Leading for most of the night, the Solvay ice hockey team was in good condition to fight past upstart Central Square in Friday night’s Section III Division I playoff opener at Allyn Arena.
But the Red Hawks, who had never even appeared in a post-season game before, made a stirring rally, dragged the game into double overtime – and won it, 5-4, on Kyle Bird’s decisive goal.
That it even got there was a tribute to Central Square’s resilience. Solvay appeared ready for a blowout in the first period, racing to a 3-1 lead.
It was still 4-3 through two periods, and by this point Travis Hyde had scored twice, adding an assist, and Ben Carrock had contributed three assists. Cameron Bennett had one goal and one assist, with Austin Webb also finding the net and Will Downs getting an assist, too.
From the third period onward, though, the Bearcats could get nothing past Central Square goalie Ben Coupe, who would finish with 43 saves on the night.
For his part, Ryan Bonk had 47 saves, many of them in the pair of OT periods after he surrendered the tying goal late in regulation. But 4:35 into the second OT, Central Square’s Nic Capriotti fed it to Kyle Bird, who beat Bonk for the game-winner.
Solvay closed at 14-7 on the season as Central Square advanced to the Division I semifinal against East division regular-season champ Rome Free Academy.
In the other semifinal Wednesday night at Shove Park, undefeated, state no. 1-ranked West Genesee meets Fayetteville-Manlius, this after the Wildcats smothered Hamilton 13-3 last Friday at Shove Park, just as the Hornets were outscoring Cicero-North Syracuse 7-4.
WG’s effort was impressive enough at the start, with a 4-1 lead through one period. But the Wildcats were upset about giving up a goal (this after 13 shutouts in the winter), so it proceeded to go on a 6-0 tear through the second period to reach double digits on the board.
Now the Wildcats get F-M, a team it beat 3-0 in the Feb. 10 regular-season finale and also handled 7-1 at home a month earlier. Should WG win, it plays RFA or Central Square Saturday at 1 p.m. in the sectional final at Utica Memorial Auditorium.
