A chink in the armor?

Probably not, but when searching for flaws in the undefeated Pine-Richland hockey team's game as it prepares for the Pennsylvania Cup state championship contest against Flyers Cup champion LaSalle Saturday, an opposing coach might take whatever he can find.

After cruising through the regular season, winning every game by an average of almost six goals per game, the Rams (24-0) were trailing after one period against No. 16 seed Canon-McMillan in the first round of the Penguins Cup playoffs, were tied at 1 through 10 minutes of their quarterfinal win against Upper St. Clair and were behind heading into the third period in the Penguins Cup final against Bethel Park after the Black Hawks scored the game's first two goals.

Granted, the Rams won each of those contests, the first two in convincing fashion. But is the team guilty of sluggish starts? And if so, should it guard against that in the state championship game Saturday?

No and yes, coach Bob Kennedy said.

"I didn't think that was necessarily the case against Bethel," Kennedy said. "We came out and had some chances; we just couldn't capitalize.

"We probably didn't come out as strong as we'd have liked against Upper St. Clair. Against Canon-McMillan, we couldn't capitalize either.

"I think we definitely want to come out strong against LaSalle. I know they have a history of coming out strong this season from what I understand. I think our guys will come out strong. We're going to have to."

They will if they want to finish off an undefeated season with a third consecutive state title with a win against LaSalle (29-1-2) at the Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown 3 p.m. Saturday.

The Explorers were the No. 1 seed in the Flyers Cup playoffs and won its three playoff games by a combined score of 19-2.

LaSalle beat defending Flyers Cup champion Holy Ghost Prep, 4-1, in the Flyers Cup final Saturday. Kennedy was able to do some scouting via the miracle of live webcasting.

"They just look like a good, solid hockey team, just like us with a lot of ability," Kennedy said. "They play a good system and they play hard. They have good talent with a couple big kids up front, some big defensemen and a good goaltender. They're a solid team through and through."

It was the third Flyers Cup victory in the past 13 seasons for LaSalle. But the previous one came in 1998, meaning that none of the current players have experienced a state championship game. Many of Pine-Richland's juniors and seniors will be playing in one for the third season in a row, which could give them a distinct advantage.

"It can be, it might not be; I don't know," Kennedy said. "When you get on the ice, though, we have to go out and play the way we're capable of paying. We're playing a good opponent. It should be a heck of a hockey game."

The Rams are blessed with a roster stocked with explosive offensive talent such as senior Reed Loney, juniors Dylan Trombetta, George Saad and Eric Febert, sophomores Bryan Watt and Ty Loney, freshman Brandon Saad ... the list goes on and on.

The Loneys are the sons of former Penguin Troy Loney. Brandon Saad, though just a ninth grader, might be the most talented player on the team.

Goalie Dan Szymanski also has been solid. But Pine-Richland owes some of its success to an unheralded corps of defensmen in seniors Even Goetz and Geoff Bagnato and juniors Kyle Adams, Jared Bagnato, Matt Lohman and Colin Schmidt.

"We've got a strong defensive unit," Kennedy said.

Goetz provides size, skill and leadership as the team's captain. He was fourth on the team in goals with 12, and he and Adams, who is second among Rams defensemen in points, log a lot of ice time and play on special teams. The Bagnatos and Lohman are defensive stalwarts but also combined for 32 regular-season points. Schmidt has size and reach.

"They've gotten better and better as the season has gone on," Kennedy said.The championship

• What: Pine-Richland vs. LaSalle in Pennsylvania Cup Class AAA final.

• When: 3 a.m. Saturday.

• Where: Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown, Pa.

• Radio/Internet: Game can be heard on WBGG-AM (970) and www.msasportsnet- work.com.

• The skinny: LaSalle scored 15 goals in three games in winning Flyrers Cup title.