CENTRAL NEW YORK – Everything in area Division II ice hockey centers around whether anyone will ultimately be able to topple reigning state champion Skaneateles.
Christian Brothers Academy/Jamesville-DeWitt got close against the Lakers on Dec. 8, taking a narrow 2-1 defeat, and now the Brothers finds itself in second place in the league standings.
That was largely due to last Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime win over Whitesboro, where CBA/J-D, no. 12 in the state Division II rankings, remained steady and poised throughout the game.
Leading 2-1 after two periods, the Brothers saw Whitesboro rally to pull even, 3-3, only to have CBA/J-D put in the overtime game-winner.
James Stanton scored twice as single goals went to Quinn Wimer and Gavin Parks. Seven different players – Alex Binsack, Joe Dotterer, Seamus Nicholson, Ty Parker, Will Sharlow, Nate Vault and John Sheridan – were credited with assists.
Joe Salvador and Ben Lovell both saw time in the net, combining for 25 saves to negate Warriors goals by Mke Calcagnino, Jax Hall and Noah Clausen.
Hoping to go to Crisafulli Rink to face Oswego two nighs later, CBA/J-D instead saw that game postponed, which meant rest before key league games this week against Cortland-Homer and Auburn.
Fayetteville-Manlius entered 2022 with a 2-5 record, and while it had an encouraging start in last Tuesday’s game against Ontario Bay at State Fair Coliseum, the Hornets could not sustain it in a 6-3 loss to the Storm.
It was 2-2 through one period before Ontario Bay took charge with three unanswered goals in the second, Zach Blevins leading the Storm as he scored twice and got an assist.
Chris Finger finished with 33 saves as, in front of him, Joey Leveroni had one goal and one assist. Other goals went to Jonas Oesterle and Gavin Patnode, with assists earned by Brady Moore, Charlie Lorraine and Colden Ives.
A weekend road trip followed, but it was cut in half when F-M saw its game against Saratoga Springs postponed on Friday ni ght.
The Hornets did play on Saturday, though, and edged Albany CBA 1-0 largely due to Finger stopping all 37 shots he faced, his effort rewarded when Leveroni netted the game’s only goal in the third period, with Ives earning the assist.
