Though some time remained before the West Genesee and Syracuse ice hockey teams would clash, they had chances to build up momentum and confidence before squaring off twice in consecutive weeks with Division I’s American Conference regular-season title at stake.
And for the state Division I no. 6-ranked Cougars, no game was bigger than last Friday’s visit to Meachem Rink from no. 7-ranked Baldwinsville, the leaders in Division I’s National Conference. Unlike their first encounter, it went in Syracuse’s favor as it defeated the Bees 3-1.
These two sides had met Dec. 6 in the finals of the Bobby Conklin Memorial Tournament, with B’ville prevailing 4-2.
Just 63 seconds into the first period of the rematch, Andrew Hodgens brought the puck into the Bees’ end and, facing a crowd of defenders, waited for teammate Collin Thompson before passing to him and watching Thompson, from the left circle, fling it past B’ville goalie Matt Sabourin.
It briefly appeared that the Bees would answer the challenge when, just two minutes later, Matt Monaco’s perfectly-timed pass sprung Adam Tretowicz on a breakaway up the middle, and Tretowicz beat Syracuse netminder Sam Walsh to tie it, 1-1.
Yet it was quickly apparent that, while the Bees could make random pushes, it could not sustain pressure in Syracuse’s end of the ice, even when it got a handful of power plays.
The Cougars reclaimed the lead for good with 2:17 left in the first period, when amid a scramble in front of Sabourin, Ryan Lehrer poked the puck in the net.
It stayed 2-1 throughout a scoreless second period. Then, in a four-on-four situation 1:52 into the third period (both teams had received penalties for missing required equipment), Syracuse’s Sean Eccles took the puck deep in his own end, raced up the open ice past all of the B’ville defenders, and then sent a wrist shot past Sabourin for an insurance goal.
Syracuse’s week had started with an impressive 8-0 shutout over Watertown IHC last Monday night at Fairgrounds Arena, highlighted by a five-goal third period.
Seven different Cougars found the net, with only Sean Eccles scoring twice. Leland Powless and Colby Skrupa each had one goal and one assist, with Ryan Eccles getting two assists.
Thompson, Lehrer, C.J. Walsh and Colton Francemone got single goals as Matt Eccles, Ryan Evanchak and Dan Hodgens also picked up assists. While Walsh rested, Jake Polacek took a turn in the net and stopped all 11 Cavaliers shots he faced to earn the shutout.
Then the Cougars pulled off another one-sided shutout on Wednesday night at Meachem, taking apart the Mohawk Valley Raiders in a 9-0 decision.
Again, most of that production came in the third period, when Syracuse, though with a comfortable 3-0 lead, peppered Mohawk Valley with six more goals in those last 15 minutes.
Eight different players netted goals, with only Matt Eccles finding the net twice. Thompson put up three assists as Sean Eccles and C.J. Walsh both had a goal and two assists. Hodgens, Skrupa, Lehrer, Nick Matro and Leland Powless took turns getting goals, too.
Back on Monday, West Genesee, who made its 2014-15 debut in the state Division I rankings in the no. 13 spot, visited Lysander Rink, also home to Liverpool, who would not get on the board, either, as the Wildcats shut them out 2-0.
Much of the game was played in Liverpool’s end, and only the great work of Warriors goalie Steve Kozikoski, who finished with 35 saves, kept WG from a one-side romp.
Instead, it had to settle for Ryan McDonald, coming off his hat trick against B’ville on Jan. 9, scoring one goal and assisting on the other, by Matt McDonald. David Procopio assisted on both goals and Grainger Sasso also had an assist. Nick Skidmore only had to make eight saves all night.
WG returned to Shove Park Friday night and welcomed Derek Farrell back to the lineup, and Farrell wasted little time contributing as the Wildcats smashed Cicero-North Syracuse 10-1.
Farrell had missed each regular-season game so far with an injury, but with his return, the Wildcats’ attack instantly perked up, sprinting out to a 4-1 first-period lead.
Then that margin kept growing, Farrell contributing a goal and adding a pair of assists as part of a deep, well-balanced attack where Procopio, Jay Considine and Ryan McDonald each finished with two goals and two assists.
Marshall Winn and Pat McDonald both matched Farrell, getting one goal and two assists, with Steve Anderson getting the other goal. Matt McDonald had three assists, with Sasso and Chris Peer adding single assists.
