It can best be described as that feeling a race horse must feel when he is kept in the stable and not able to run a few races, or a wild squirrel kept in a small cage for a long time and needing to get loose.  That is what it feels like for the Harrisburg Lunatics Pro team who has been waiting patiently for the rest of the league to wrap up their first round of playoffs and schedule conflicts.  That hunger to get playing again can be overwhelming and yet exhilarating when you are forced to hold back.  The Lunatics have not played a PIHA playoff game since April 18 when they played and won against the PA. Typhoon in the first two games of a best of three series for round one of the Mason/Dixon Division playoffs, and although they have been preparing diligently each week, and scrimmaging they are anxious to finally be let free of the confinement of competition.

They will get that chance this weekend, Saturday, May 9 at 6pm at home in the Susquehanna Sports Center, Lemoyne, Pa. where they face their season long foe, Marple Gladiators in a best of three series Mason/Dixon Division Championship.  The winner of which will face the Northeast Division Champion Connecticut Blaze for the Eastern Conference Championship on May 16.  If the Gladiators should win this weekends series they will travel to Connecticut, and if the Lunatics take the series, Connecticut must travel to the Lunatic Asylum in Harrisburg as the Lunatics hold the Eastern Conferences best overall record in regular season play.  With victory this weekend, the Lunatics could also claim their third straight Mason/Dixon Division Title.  But that is going to be a tall order and the Gladiators could be the waiter that serves up a huge plate of denial.  Marple forward’s Dante Natale, Jason Cassidy, Paul Casciello, Jack Phelan, and Andrew Christiano have combined for 139 points this season.  The are supported by a strong cast of quality players who will and have made games a living nightmare for the Lunatics this season.  Goaltender Jason Yocum has been one of the leagues elite goalies again this year in PIHA and he will be returning to the Susquehanna Sports Center where he played two seasons for the Lunatics and looking to remind Tic players and fans how very strong he can be in front of the net. 

Harrisburg finished with a 25 win, 6 loss, 1OT loss record for good reason.  Forward Scott Gartzke led his team with 66 points (28 goals, 38 assists), and has been in the top 4 or 5 scorers of PIHA throughout the season.  Aware of his surroundings at all times, and gifted handling the puck, with a shot that you would swear could only be hit with a high power rifle scope, Gartzke doesn’t function alone.  The Lunatics are filled with star quality players who centrally work as a cohesive group.  Veteran PIHA forward Jay Mazer once again sits in the high league rankings for scoring with his 53 points (23 goals, 30 assists) and with his shifty looking for prey demeanor, he is a huge threat shorthanded and in pressure situations.  Defenseman Kevin Hollenbush may be one of the hardest working if not irritating opponents the Gladiators and all of PIHA faces, and his work pays off year in and year out.  This year “Holly” on defense has amassed 45 points in the top 10 scorers of PIHA.  Cory Volchko, Shawn Powell, Zack Rohrbach have combined for 101 points of their own!  Defensively, Josh Murphy and Nick Pappas have earned 48 points together, and combined with Hollenbush, Mazer and others the Tic defense together combined for 164 points.  Quite remarkable.  Probably the crown jewel of the team this year is goaltender Jason Rohrbach who leads the PIHA with 19 wins.  2^nd overall in the league in Save percentage .869 and Goals Against Average 2.45 Jason can be a thorn in the opponents side when stacking pads and flailing his body about the crease.  Seeing 434 shots and thwarting away 377 of them, it is no wonder “Bach” is a name most often sworn at by PIHA foes. 

The games are set, the teams are well ready and long overdue to get the puck dropped and the skates churning, with playoff division championships in the balance?  It is about time!!