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Wyoming Area wears down Hazleton en route to a 6-2 win

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<p>JENKINS TWP. &#8212; During the regular season Wyoming Valley West forward Bo Johnson scored one goal.</p><p>But his second goal, which came in the second period of Wednesday&#8217;s NEPA Scholastic Hockey League playoff game, propelled his team to a win over Back Mountain.</p><p>Dan Polachek had a goal and two assists and Adam Harbaugh&#8217;s power-play tally proved to be the difference as Valley West defeated Back Mountain 6-3 to advance to the semifinals.</p><p>Valley West head coach Daniel Harrison called the win a &#8220;team effort&#8221; and singled out Johnson&#8217;s goal, which broke a 2-2 tie, for changing the momentum.</p><p>&#8220;He stepped up and sparked the team. That was his second goal of the season and that got us all going,&#8221; Harrison said.</p><p>Valley West gained the lead twice in the first period only to have Back Mountain battle back to tie it each time.</p><p>Polachek scored just 30 seconds into the game when he finished off a two-on-one rush with a shot under the crossbar. A turnover in the offensive zone by Valley West allowed Back Mountain to tie it three minutes later, but the Spartans would make it 2-1 on a power-play goal by Sal Gurnari followed by a save by goaltender Ken Vought on a one-timer in front to maintain the lead.</p><p>Back Mountain did manage to tie it up late in the first period and neither team found the back of the net in the second.</p><p>But the Spartans scored three unanswered goals in the third to take control.</p><p>Johnson&#8217;s goal, which made it 3-2, came off a faceoff win in the offensive zone. Polachek gained the puck and dished a pass to Johnson in the slot, who shot the puck inside the far post to make it 3-2.</p><p>Later in the period, Back Mountain took two penalties and Valley West struck again on the power play when Harbaugh took a pass from Polachek and one-timed into the net for a 4-2 lead.</p><p>Harrison said maintaining the lead in the final period was a critical test for his team.</p><p>&#8220;We had trouble losing leads in the third period this entire season,&#8221; he said. &#8220;To be in a tight game in the playoffs when it matters most, this was the best game we played all season. Everyone stepped up.&#8221;</p><p>The Spartans will now face top-ranked Susquehanna in the semifinals. After Wednesday&#8217;s performance, Harrison said his team is up to the task.</p><p>&#8220;Susquehanna is a very good team but they can be beat,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They continue to out-grind you and outwork you, but if you lay it on them and don&#8217;t give them anything, they can be beaten.</p><p>&#8220;As long as we play as a team, we have one of the best shots, if not the best shot, to win it.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Back Mountain&#8217;s Brenden Jesse, center, gets mobbed by his teammates after scoring a goal against Wyoming Valley West Wednesday night at the Revolution Ice Centre in Jenkins Township. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_WVW-BkMtnHockey_2-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Back Mountain&#8217;s Brenden Jesse, center, gets mobbed by his teammates after scoring a goal against Wyoming Valley West Wednesday night at the Revolution Ice Centre in Jenkins Township. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_WVW-BkMtnHockey_1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Valley West&#8217;s Nick Kreidler, center left, battles Back Mountain&#8217;s Trevor Kruczek for the puck in front of goalkeeper Ken Vought at the Revolution Ice Centre in Jenkins Township on Wednesday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_WVW-BkMtnHockey_1-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Wyoming Valley West&#8217;s Nick Kreidler, center left, battles Back Mountain&#8217;s Trevor Kruczek for the puck in front of goalkeeper Ken Vought at the Revolution Ice Centre in Jenkins Township on Wednesday night. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>TVenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Tom Venesky on Twitter @TomVenesky</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Big 3rd period propels Wyoming Valley West past Back Mountain