Suffolk, Moriches Set the Pace on Eventful Night at Marple Sports Arena

The PIHA Pro East circuit rolled into Marple Sports Arena on Saturday, January 3, as four of the seven East Coast clubs converged for a compact eight-game festival slate. Suffolk Sting, Moriches Sting, the Pittsburgh Inferno, and the Hockey Plus Blue Heelers each played four times in a night that delivered high-tempo hockey, statement performances, and more than a few momentum swings.

Unfortunately, the on-rink drama was tempered by a string of injuries across multiple games, leading to several extended stoppages and leaving players, staff, and fans alike uneasy. While details will emerge in the coming days, everyone around PIHA will be hoping for positive news and quick recoveries for those affected.

On the competitive side, both Suffolk and Moriches turned in big nights, piling up wins and reinforcing their status as serious threats in the Pro East race, while Pittsburgh and the Blue Heelers battled through inconsistent results in an increasingly unforgiving division.

Game-by-Game Recap

Suffolk Opens with a Statement Shutout

Suffolk Sting 5, Hockey Plus Blue Heelers 0 – 4:00 PM

Suffolk set the tone for the evening in the opener, suffocating the Blue Heelers defensively while riding a career-type performance from Max Halvorsen, who scored all five Sting goals in a dominant effort. Goaltender Keith Johnson turned aside all 13 shots he faced for the shutout as Suffolk controlled both pace and possession from wire to wire. DigitalShift Stats

The Heelers struggled to generate sustained pressure and were unable to crack Suffolk’s structure, forced to chase the game almost from the opening minutes.

Moriches Walks Off Inferno in Overtime

Moriches Sting 3, Pittsburgh Inferno 2 (OT) – 4:40 PM

Game two saw the first extra-time drama of the festival. Moriches and Pittsburgh traded chances in a tight, physical contest that featured strong goaltending on both sides. The Inferno battled back to force overtime, but Moriches found the winner in the extra frame, grabbing the first of what would become three wins on the night.

Blue Heelers Respond in OT Against Moriches

Hockey Plus Blue Heelers 4, Moriches Sting 3 (OT) – 5:20 PM

The Heelers bounced back quickly from their opening shutout loss, delivering their best performance of the day in an overtime win over Moriches. They matched Moriches’ speed through the neutral zone and generated second-chance opportunities around the net, eventually cashing in on the extra-time winner to earn their lone victory of the festival.

Inferno Grind Out a One-Goal Win Over Suffolk

Pittsburgh Inferno 2, Suffolk Sting 1 – 6:00 PM

Pittsburgh’s best effort of the day came in a low-scoring, tightly-contested matchup against Suffolk. The Inferno leaned on structured defending and timely goaltending, capitalizing on their chances while limiting Suffolk to a single goal. It was a key response game for Pittsburgh, who needed points after the OT loss to Moriches earlier in the evening.

Suffolk Re-Establishes Control Versus Heelers

Suffolk Sting 3, Hockey Plus Blue Heelers 1 – 6:40 PM

Suffolk regrouped quickly from their loss to Pittsburgh, turning in a composed 3–1 victory over the Blue Heelers. Once again, the Sting’s depth and puck management were evident; they dictated tempo for long stretches and did enough offensively to keep the Heelers on their heels, taking their second win of the day and their second head-to-head over the Heelers.

Moriches Overpowers Inferno in High-Scoring Rematch

Moriches Sting 6, Pittsburgh Inferno 3 – 7:20 PM

The middle portion of the slate finished with Moriches putting six on the board against Pittsburgh in a game that opened up offensively. Moriches’ transition game caused repeated problems for the Inferno, and their shooters were clinical when given space. Despite the Inferno getting on the board and pushing back, Moriches consistently answered, pulling away late.

Moriches Completes Heelers Sweep

Moriches Sting 3, Hockey Plus Blue Heelers 1 – 8:00 PM

In their third meeting of the day with New York-based opposition, Moriches tightened things up defensively and closed out the Heelers with a solid 3–1 win. It was a disciplined, professional effort from a team that looked more and more in rhythm with every game, setting themselves up nicely for the stretch run.

