Bitterness, like joy, has a tendency to linger, which can either lead to self-destruction or a determination to set things straight.
The West Genesee ice hockey team has the latter in mind, still fuming about how the possible tying goal was not allowed in the final seconds of last March’s 1-0 defeat to Mamaroneck in last March’s state Division I final at Buffalo’s HarborCenter.
Though eight-plus months have passed, WG stills remember that ending and want nothing other than to go back to Buffalo next March and win it all. First, though, there was the matter of getting through its annual season-opening Wildcat Classic at Shove Park.
The tournament opened last Friday night as the Wildcats took on Massena, who hung close for a while, but could not answer WG’s mid-game scoring blitz as it went on to beat the Red Raiders 6-2.
Both of Massena’s goals came in the first period, leading to a 2-2 tie. From there, tough, the Wildcats’ defense cranked up its pressure, protecting goalie Sammy Colabufo (who made just 10 saves) and giving the attack ample time to reclaim the lead – which it did.
A trio of unanswered goals made it 5-2 through two periods, more than Massena could overcome. Jay Considine led the way, scoring twice and getting three assists, while Pat McDonald got two goals and two assists. Dan Colabufo added a goal and two assists as Dan Holzhauer earned the other goal. Single assists went to Ryan Smith, Garrett Schnorr, Ryan Washo and Marshall Winn.
Earlier that night, Suffern had defeated Fairport 1-0 in the other opening-round game, largely due to the superb work in goal by Ryan Fueg, who stopped all 32 Red Raiders shots he faced.
Now, though, Fueg and the Mounties had to hold off West Genesee in Saturday night’s title game, and though again Fueg had a solid effort, it could not keep the relentless Wildcats from solving him on a trio of occasions and earning a 3-0 shutout.
Here, there wasn’t any early defensive lapses on WG’s part, just a steady attack that kept pressure off Sammy Colabufo, though the Wildcats netminder did manage to stop all 12 shots Suffern slung at him.
It helped, of course, that Winn beat Fueg for the game’s first goal just 1:35 into the contest. It stayed 1-0 until Winn converted again at the 9:02 mark of the second period, and Considine’s goal less than three minutes into the third period iced it. Dan Colabufo got credit for an assist.
While all this was going on, the Syracuse Cougars, featuring many top players from schools in the western suburbs, started out on its quest to dethrone West Genesee as Section III Division I champions with its efforts in Baldwinsville’s Bobby Conklin Memorial Tournament.
Indeed, the final at Lysander Arena would pit Syracuse against B’ville, a result the Wildcats were quite interested in, especially with the Bees hosting WG this Friday night. The game turned into a tense thriller decided right at the horn as the Cougars fell to the Bees 4-3.
The two sides swapped first-period goals, only to have Syracuse go in front, 3-2, by the close of the second period, having seen C.J. Walsh and Bryan O’Mara each earn one goal and one assist and Andrew Hodgens also find the net. Ryan Eccles, Matt Eccles and Philip Zollo earned assists.
Yet all of this wasn’t enough, B’ville fighting back to get even again, 3-3, and then applying pressure until, with one second left in regulation, Ryan Gebhardt slipped the puck past Cougars goalie Jack Klawitter to win it, Gebhardt’s second goal of the game.
Right after B’ville defeated Fulton 4-1 in its opening-round game, Syracuse got to the final with a 10-0 rout over Cazenovia, where it scored five times in the first period alone to seize control, dominating the Lakers not just with its skill, but with its depth.
Eight different Cougars netted a goal by game’s end, with only Matt Frye and Matt Eccles scoring twice. Walsh and Hodgens both had a goal and two assists, with O’Mara adding three assists as Zollo, Matt Goddard, Ryan Durand and Joe Lamson also found the net. Goddard added an assist.
Syracuse has its home opener Thursday against Rome Free Academy at Meachem Rink, 24 hours before West Genesee and Baldwinsville collide in Lysander and a day after the Wildcats host Mohawk Valley in its Division I American Conference opener.
