Just when it was really needed, the CBA/Jamesville-DeWitt ice hockey team found its winning form again.
Back-to-back defeats to Skaneateles and New Hartford had sent the Brothers tumbling down the Division II standings, all the way to fifth place.
So when Fulton visited Onondaga Nation Arena Thursday night, CBA/J-D, refreshed from a six-day layoff, controlled the flow of play and eventually wore down the Red Raiders in a 3-0 shutout.
An all-out attack in the first period did not lead to any production, as Fulton goaltender Brandon Ladd turned back everything on his way to a 33-save night.
However, CBA/J-D broke through during the second period, and expanded on that 1-0 margin with two more tallies in the final period to get clear.
Ryan Durkin, Braeden Doust and Kane Alletzhauser put in the Brothers’ goals. Gavin Gray, Pete Dziergas and Jed Raby earned assists, and CBA/J-D’s defense was in top form, holding Fulton to just nine shots, all stopped by Tim Decker.
The Brothers finish its league portion of the schedule this week with a Wednesday visit to Whitesboro and a Friday home date with last-place Clinton.
Meanwhile, Fayetteville-Manlius, off a three-game stretch in three days where it went 1-2, saw its game with Baldwinsville snowed out last Tuesday and moved to this Saturday afternoon at Cicero Twin Rinks.
This meant the Hornets had a bit more rest when it entertained Liverpool Friday night in a game crucial to both team’s Division I playoff hopes. And once again, Anthony Angello would seize the spotlight as F-M subdued the Warriors 6-2.
Much of the damage was rendered in the first two periods, when the Hornets bolted out to a 5-1 lead. Angello led the push, notching a three-goal hat trick and adding a pair of assists to give him 47 points (26 goals, 21 assists) for the season.
Trevor Chase fed Angello on his way to three assists (he has 23 for the season), adding a goal as Mateo Capriotti and Matt McDonough also converted. Garrett Dumond contributed an assist. Ben Napierala did a terrific job in the net, stopping 34 of the 36 shots he faced.
Everything for the Hornets might get decided next week. Tied with B’ville and Syracuse for second place in Division I West with 13 points, three behind West Genesee, F-M gets to face all of them in a row, going to Shove Park Tuesday and Meachem Rink Thursday to meet WG and Syracuse before making up the snowed-out B’ville game Saturday at 6:30 at Onondaga Nation Arena.