Suffolk Caps Night with Convincing Win over Inferno

Suffolk Sting 6, Pittsburgh Inferno 1 – 8:40 PM

Suffolk saved one of their most complete performances for the finale, exploding for six goals and limiting Pittsburgh to just one. With both teams on tired legs, Suffolk’s depth and puck possession were decisive as they closed out a 3–1 day, underscoring why they remain one of the most dangerous lineups in the Pro East.

Team-by-Team Breakdown

Suffolk Sting (3–1–0)

Suffolk’s night began with a statement shutout and ended with a lopsided win over Pittsburgh. Their only blemish came in a tight 2–1 loss to the Inferno, but otherwise they looked every bit the heavyweight they are reputed to be. The combination of high-end offensive punch and rock-solid defending makes them a matchup nightmare, particularly in a festival setting.

Moriches Sting (3–0–1)

Moriches matched Suffolk in the win column, stacking three victories and dropping only an overtime decision to the Blue Heelers. When they were on, Moriches moved the puck crisply, stretched teams in transition, and finished with authority. Sweeping their two games against Pittsburgh and taking two of three overall against New York opponents, Moriches again reinforced their status as one of the most complete teams in the region.

Pittsburgh Inferno (1–2–1)

For Pittsburgh, the day was a mixed bag. They picked up a quality 2–1 win over Suffolk and salvaged an overtime point against Moriches, but let things get away in the later meetings with both Stings. There were long stretches where the Inferno skated with and even out-worked their opponents, but inconsistencies in execution and puck management cost them in key moments.

Hockey Plus Blue Heelers (1–3–0)

The Heelers’ festival began in tough fashion with a shutout loss to Suffolk and ended with back-to-back defeats against Moriches and Suffolk again. Their bright spot came in the overtime win over Moriches, where they pushed the pace and found ways to generate offense off the rush. For a team with the skill to beat anyone on a given night, the challenge is now finding that level more consistently over every game in a festival weekend.

Individual Performance Highlights

• Max Halvorsen (Suffolk Sting) – A headline-stealing five-goal performance in the opening 5–0 win over the Hockey Plus Blue Heelers set the tone for Suffolk’s night and underscored his status as one of the most dangerous point-men in the division. DigitalShift Stats

• Suffolk Goaltending Tandem – Between the early shutout and a strong closing effort in the 6–1 win over Pittsburgh, Suffolk’s crease work anchored their 3–1 festival record.

• Moriches’ Top Offensive Core – Across four games, Moriches’ primary scoring group repeatedly drove production, especially in the 6–3 victory over Pittsburgh and the 3–1 win that closed the book on the Blue Heelers.

• Pittsburgh’s Defensive Effort vs Suffolk – The 2–1 win over the Sting was built on disciplined team defense and timely saves, proof that when the Inferno are dialed in structurally they can lock down elite opponents.

• Blue Heelers’ Resilience – After a tough opener, they regrouped and delivered a quality overtime win against Moriches, showing the kind of pushback they will need more of down the stretch.

Injuries Cast a Shadow

As entertaining as the on-rink product was, the festival was also marred by a series of injuries across multiple games. Several players from different clubs were forced to leave action and did not return, leading to extended stoppages and a noticeable change in the building’s atmosphere.

Detailed updates will follow from the individual teams, but the hope throughout PIHA is that each injured player receives good news in the coming days and can return to full health as soon as possible. Nights like this are a sobering reminder that, for all the intensity and competition, the players’ well-being is always the top priority.

What’s Next

With Marple’s Pro festival in the books, Suffolk and Moriches both leave having strengthened their positions and sending a clear message to the rest of the Pro East field. Pittsburgh and the Hockey Plus Blue Heelers will look to clean up details and find more consistency as the league marches toward the back half of the 2025-26 regular season.

Attention now turns to the three Pro East clubs that were idle this weekend. The Buffalo Wings, Toronto 6ixers, and Motor City Dirty Dawgs all return to action next Saturday in Fraser, MI, when Big Boy Arena hosts a four-game Pro festival that will compress a lot of standings movement into a short window.

After Fraser, the division will close out its regular-season festival slate with the rescheduled Buffalo weekend, now set for January 24–25 at the Kenan Center. With only a handful of games left for each club and playoff seeding on the line, every remaining shift in the Pro East is about to take on a postseason feel.