Plum Hockey Team Enters First Round of Playoffs

After a seesaw season, the Mustangs are officially in the playoffs.

The Plum varsity hockey team will take on North Allegheny at 8 p.m. at Warrendale Bladerunners for the first round of the playoffs.

The team earned a chance to play for the Penguin Cup after a 5-4 overtime win against Mt. Lebanon in a play-in game Sunday night.

The Mustangs' season was dominated by both winning and losing streaks that culminated in a last-ditch effort to make the playoffs.

Mt. Lebanon has knocked Plum out of the playoffs in the team's last two attempts — but not this time.

Cody Cenci started off the team's effort Sunday night with a goal five minutes into the first period, assisted by Tyler Galanis and Cory Sakolsky.

Plum scored again in the second period, with a power play goal from Nick Cicolini, assisted by Joe Randazzo and Galanis, about four minutes in.

Cicolini topped off the period with a goal with 34 seconds remaining, assisted by Galanis — also on the power play.

Cenci scored with 5:12 remaining in the game, unassisted.

The Blue Devils returned fire, though, and tied the game 4-4 with just nine seconds remaining.

Plum scored big with a goal just 17 seconds into the overtime period when Galanis tipped in a shot from Jason Pastucha.

Plum goaltender Taylor Cestra faced a total of 26 shots, and Plum fired off 27 of their own.

The Mustangs attributed much of their success to Plum Hockey alumnus Mike Dunlap, who is battling stage-four cancer.

"Ever since the 'Stangs have held (a) moment of silence to respect Mike and his family, they have gone on a three-game winning streak," said Ron Sakolsky, father of defenseman Cory Sakolsky.

The team will try to continue their success tonight against North Allegheny, whom they have faced twice late in the season. The team's regular season record is 12-6-2.

The Mustangs suffered a against North Allegheny with a score of 2-1 but made up for it by .

"We match up very well against them," said Coach Stu Rulnick.

Plum players need to make sure to keep North Allegheny's shooting to a minimum, he said, and the biggest factor will most likely be goaltending.

The playoffs are single-elimination and Plum must win tonight to continue and face rival Fox Chapel, who have lost only two out of 20 games in the season.

Rulnick said he remains optimistic.

"You never know what will happen," he said, citing instances in which a weird bounce of the puck has both helped and hindered the Mustangs.

"Hopefully the bounce will go our way," Rulnick said.