All the Cicero-North Syracuse ice hockey team had to do, in order to maintain its place atop the state Division I rankings, was avoid looking too far ahead.
Everything pointed toward this Friday night’s showdown between the Northstars and no. 3-ranked Rome Free Academy at Kennedy Arena. The Black Knights are the only team to beat C-NS this season, a 3-1 decision way back on Nov. 30 at the Twin Rinks.
From that point forward, the Northstars have been flawless, a win streak that reached 15 in a row last Monday as Eric Hamilton led the way in a 9-2 romp over Central Square.
Like C-NS, the Red Hawks play home games at the Twin Rinks. But that familiarity did little to help the Red Hawks, who were overwhelmed by a six-goal first-period eruption on the Northstars’ part.
It was 8-1 by the end of the period, and Hamilton was largely responsible, piling up five goals and adding an assist as linemates Matt Fiume and Jesse Farabee each got three assists.
Kyle Schilling, Connor Doren, A.J. Merola and Danny Rush earned one goal apiece, while Ben Cummings managed a pair of assists. Doren and Paul Ludden each had one assist.
Still at home Wednesday night, C-NS took apart Ontario Bay in a 14-4 romp, a contest that began with the Northstars scoring seven unanswered goals in the first period.
And C-NS would double that total, getting eight points from both Hamilton and Farabee as Hamilton earned four goals and four assists and Farabee contributed three goals and five assists.
When Fiume picked up his third goal to go with four assists, the entire C-NS main line had hat tricks, a rare feat. Rush, Curtis Howland and Chris Schneid scored, too, with Howland earning two assists. Matt Siegel, Newell Field, John Ratliff and Antonio Annesi each had one assist.
With 23 goals in two nights, C-NS got another chance to showcase its attack Friday, against Watertown IHC, and did so as it throttled the Cavaliers 10-2 for its 17th win in a row.
In this game, the production picked up as the night went on, from a 2-0 lead through one period to three goals in the second and a five-goal eruption in the final period.
Doren led the way with a season-best total of six points that included two goals and four assists. Hamilton also scored twice, with Merola, Fiume, Rush, Zach Sheridan, Matt Siegel and Noah Koening also getting goals. Rush and Ludden each got two assists.
Meanwhile, Liverpool, snowed out of last Tuesday’s game with West Genesee (it will get made up Feb. 8), returned to action Friday and took a 6-2 defeat to Fayetteville-Manlius at the Twin Rinks.
The Warriors’ playoff chances were hurt when the Hornets, led by Anthony Angello’s three goals and two assists, bolted to a 5-1 lead through two periods.
Even though Liverpool took plenty of shots, it could only manage goals by Alex Bittel and Kody Gaulke, with Nick Bittel and Rocco Leone earning assists. Steve Kozikoski made 28 saves, but F-M goalie Ben Napierala topped him, stopping 34 of the Warriors’ 36 shots.
Now three points out of a playoff spot, Liverpool faced a must-win scenario Monday at Meachem Rink when it faced Syracuse before hosting Cortland-Homer Thursday night.
