Even in mid-December, the Baldwinsville ice hockey team felt some urgency going into Tuesday night’s game against Liverpool.
The Bees were coming off back-to-back losses to Cortland-Homer and West Genesee, and could not afford to let the Warriors, who also play home games at Greater Baldwinsville Ice Arena, make it three straight defeats.
So B’ville went out and, with well-timed scoring bursts and a bit of good fortune, beat the Warriors 6-1, though being the deeper, fresher side had a lot to do with it.
Liverpool had played the night before, losing to Fayeteville-Manlius by that same 6-1 margin, and it was the Warriors’ seventh overall game in 14 days.
Knowing this, the Bees remained patient through a 1-1 first period. Then it caught the break it needed when Matt Herman, in the second period, sent an odd-angle shot past the Warriors’ superb eight-grade goaltender, Stephen Kozikoski.
Sparked by that, B’ville extended its lead to 3-1 by the third period, and didn’t get fazed when Ronnie Bertrand got sent off for elbowing, a game misconduct. Instead, Matt Abbott and Parker Ferrigan got loose on breakaways and recorded back-to-back short-handed goals, and sealed a win in the process.
Six different players – Ferrigan, Abbott, Herman, James Pelcher, Mike Schneid and Garrett Gray – earned the six goals. Gray, Ferrigan and Abbott also picked up assists, as did Matt Zandri, Matt Metcalf, Sean Barron and Charlie Bertrand.
Just as important was the work of B’ville’s defense, which shook off that early Liverpool goal and turned back everything else. Goalie Josh Pinard stopped 26 of 27 shots.
