Mars hockey beats Shaler on Grant Weaver’s last-second goal to advance to PIHL semifinals
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Mars students, family and friends showing their support for the Planets during the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Garrett Myers (5) looks to take a shot on goal in the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Fight breaks out between Mars and Shaler players after the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Jack Tirch (15) takes a shot on goal in the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' players celebrate after Gavin Stevenson (11) scores a goal during the second period in the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Gavin Stevenson (11) scores a goal in the second period in the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' players celebrate after the first goal of the game in the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Matthew Lestitian (64) faces off against Stanley Whitman (77) in the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Fight breaks out between Mars and Shaler players after the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Fight breaks out between Mars and Shaler players after the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Fight breaks out between Mars and Shaler players after the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Keegan Olearyin (6) brings the puck up ice as he is defended by Shaler's Jacob Skerlong (20)in the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Flighting Planet's Head Coach Cody Black looks on during the PIHL Tournament Class 1A quarterfinals Monday, March 3, 2025, at Baierl Ice Complex. Mars won 5-4. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
WARRENDALE — The final center-ice face-off was merely a formality.
Grant Weaver’s goal with five seconds left Monday night pushed Mars into the PIHL Class 1A Penguins Cup semifinals. The score downed Shaler 5-4 at Baierl Ice Complex.
“We were just battling low there, down low,” Weaver said. “(Jack) Tirch got it up high. I tried to screen the goalie there, (he) shot it right into me, tipped it right between my legs, went in, hit the nice celebration.
“I mean, didn’t even know it was that short of time. I just played my normal game.”
The bench was well-aware, erupting in jubilation as Weaver skated away from the scene on one knee, arms spread.
“It was just nuts,” Mars coach Cody Black said. “Words can’t really describe that kind of reaction ... especially in a playoff game, 4-4 tie, it’s nice having to avoid overtime, obviously. Scoring that late in the game, you don’t really have to worry about too much off the face-off. Our bench just went nuts. It was crazy.”
Garrett Myers, Sean Crowley and Gavin Stevenson scored during the first two periods. At one point, the Planets were up 2-0 before falling down 3-2. They responded quickly to that deficit before Tirch made it 4-3 a minute and a half into the third period.
Brendan Fitzgerald went five-hole to knot it again with 5:12 to go. As time ticked down, the Planets just wanted to create a frenzy in front of the net.
“No play set up, just getting guys in front of the net and shooting the puck,” Black said. “Just creating a little bit of chaos. The ugly ones always go in.”
Mars defenseman Alex Gatto received the final face-off and retreated the time away before being shoved to the ice from behind. The teams had a skirmish in the corner and were pulled apart.
Mars gets Chartiers Valley, a 5-0 winner over North Catholic on Monday, in the semifinals March 12 at Robert Morris University.
