WILKES-BARRE – The Susquehanna Valley Stampede killed off three second-period Wyoming Area power plays, including 32 seconds of a two-man advantage, Monday night and pulled out a 4-3 win in the championship game of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Hockey League at the Toyota SportsPlex.

Susquehanna Valley, a central Pennsylvania team with players from multiple schools, was the only team to finish ahead of Wyoming Area in the NEPASHL regular season. It went 13-1 with the only loss coming in one of two meetings with the Warriors.

The Stampede used three third-period goals to pull out the deciding game in the finals of the league playoffs.

Preston Shearer scored two goals, including the game-winner. Jack Marrara had a goal and three assists. Goalie Mike Novatnack made the stops to allow the team to hang on in the closing seconds.

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Alex Hawk one-time a Brendan Lee pass to force a 1-1 tie, but Wyoming Area could not connect again during its second-period, power-play chances.

Wyoming Area had one apparent goal in the first minute of the third period wiped out because the play was whistled dead. The Warriors went ahead five minutes later on a Lee goal.

Susquehanna Valley scored three times in five minutes, including a pair of power-play goals, to take a 4-2 lead.

Wyoming Area pulled goalie Jacob Urban and scored with the extra skater to get within a goal.

The same two programs met for the junior varsity title in the doubleheader opener by getting through the playoff bracket after tying for first place in the regular season.

Wyoming Area claimed the JV championship with a 5-4 victory.

The varsity game was followed by an incident in the parking lot.

A citation for harassment was filed against Jeffrey Loftus, 32, from Plymouth for allegedly striking Wyoming Area varsity coach Bill Weiss in the face.

Police officers were dispatched to Coal Street Park, where the rink is located, at 9:18 p.m. Monday when a fight was reported. Officers were told that a parent of a hockey player approached Weiss about a lack of playing time for his son. Loftus, another family member, is alleged to have then struck Weiss.

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