It wasn’t the easiest way for the Fayetteville-Manlius ice hockey team to start a busy week of games as all the local sides tried to make up ground following two weekends of action lost to winter weather.
The Hornets faced unbeaten, state Division I no. 2-ranked West Genesee last Monday night at the Cicero Twin Rinks, and contained the Wildcats most of the way, yet couldn’t get on the board in a 3-0 defeat.
F-M had its share of opportunities, getting four different power plays during the course of the game, yet could not convert any of them and barely got any chances at all, held to five shots by WG’s stifling defense.
For his part, Hornets goalie James Kaffenberger was sensational, stopping 37 of the 40 shots he faced. Yet the Wildcats did get to him once in each period as Patrick McDonald earned two of the goals and Dan Colabufo got the other
Still at home Wednesday night, F-M faced Fulton, but turned things around, defeating the Red Raiders 4-2.
The Hornets inched out in front 2-1 by the close of the first period. Then it matched Fulton’s second-period tally with one of its own before getting a late insurance goal to support Andrew Heyman, who took his turn in goal and recorded 24 saves.
Will Duncanson, with three assists, led a well-balanced F-M attack. Sam DiChristina, Ben Hammond and Jackson Denton each had one goal and one assist, with Jason Tedeschi also finding the net and Brendon McDonald gaining an assist.
When F-M visited Casey Park Thursday to take on state Division II no. 2-ranked Auburn, it was the team’s third game in four days, but it nearly pulled off a major victory before falling in overtime to the Maroons 6-5.
It only took 36 seconds for Ben Hammond to put F-M on the board with a well-placed slap shot. Less than six minutes later, DiChristina made it 2-0 on a rebound, but Auburn pulled even on goals by JohnnyMalandruccolo and Jake Morin, the latter of them with 8.9 seconds left in the first period.
They traded power-play goals in the second period – Josh Kuscinski for F-M, R.J. Szakalski for Auburn. Then the exchange continued early in the third period as DiChristina answered Brendan Williams’ goal that gave the Maroons its first lead of the night.
Malandruccolo converted again late in regulation, but Auburn again was caught as, with 3:02 left, the Hornets forced another tie and, ultimately, put it into a five-minute OT period.
And it was there, with 48.8 seconds left, that Williams moved around an F-M defender and fired in the game-winning goal, his second of the night.
CBA/Jamesville-DeWitt took its 2-6-1 record into last Tuesday’s game at Oswego, seeking any kind of spark, but instead struggling on the offensive end of the ice again in a 3-1 loss to the Buccaneers.
Kodi Dotterer’s goal, assisted by Bailey Doust and Ian Henderson, was the Brothers’ lone tally of the night. Combined, CBA/J-D goalies Aiden Calvarese and Manuel Pineda made 27 saves.
Yet Oswego broke through three times as Kyle Decker earned two of the Bucs’ goals, with Billy Greene earning the other. Derek Morgia and Ryan Wood had two assist apiece.
Then the Brothers went on the road once more, to face state-ranked Whitesboro Friday night, and once more proved stingy on the defensive side, yet still was beaten by a 2-1 margin.
Brandon Webb put the Warriors in front, 1-0, only to have Dotterer, off a feed from Liam O’Malley, tie it in the second period. And it stayed that way until the final period, when Webb’s second goal allowed Whitesboro to move in front for good.
