forbin

10 minutes ago, Clonbur said:

His choices before we left were to be forced into AA Stars or A minor 3. 

Curious as to why you word it as being "forced" into AA Stars? 

So now PPE has dad coaches?!?

15 minutes ago, hockey55 said:

but both got cut.  not just 1

Did they bring in kids from other states to fill these spots?

The 2011 birthyear IS rather deep with talent all things considered.

Does it warrant 5-6 "AAA" teams in this area? No, of course not, but that's not stopping people from doing it.

1 hour ago, nemesis8679 said:

I couldn't believe it- the afternoon DJ on the The X today was talking about high school hockey and the Penguins Cup and how it's disappointing that it gets no coverage. 

Wouldn’t ya know…

Wouldn’t be surprised if PPE tweets about their former player they cut turned BK kid making the roster…..

9 minutes ago, RJUSHL said:

You take one afternoon/evening at PPG and do all the games back-to-back. One ticket is good for all three (or four) games. I bet they sell 6,000 - 7,000 tickets, especially with even some minimal advertising.

I do really like this idea, however I think you are severally overestimating the popularity of high school hockey in Western PA. Maybe things could change with the right people involved.

Bottom line is there is zero advertising done for this and its a damn shame. The Penguins should be responsible for doing a better job at getting the word out regardless of the venue. If it were to be held at PPG, then they should provide free tickets to all students of all schools involved, as well as free tickets to all players and families of local PAHL organizations that share a rink with those high school teams. Maybe then you have 5-6k people showing up, maybe. 

15 minutes ago, Spear and Magic Helmet said:

Sorry, I'm a little out of the loop. What rink is this?? I didn't realize we had a rink where you couldn't play above Pee Wee.

Hess Ice Rink in Newcastle, PA. It was a terrible rink before, pretty nice now. Locker rooms are some of the best around actually in my opinion. Biggest negative is there is only one small bleacher area so you just have to stand along the glass. 

11 minutes ago, hockeyisgreat said:

I'm sure it was great but the game was sold out well in advance!  How do we grow the sport if we can't get more spectators?

No argument there but aside from myself and probably a handful of others, the crowd was 99% students/parents. There's not enough to fill the lower bowl that way. PIHL and the Penguins do absolutely no advertising for these playoffs and its a shame. 

Hell, they can't even sell out the lower bowl for the NCAA tournament that RMU used to host. We just aren't a hockey town in the sense that random fans with no affiliation to either team will come watch a game like they do in some other parts of the country of Canada. It is what it is, and I think the players enjoy playing to a loud house in Cranberry more than they would playing at PPG. 

1 hour ago, hockeyisgreat said:

With some of the PIHL championship games a sellout isn't it time to consider moving them to PPG.  Maybe sellout the lower bowl.

Would be a great environment for those kids that worked so hard all season.

Great idea in theory, but I don't see them selling out the lower bowl. The atmosphere of the completely packed house in Cranberry is really cool to see. It was SO loud in there for the Norwin/McDowell game. 

On 3/3/2022 at 10:20 AM, RegDunlop7 said:

AAA - North Allegheny
AA - Thomas Jefferson
A - Norwin
D2 - Neshannock

3 out of 4 ain’t bad!

Tons of Barons on that list. How does that work logistically for these kids? Billets? Or tons of miles on the family SUV?

19 minutes ago, fafa fohi said:

Do we really want to go down this path?  I don't.  

NOPE. Not gonna allow that to happen. Lets keep this forum to hockey content only please!

1 minute ago, RJUSHL said:

So Black Bear owns rinks of 4 different PAHL organizations? I'm sure more to come. 

You'd have to think that Alpha is next on their list. Especially given that the Vengeance play in the USPHL and their Tier 1 league just combined with them. It makes sense all around. Alpha could use some updates as well...

1 hour ago, Paul Baxter said:

Please post a video of both, would like to see the penalty and the winning goal.

Thanks

PB
 

Both videos taken from LiveBarn. Looks pretty cut and dry to me...

11 minutes ago, 27adams said:

BV/Icemen has an 07 birth year, and they are advertising AAA for next season, are they not?

Yes the are. And an 06 NB team.

18 minutes ago, sadday4hockey said:

Viewing those two links above, neither the Tier 1 group and especially the Tier 2 group strike fear into any top 25 programs. That Tier1 thing makes some sense for all those east coast teams but it would appear to add a lot of travel for Esmark? Did they leave the NAPHL and the trips to Minnesota and Texas?

Someone mentioned in another thread that black bear likely told Esmark they had to join their league or they could find a new rink to play out of.

9 hours ago, Danner27 said:

$$ grab for the alpha tourney people, one of you folks ran the vengeance summer tourney teams. 18 kids @ $400 is $7200. The jerseys get returned if you continue to follow the old vengeance plan. 3-5 spring ice practices, that’s it ?!? (cheaper ice) along with the entry fee and fee bucks for coaches - my guess you guys are pocketing about 4k Your partner who schedules the ice at alpha is just going to sell the dead time he can’t sell. 
 

no scouts that matter attended that tournament anymore. Those days are long gone. You’ll find a few tier 3 junior recruiters & advisors (people that want the kids for money) that’s about it. 

Don’t forget after holding tryouts for their tournament teams, they then offered a spot on a last minute idea secondary team to essentially every kid that tried out. Because after all, why have just one money grab spring team per age group when you could have two!?

Norwin just handed Fox Chapel their first loss of the season. OT winner with Norwin scoring 3 shortys. On FC senior night… 

Honestly really happy with the turn this thread took as I think a lot of people have no idea how "junior hockey" works.

I'm in the camp that doesn't have a problem with the Tier 3 pay to play leagues if that what works for the player and family. 

7 minutes ago, Lifelongbender said:

 The only worry I have is the possibility that having competing leagues in the city will make both of them worse by diluting talent.

This is my concern as well, however if PAHL organizations offer a double schedule to their teams that are interested it may not be a bad thing or dilute what we have here already. I could see this trend being very popular to teams with families that want the extra games and different competition. Play your PAHL schedule plus your AHF schedule. 

I'm sure some will see this as good and others as bad. I am actually surprised that the organizations at local black bear rinks are not participating in the AHF with their boys teams (at least as far as I have seen). 

All PPE teams playing in the NE Pack now (not just 14U-18U)

Esmark playing in the new Black Bear Tier 1 league

Allegheny and SP girls playing in the new Black Bear AGHF girls league

Also heard strong rumors of Preds teams playing in a league based out of Rochester

15 minutes ago, hockeyisgreat said:

I hope you are kidding!!!

Not kidding at all. Total bonehead move. Not a WPA team though, thankfully?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaOWQmYlFR5/

Funny how the sh*thead parents always seem to have the sh*thead players on the ice. Never met a sh*thead player with a great set of parents.

Saw a mom at a squirt game screaming at another parent that she was "going to come over there and knock her teeth out" all while literally holding a toddler in her arms...

Break the cycle. Be a better example for your kids.