Entering its most important stretch of the season, the West Genesee ice hockey team is in its best form, which must make the rest of the Division I ranks worry.
The Wildcats made the trip north to face Ontario Bay last Tuesday night and unloaded one of its largest offensive totals in school history during a 16-0 shutout of the Storm.
The first period alone featured eight goals, and eight more would follow as Tom Hanley, with three goals and one assist, and Corey Raaflub, with two goals and three assists, led a deep and diverse attack.
Mike Philippone had a career-best four assists as Aaron Jones, Jake O’Donnell and Ryan McDonald each posted two goals and one assist. David Procopio, Nate Colabufo and Tim Sexton all finished with one goal and two assists. Steve Anderson, Grainger Sasso, Tyler Foster, Luke Trice and Collin Kobuszewski all got single assists.
As this went on, the Syracuse Cougars nearly got a costly defeat at home against Ithaca on Wednesday night, but rallied to beat the Little Red 4-2.
Through two periods, Syracuse trailed, 2-1, but it dominated the flow of play in the third period to surge out in front, with three different players scoring goals.
Travis Hyde, with a goal and assist, led the comeback, with Pat Farrell, Nate Carr and Cameron Bennett also finding the net. Jim Albright turned back 18 of the 20 shots he faced.
This was the Cougars’ lone action of the week, as it improved to 9-5-1 in advance of Tuesday’s trip to Cortland-Homer and a Thursday visit from Baldwinsville.
Meanwhile, WG plays Liverpool Tuesday at Greater Baldwinsville Ice Arena before coming back home Friday for its own game against Cortland-Homer.
