When the Baldwinsville ice hockey team welcomes Mohawk Valley to Lysander Arena this Friday afternoon, it does so having gone 3-1-1 in the first quarter of its season.
A chance at a second victory against the reigning state Division I champion Syracuse Cougars on Dec. 18 at Meachem Rink was denied due to winter weather, and won’t get made up until Feb. 13 at the end of the regular season.
So B’ville will have a lot of time to improve before that rematch of its 3-2 win over Syracuse in the Dec. 7 final of the Bobby Conklin Tournament. In the meantime, plenty of work remained.
The Bees ventured to Casey Park last Friday to face Auburn, and once again the offense had a difficult time establishing things as it tied the Maroons 1-1.
It was by that same score that Auburn managed to deadlock reigning state Division II champion Skaneateles on Dec. 17 before it met B’ville, largely on a 34-save effort from goaltende Adam Kowal.
Here, that wasn’t needed, the Maroons’ defense mostly keeping the Bees from long possessions and Kowal recording 20 saves. All he allowed was a goal by the Bees’ Alex Pompo, assisted by Luke Hoskin.
Pushed plenty, B’ville had its own fine defensive effort. Other than Ty Hlywa’s goal, the Bees turned everything back, goalie Brad O’Neill turning back 27 of 28 shots.
Other than the game with Mohawk Valley, the Bees would rest and practice through the hoilday school break and then resume Jan. 3-4 with its trip to Skaneateles for the Duke Schneider Memorial Tournament, where it meets Williamsville South in the first round, the winner to get the Lakers or Pelham in the championship game.
