South Xtra: Mt. Lebanon shows scoring punch at start of season
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Only three PIHL Class AAA teams had a better goals-against average than Mt. Lebanon did last season -- but the Blue Devils merely just slipped into the postseason.
So much for the theory that defense wins championships: Mt. Lebanon was done in by an offense that was third from the bottom in the classification in scoring.
It's a small sample size, yes, but this PIHL season the Blue Devils are off to a 3-0 start primarily on the strength of scoring almost seven goals per game (20 overall).
Additionally, Mt. Lebanon won two of three games at the prestigious preseason St. Margaret Tournament, scoring 17 goals in the process.
If the Blue Devils can maintain the stingy defense that has been a program hallmark over the years, the added offense could return them to Penguins Cup-contender status after a couple of mediocre seasons.
"We've been able to get a few pucks in the net," Blue Devils coach Dave Hornack said. "I think that's the big difference from us the last couple years. We've been having trouble scoring, but we're getting a little better from the first game and second game in terms of what we're trying to do out there with our system we use defensively.
"It's going to be a process, though, but I think we're doing OK so far."
Mt. Lebanon finished four games under .500 each of the past two seasons after being something of a perennial title contender in most of the decade prior to that. The Blue Devils averaged fewer than three goals per game with a young lineup each of the past two years.
Only two players had more than six goals last season; only two had more than five in 2009-10.
This season, it's only three games, but already Jack Gyurina has four goals and Thomas Horn has three.
"Some of the boys, obviously, got older, bigger stronger and improved that way," Hornack said. "We're concerned about getting the opportunities, and then it's obviously up to the players to put it past the goalie.
"This year, we're winning some one-on-one battles, getting pucks to high-scoring areas, and the last couple games, we've been able to finish."
First Published November 17, 2011 12:00 am
