Entering the new year, the Fayetteville-Manlius ice hockey team was 6-3, in position to move up from fourth place in Division I West during the second half of the regular season. A pair of victories helped garner momentum toward that goal.
When the Hornets met co-tenants Central Square last Wednesday night, it needed a last-second overtime goal from Anthony Angello to subdue the Red Hawks 5-4.
Already, Angello had enjoyed a strong night. He had scored twice, helping F-M establish a 3-2 lead through two periods, while Cooper Holick and Kevin O’Neill had also scored.
Still, Central Square, paced by Nick Capriotti and his three-goal hat trick, caught up in the third period to force overtime. But just before the game ended in a tie, with eight seconds left Angello pushed a shot past Red Hawks goalie Michael Brown to complete his own hat trick and win it.
Trevor Chase finished with two assists, while Boe Heintz, Mateo Capriotti and Tom Doucet had one assist apiece. Ben Napierala was active in the net, recording 37 saves.
More excitement was in store Friday night, when the Hornets hosted Baldwinsville and overcame a shaky start to knock off the Bees 4-2.
F-M was down, 2-0, after a first period where Justin Newman and Ronnie May scored for B’ville. But the Hornets pulled even, 2-2, in the second period, and went in front in the final period as the attack started to diversify.
Angello, with a goal and two assists, was still a focal point, but Chase, Capriotti and Cooper Hollick also found the net. Chase and Tim Maalouf added assists as Napierala blanked B’ville after the shaky start and finished with 31 saves.
CBA/J-D, fighting for first place in Division II, went for a season sweep of defending state Division II champion Cazenovia Friday night at the Morrisville State IcePlex, but could not quite get it in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Lakers.
Cazenovia was reeling from a 3-2 defeat to seventh-place Whitesboro earlier in the week, yet still hoped it could avenge its 4-1 loss to the Brothers back on Nov. 30 at Onondaga Nation Arena.
For a while, it looked like CBA/J-D would prevail again, inching to a 3-2 lead in the second period. Cazenovia tied it late in regulation, though, ,and won it in the OT period as Brian Gara, with a goal and two assists (he had missed the Whitesboro loss), led the way.
Brendan Flanagan sparked the Brothers’ attack, scoring three times for a hat trick, while Scott Firman had one goal and one assist. Nick Papayanakos, Deke Burns, Dominick Scicchitano, Jed Raby and Sean Lavin each had one assist.
Now in fourth place in Division II, CBA/J-D faces crucial games this week against two of the teams in front of them, Oswego and Skaneateles. F-M, meanwhile, takes its shot at undefeated, state no. 1-ranked West Genesee Wednesday at Shove Park before playing Solvay Friday at Allyn Arena in Skaneateles.
