PITTSBURGH – Gloves, helmets and sticks went flying across the ice as the Canon-McMillan hockey team mobbed together to celebrate winning the Class AAA Penguins Cup Saturday night at Consol Energy Center.

Butler’s team watched mostly in a daze after the Big Macs scored a 4-0 win.

The sixth-seeded Golden Tornado — who upset defending national champion Bethel Park and defending PIHL champ Peters Township on the way to the finals — didn’t get the dream ending it was seeking.

But it gives the program, which was making its first finals appearance and was 1-21 three seasons ago, an improved profile and something to play for.

“I knew from the beginning of the season with what our coaches put in place we could achieve more than what was expected of us by the league,” Golden Tornado defenseman CJ Campbell said. “I think after we won the first playoff game, Butler’s going to move up on the radar more and be considered a more elite program since we made it to Consol this year.”

As far as first-year Butler coach Patrick Hammonds is concerned, this loss didn’t change much. Winning two playoff games after not winning any for 11 years will leave an impression.

“This loss has no impact on how special this season was,” Hammonds said. “These boys accomplished something that has never been done in the history of Butler hockey and they should all be extremely proud of what they’ve done.”

Butler (13-9-3) played its typical gritty defensive style. The Golden Tornado outshot Canon-McMillan 10-8 in the first period.

“We started off real hard to play against,” Butler forward Trevor Gilliland said.

A 10-second stretch from fourth-seeded Canon-McMillan in the second period sunk the strategy.

Austin Czartowsky posted up in front of the net and banged in a rebound with 2:03 left in the second period to put the Big Macs up 2-0.

Canon-McMillan won the ensuing faceoff and dumped it behind the boards. Czartowsky got a pass in the left circle and squeezed a shot that cleared Golden Tornado goalie Clay Bachmann’s shoulder for another goal.

“It’s what we needed. We were kind of on our heels the whole game,” Big Macs coach Terry Virtue said. “I think our nerves got to us and guys didn’t seem to have our legs like we did last week. They were taking the play to us.”

The Big Macs held a 21-19 edge in shots. Canon-McMillan went ahead in the first went Luke Lavella set up Austin Tonkovich in front of the net. Tonkovich elevated the puck past Bachman.

Hammonds was happy with how his team played defensively. The Big Macs led the league with 102 regular-season goals and scored 11 against the Golden Tornado in two regular-season meetings.

“I’m really proud of how the game was unfolding,” Hammonds said. “We were keeping the shots extremely low. We were able to keep their shots extremely tight. Unfortunately that’s how hockey is, it’s an imperfect game.”

The Golden Tornado didn’t catch any breaks. Dustin Davis rang shots off the post in the first and third periods.

“I think we did everything we could to get the puck in the net,” Davis said. “All of us were working down low to get goals. It wasn’t going our way, we weren’t getting lucky bounces.”

Canon-McMillan added another goal in the third period on the power play when Jack Clendaniel scored on the power play.

Campbell wish things could have gone better.

“It was mostly disappointing,” Campbell said. “It’s tough because you don’t get breaks and pucks don’t go in. Sometimes you have those nights. You can’t do anything about it. Sometimes a team is just better.”