Sunday morning in the PIHA Pro East bracket delivered a pair of high-drama, single-elimination semifinals at Yellow Breeches Sports Center—and a brand-new Division Final matchup as a result. Pittsburgh knocked off the back-to-back champion Suffolk Sting in overtime, while Toronto’s midseason turnaround continued with a statement win over Buffalo.
Now, it’s official: the Pittsburgh Inferno vs. Toronto 6ixers in a best-of-three Pro East Division Final, with the winner earning a coveted berth in the PIHA Finals.
Game 1: Pittsburgh Inferno 2, Suffolk Sting 1 (OT) — “Dethroned”
Suffolk struck first and looked poised to keep its dynasty rolling when Shane Fox (#13) finished an even-strength goal at 10:00 of the first period, assisted by Max Halvorsen (#68).
But Pittsburgh stayed composed, weathered a 20–12 shot disadvantage, and clawed even early in the second when Matthew Fischer (#55) buried the tying goal at 2:46, set up by Jared Gerger (#61) and goaltender Mike Maczynski (#31).
The game pushed into overtime, and the Inferno delivered the moment of the morning: Gerger (#61) ended it at 9:33 of OT, assisted by Gage Clark (#5), completing the upset and sending Pittsburgh into the Division Final.
The win is a seismic result in the East—Suffolk entered Sunday as the league’s standard-bearer, with eight straight PIHA Finals appearances and back-to-back championships, but Pittsburgh slammed the door on that run with one timely finish in overtime.
Game 2: Toronto 6ixers 4, Buffalo Wings 2 — Second-Period Takeover
The second semifinal was tied 1–1 after the first, but Toronto seized control with a three-goal second period and punched its ticket. The 6ixers opened the scoring when Dylan Abbamont (#77) struck at 1:47, assisted by Carter Buehlow (#96). Buffalo answered late in the period on a goal from Joe Mitchell (#26) at 9:24, assisted by Devin Brink (#10).
In the second, Buffalo briefly grabbed the lead on Brink’s (#10) goal at 11:21 (assists Nolan Sheeran #39 and Austin Junik #21), but Toronto responded with three straight to flip the game:
Tyler White (#9) at 11:38
Patrick Vulgan (#13) at 8:04
Drew Gerth (#91) at 5:26
Toronto finished with the shot edge (20–15) and got the saves they needed from Brett Leggat (#72), who stopped 18 of 20.
For the 6ixers, it’s the latest chapter in a season that started rocky—but has rapidly transformed into a legitimate run at the PIHA Finals.
What’s Next: Inferno vs. 6ixers — A New East Path to the Finals
With Suffolk eliminated and Buffalo turned away, the Pro East now belongs to a fresh pairing: Pittsburgh vs. Toronto, best-of-three, with the winner earning the East’s spot at the PIHA Finals.
For Pittsburgh, it’s a chance to recapture the East’s last Finals breakthrough—the Inferno were the last Pro East team to represent in the Finals back in 2017, and they finished that run with the only PIHA championship in franchise history.
For Toronto, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime: a team that climbed out of an early-season hole is now one series away from playing for a national title.