One thing the Liverpool ice hockey team is getting used to is seeing an opponent rack up all kinds of shots on them.
Just as importantly, though, the Warriors are also growing accustomed to seeing eighth-grade goaltender Steven Kozikoski turn them away.
And that made a difference in last Tuesday night’s game against the visiting 2-0-1 Syracuse Cougars, who had most of the chances, but still saw the Warriors prevail 3-2.
Into the second period, Kozikoski kept the Cougars out, and it allowed Liverpool to stay in the game and take a 1-1 tie to intermission.
Then Liverpool got two goals in the final period, and though Kozikoski gave up one, he surrendered nothing more, stopping 46 of the 48 shots he faced overall.
Dalton Horton led the late offensive effort, scoring twice, while Nick Bittel earned the other goal. Connor Hurwitz, Rocco Leone, Dan McManus, Kody Gaulke and Alex Bittel each had one assist. Erick Viola and Travis Hyde earned the Warriors’ goals.
In Friday night’s game at Cortland-Homer, the Warriors looked for three wins in a row, and got it, relying on that same formula to beat the Golden Eagles by that same 3-2 margin.
What was different was that, this time, Liverpool did find offense in the early going as it sneaked ahead of Cortland-Homer 2-1 in the first period.
Another goal made it 3-1 in the second frame as, by that point, Gaulke, Nick Bittel and Tyler Garofalo had put in goals. Horton earned two assists, while Dan McManus and Donny Husted got one assist apiece.
Now the Warriors had to hang on. Cortland-Homer closed the gap to one in the final period, but again Kozikoski proved spectacular, frustrating the Golden Eagles on his way to 43 saves.
Liverpool’s quest for four in a row involves hosting Fayetteville-Manlius Monday night at Lysander, just before a Tuesday showdown with its co-tenants from Baldwinsville.
