Plum Loses Against Upper St. Clair, Celebrates Senior Night

Things were looking up at the Mustangs' Senior Night against Upper St. Clair until the team lost its momentum and fell to the Panthers 6-3.

The Plum varsity hockey team began feeling disheartened after a slew of what Coach Stu Rulnick called mistakes by the referees tilted the game in the Panthers' favor.

"It was a 3-2 hockey game," he said, referring to the one-point difference in the score earlier in the third period.

Upper St. Clair started strong with back-to-back goals around the 10 and nine minute marks in the first period and followed up with another goal with 11 minutes left in the second period.

Plum staged a comeback late in the second, though, with a power play goal by Tyler Galanis with just two minutes remaining. Nick Cicolini and Hunter Brett had assists on the goal.

Plum then followed up with a third-period goal at 7:58 from Cody Cenci, assisted by Brett and Jason Pastucha. Both goals were power play goals.

The Mustangs played a strong offensive and defensive game and spent much of the third period in the Panthers' zone.

"We were right in the game," Rulnick said, praising the team's forecheck and defensive zone coverage.

The problem came during an iffy call in the third period, when, Rulnick said, the referee granted a line change to the Panthers instead of the Mustangs — and the Panthers scored shortly after.

"I didn't want that line out," he said.

Rulnick argued the call, and the referee shortly after called two penalties on Plum. Upper St. Clair capitalized and brought the score to 6-2 with 3:19 remaining.

Goaltender Taylor Cestra looked defeated, but teammates encouraged her, and packed stands full of fans' shouts of "Keep your head up Taylor" seemed to revive her.

Plum made a last-ditch effort to crash the net in the final seconds and shot one past the goaltender with just eight seconds remaining.

Cicolini scored the power play goal with assists from Pastucha and Dom Andreoli.

Cestra saved 22 of 28 shots, and the Mustangs produced 29 shots on net.

The Mustangs must win both of their final two games to earn a spot in the playoffs.

The team will face off against North Allegheny Tuesday, March 1 for a rescheduled game at 7 p.m. at the Airport Ice Arena.

Plum's final game will take place at the Kirk S. Nevin Arena against Hempfield at 9:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 3.


Senior Night

Plum celebrated its seniors Monday night, all of whom have big plans for the future:

• Captain Cody Cenci plans to attend Robert Morris University to study nuclear medicine technology and continue his hockey career.
• Nick Cicolini plans to study business administration in college and to continue his hockey career at whichever college he chooses.
• Justin Pastucha hopes to major in sports management and physical education in college, as well as playing hockey or possibly coaching.
• Jason Pastucha, like his brother, wants to study sports management and physical education. 
• Tyler Galanis plans to attend CCAC and then transfer to Slipper Rock University to study sports management.
• Cory Sakolsky hasn't decided between attending California University of Pennsylvania and Robert Morris University but plans to major in secondary education history or criminal justice.
• Steve Susalla plans to attend CCAC and then transfer to Indiana University of Pennsylvania to study criminology.