One Wednesday-night ice hockey epic between Syracuse and West Genesee merited another, with the same emotion, passion, animosity and intensity – and the same outcome, as it turned out.
Just as it did at Meachem Rink exactly one week earlier, the state Division I no. 5-ranked Cougars prevailed over the no. 12-ranked Wildcats by a single goal, only here it required overtime and a goal from Nick Matro in the last minute of that extra period to pull out a 4-3 victory at Shove Park.
For Syracuse, the win all but clinched the Division I American Conference regular-season title and home-ice advantage through the first two round of the Section III playoffs, something it felt like it needed to have the best shot at ending WG’s seven-year sectional championship reign.
Everyone, on both sides, expected a game similar to the wild 5-4 Cougars victory on Jan. 28, but this sequel would not see anyone grab a lead more than one goal all night. Also different was the presence of Nick Skidmore in goal for the Wildcats, instead of Sammy Colabufo.
Syracuse’s Sean Eccles, who recorded a hat trick against the Wildcats in that initial meeting, got things rolling when he beat Skidmore for a goal just 1:09 into the game.
But Skidmore stopped the remaining nine shots he faced in the first period, and WG didn’t wait to answer, tying it seven minutes later on Ryan McDonald’s goal and putting heavy pressure on Cougars goalie Sam Walsh the rest of the period.
That it stayed 1-1 through the end of the second period was a relief for Syracuse and, at the same time, utter frustration for the Wildcats.
Three different times in that period, WG got on the power play, including a four-minute man advantage caused by Colby Skrupa’s boarding penalty. Each time, Syracuse kept the Wildcats off the board, Walsh getting 16 saves in that period alone.
Only when two more penalties led to a two-man advantage did WG grab a 2-1 lead just 19 seconds into the third period, Ryan McDonald finding the net again when Walsh could not corral Derek Farrell’s shot.
Unfazed by this, Sean Eccles charged into WG’s end less than two minutes later and, when Skidmore could not hang on to his shot, Matt Eccles put in the rebounds, and it was even again, 2-2.
Now Syracuse got a series of power plays. With 10:52 left in regulation, Skrupa, atoning for his earlier penalty, scored to give the Cougars a 3-2 lead – which lasted all of 30 seconds until Pat McDonald, unassisted, answered, and it was tied again.
Through the last 10-plus minutes of regulation, both teams missed lots of chances to score. And it was the same for most of the OT period, too, the Wildcats particularly stymied as Walsh moved his total to 39 saves for the night.
One more time, Syracuse applied pressure, forcing WG to take a penalty. Then the Cougars worked the puck around until Matro, flashing open at the point, got the puck and, with 31.9 seconds left, flung a shot past Skidmore into the net for the game-winner.
It was fitting that Matro picked up that goal, after getting two assists earlier in the game. Collin Thompson also had a pair of assists for the Cougars, with Dan Hodgens and Andrew Hodgens adding one assist apiece. Grainger Sasso had an assist for the Wildcats as Skidmore finished with 25 saves.
