It took more than half of the regular season, and it required another state-ranked opponent to pull it off, but the CBA/Jamesville-DeWitt ice hockey team finally had to accept a defeat on its ledger.
New Hartford succeeded where 11 previous opponents had not, defending home ice with a tough 2-1 victory over the Brothers last Wednesday night at New Hartford Recreation Center.
Entering the game, CBA/J-D retained its no. 3 spot in the state Division II poll thanks to a 3-0-1 run through two separate tournaments during the holiday break.
Meanwhile, New Hartford, thanks to a 7-0-2 start that included a 3-3 tie with state Division I no. 4-ranked Baldwinsville on Jan. 2, was in the no. 7 spot in the state poll and atop the Division II National Conference, the Spartans ready to prove itself in consecutive home games against CBA/J-D and no. 2-ranked Skaneateles seven days apart.
Going first, the Brothers quickly found itself in a physical battle with New Hartford, much of the first period staying 0-0 as each side sought to get out in front, but could not do so.
Then, with 34.3 seconds left in the period, CBA/J-D found itself a man down, and the Spartans took advantage, Garrett Mahoney scoring to put his side in front.
Flush with momentum, New Hartford made it 2-0 just 4:36 into the second period, with Mike Mercurio poking a shot past Brothers goalie Gabe Vinal.
From that point forward, Vinal would allow nothing more, his 25 saves another first-rate effort augmented by a tough CBA/J-D defense that blocked shots and gave the attack plenty of time to try and catch up.
With 1:05 left in the second period, the Brothers cut its two-goal deficit in half when Sam Mueller, taking a pass from Grayson Burns, sent a shot that Connor Flanagan tipped past New Hartford’s netminder, Tyler Hansen.
All through the third period, CBA/J-D increased its pressure, getting a host of chances to tie it. Every time, Hansen turned them away, eventually stopping 32 of the 33 shots he faced and helping the Spartans hang on.
