HERSHEY — If there was ever a time when a team won a hockey game by not just creating opportunities but taking them, it was the CPIHL's Viola Cup championship Wednesday night at Hersheypark Arena.
Penn Manor beat Elizabethtown 3-1 to claim its first championship despite being outshot 32-21 by the Bears.
The second period was the key to the game, as Elizabethtown outscored Penn Manor 17-4 through 17 minutes on three power plays, but the Comets (19-1) scored the lone goal to take a 2-1 lead.
The opening goal was a stunning basket by Jonathan Boozer on an assist from Jayden Batista with 2 minutes and 2 seconds left.
Boozer started on the left side of the goal, but with some nifty stick movement he curled a shot from the right wing into the space between the goalpost and goaltender Austin Grimm for Boozer's first playoff goal and Batista's first playoff assist.
“That was a highlight goal,” Penn Manor coach John Rich said, “Johnny put all of us on his back and scored the goal.”
Before Boozer's basket, the Bears (11-6) appeared to be in control of the game.
In the third period, Penn Manor tried to not allow Elizabethtown many chances.
“Going into the second break we talked about how they had snuck up behind us,” Rich said, “and we said we had to play our game, not theirs.”
Sebastian Elias gave Penn Manor a 3-1 lead with an unassisted goal with 16:03 left in the game. It was Elias' fourth goal of the tournament.
Just 100 seconds into the game, Aidan Aliotta scored his first playoff goal to give the second-seeded Comets a 1-0 lead, with an assist from Elias.
Penn Manor had two power plays in the first period but couldn't capitalize on either, instead scoring when Evan Kensie scored his 10th goal in five playoff games with 4:05 left in the first period to tie the score at 1-1.
Kenzie had a few chances, especially on a power play midway through the second period, but Colby Burley made a glove save, one of 31 he recorded.
“(Burley) played a great game,” Elizabethtown coach Scott Cranston said. “He was definitely the MVP of the game.”
Burley may not have played the whole match as coach Rich was looking to rotate between the two regular goalkeepers.
But the other goalkeeper, Cael Ulmer, saw Burley's focus and opted to stay on the bench.
“[Ulmer]asked him not to play because Colby was playing so well,” Rich said. “I think it shows the sportsmanship of this team that he was sacrificing his final game as a senior for the team.”
The game will be the final for both head coaches as both Rich and Cranston retire. Rich has coached hockey in various leagues for 50 years, including 12 years in the CPIHL. Cranston, who has coached for 32 years, will continue in an assistant role.
Elizabethtown won the Viola Cup in 2011, 2016 and 2022 but missed the tournament last year and was the No. 7 seed this season but won three of its four road games to reach the finals.
