behind the net and I was wide open in front,” Germy said. “He got me the puck and I just buried it.” Kittanning had several chances to pad it lead throughout the first period, but Milnarcik was up to the task. With 8:57 to play in the first period he made a tremendous left pad save on Jesse Shriver, who came in alone on a breakaway from the Montour blue line, then left Germy wondering where his hat trick went when he snatched a one-timer from the junior sharpshooter with 4:26 on the first period clock by sliding across the crease to take away the far post. “He played spectacularly,” Germy said. “We could have been up eight or nine to nothing but he kept them in the game.” Montour, though, could never quite recover from the two quick ones Kittanning put on the board. “There’s no question they knew coming in here that were going to come out flying,” Kittanning assistant coach Al Stipp said. “When you’re playing in someone else’s building you’re just trying to get through the first five minutes and let the game settle in.” After Germy’s two goals the contest turned into a territorial battle of attrition. Neither squad could establish dominance even though Kittanning held a tremendous advantage in shots. “If they could have us even for the first five minutes it’s a whole different game,” Stipp said. “Really, we could have been up three or four goals early.” Kittanning’s quick-strike offense put the game away with a pair of goals 10 seconds apart late in the second period. Shane Lentz took a shot from the left point that Zach Cain deflected home at 14:20 to put Kittanning ahead 3-0. At 14:30, Dustin Kellner ripped a shot past Milnarcik to close out the scoring and push the Wildcats into the second round of the playoffs, where they will play Indiana for the third time this season. Kittanning holds a 1-0-1 edge over the Indians, but the two skated to a 2-2 tie in their last meeting Feb. 13. Greensburg Central Catholic set up the meeting by keeping the seedings intact with a 5-1 win over Trinity. “Indiana’s a good team and they’re playing real well right now,” Stipp said. “They’re physically strong and we’ve had a couple of great games with them already this season, so it should be a heck of a game.”

Class AAA PIHL playoffs

Mt. Lebanon 6, Fox Chapel 0 At Mt. Lebanon, the Foxes (14-10-1) fell behind early and dropped their first playoff game since the 1999-2000 season. No other details were reported.

PIAA Penguin Cup playoff schedule

Class AAA Monday Meadville vs. Plum , 7 p.m. at Meadville Recreation Center Tuesday Bethel Park vs. North Allegheny, 7 p.m. at Bethel Park Dates, times to be determined today Central Catholic vs. Baldwin, at Harmar BladeRunners Franklin Regional vs. Mt. Lebanon, at Center Ice Class AA Wednesday Thomas Jefferson vs. Canon-McMillan, 7:15 p.m. at Rostraver Ice Garden Peters Township vs. Hampton, 7:50 p.m. at Southpointe Dates, times to be determined today Kittanning vs. Indiana, at Belmont Ice Complex Greensburg Central Catholic vs. South Park, at Kirk Nevin Arena Class A Monday Serra Catholic vs. Freeport , 7:05 p.m. at Rostraver Ice Garden Tuesday Mars vs. Deer Lakes , 7 p.m. at Ice Connection, Valencia Dates, times to be determined today Westmont vs. Elizabeth Forward, at War Memorial Bishop McCort vs. Quaker Valley, at War Memorial

Knoch Spring Tournament

Varsity Division Thursday’s game Butler 7, Penn Hills 6 Monday Butler vs. North Allegheny, 5:30 p.m. at Ice Connection Carrick vs. Knoch , 9 p.m. at Ice Connection March 11 Kittanning vs. Valley , 5;30 p.m. at Ice Connection March 12 Kittanning vs. Knoch , 9:15 p.m. at Belmont Ice Complex North Allegheny vs. Penn Hills, 8:15 p.m. at Ice Connection March 13 Valley vs. Knoch , 9 p.m. at Ice Connection March 14 Kiski Area vs. North Allegheny, 5:30 p.m. at Ice Connection March 15 Valley vs. Carrick, 2:15 p.m. at Belmont Ice Complex Penn Hills vs. Kiski Area, 5:30 p.m. at Belmont Ice Complex March 16 Kiski Area vs. Butler, 9:30 a.m. at Belmont Ice Complex Carrick vs. Kittanning , 11:15 a.m. at Belmont Ice Complex Championship game, 4;45 p.m.

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