Even as they lined up against each other last Friday night at the Twin Rinks, there loomed the reality that the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse ice hockey teams were not done with each other, regardless of the result.
Since they sat eighth and ninth in the Division I standings, the Warriors and Northstars were going to meet again in the opening round of the Section III playoffs – but C-NS had to win to assure that it happen on this same home ice.
That did not happen. By prevailing 7-3, the Warriors made sure that the post-season clash would instead take place at Lysander Arena this Tuesday night.
During an active first period, Liverpool and C-NS traded goals, but the Northstars were shut out in the second period as the Warriors grabbed a 4-2 edge.
That margin grew bigger in the third period as Connor Boland’s late-season tear continued, Boland scoring four times and adding a pair of assists as linemate Matt Gagnon had two goals and three assists. Dan Laurenti got a goal and two assists as Anthony Bentley added an assist.
On C-NS’s side, Carter Wisely got two goals and Aidan Long also found the net, with Holden Sarosy, Tyler Murray, Tanner Long, Ryan Sisco and Braylen Tuff each getting one assist.
More effective in the net, Liverpool goaltender James Welch stopped 36 of 39 shots, while Northstars counterpart Jordan Miller had 39 saves.
Liverpool had moved into eighth place last Tuesday night when it put together perhaps its best all-around effort of the season by shutting out Rome Free Academy 4-0 at Lysander Arena.
A first-period goal by Connor Boland got the Warriors in front, but then Boland struck three times in the second period for a natural hat trick as Matt Gagnon got three assists, Brayden Cheevers and Anthony Bentley adding single assists.
While this was gong on, RFA had all kinds of opportunities to get on the board, but a stellar Liverpool defense turned them back, Nick Reed stopping all 31 Black Knights shots he faced.
By contrast, a short-handed C-NS squad was overwhelmed at home 9-1 by first-place Syracuse, who netted three goals late in the first period to break out of a 1-1 tie after Matt Cramer converted off a feed by Holden Sarosy.
Kaleb Benedict, with three goals and one assist, led the way for the Cougars as Vern Cooke scored twice and Ryan Durand picked up three assists. Nelson Jones had a goal and two assists.
