Is all of the momentum the Fayetteville-Manlius ice hockey team gained early this season starting to dissipate?
Perhaps the Hornets’ tough 2-1 defeat to defending Division I champion West Genesee on Jan. 6 had a long-term effect, for when the Hornets returned to action a week later, it lost again, this time a 2-0 decision to Baldwinsville at Lysander Arena.
For B’ville to zoom past F-M into second place in Division I, it needed to be patient through a scoreless first period where both goalies — Mike Poppleton for the Hornets, Nick Leader for the Bees — were brilliant.
Only in the second period did Poppleton crack a bit, as Nick Burlingame and Paul Schneid pushed goals past him that was the lone offense all night for either side. Poppleton had 35 saves, but none of his teammates’ 25 shots got past Leader.
The Hornets would try and bounce back Friday against Auburn at the Cicero Twin Rinks.
