Barely two years ago, Baldwinsville ice hockey captain Bobby Conklin lost his life in an automobile accident while driving to a team practice.
In his honor, the Bees held the Bobby Conklin Memorial Tournament last weekend, winning on its home ice at Lysander to set up a key early-season showdown with Oswego on Tuesday night.
This began Friday night, in the opening round, where B’ville tore up Solvay and registered a 5-2 victory over the Bees.
B’ville took control early, eventually building a 4-1 lead by the end of the second period to account for its winning margin.
In a near-perfect display of offensive balance, the Bees had five players — Adam Mohr, Morgan Noffey, Kevin McMahon, Zach Menapace and Pat Briggs — earn the five goals.
What’s more, McMahon, Noffey and Mohr also gained assists, as Chris Newman added an assist. B’ville took 41 shots, making goalie Nick Leader relax a bit — though Leader did have to make 20 saves.
In Saturday’s final, B’ville went up against Penfield (Section V), who had beaten Ogdensburg Free Academy in the other opening-round contest.
Here, the issue was in doubt until the third period — but the Bees finished strong, and took out the Patriots 6-3.
Following a scoreless first period, both teams scored twice in the second period. Down the stretch, though, B’ville wore Penfield’s defense down, finding the net four times.
Through it all, Briggs and Newman proved to be unstoppable, earning his first varsity hat trick as he got three goals and one assist. Newman, for his part, also had four points, scoring twice and adding a pair of assists.
Brad Burlingame earned the other goal, as McMahon gained two assists. Mohr and Brett Earle joined Briggs with single assists as Leader, in a solid net effort, earned 28 saves.
Dipping into Division I play, the Bees were expected to have little trouble dealing with Cicero-North Syracuse last Tuesday night.
But the game at Cicero Twin Rinks turned into a thriller where B’ville needed every bit of its energy to get past the Northstars 4-3.
The Bees inched out in front in the first period, beginning a long tug-of-war where CNS would score, only to have the Bees answer and say in front.
They both scored twice in the third period before the Bees, needing 18 saves from goaltender Mark Miller, held on.
Newman and Earle carried the B’ville attack with two goals apiece, as Earle’s second tally proved to be the game-winner.
Mark Belluchi had two assists, with Mohr and Briggs each getting one assist. Brad Monroe, Ben Abate and Will Kaljeskie earned CNS’s goals.
B’ville carried the momentum from the Conklin Memorial into Tuesday’s home showdown with Oswego, who had just knocked off unbeaten Fayetteville-Manlius 7-2 the previous Friday.
