While still chasing Rome Free Academy atop Division I East, the Cicero-North Syracuse ice hockey team made quite an impression to a top West division challenger.
The Northstars hosted Baldwinsville on Dec. 21 at the Twin Rinks, and with its best all-around effort of the season, C-NS put together an incredible mid-game charge that led to a 10-1 rout of the Bees.
It helped that C-NS established early control, finding the net twice in the first period to move into a 2-0 advantage.
What happened in the second period, though, was astonishing. Over the course of those 15 minutes, the Northstars piled up seven unanswered goals, overwhelming B’ville’s defenses.
About the only thing that went wrong was that C-NS surrendered the shutout in the third period, but B’ville did little else.
Best of all for the Northstars, it did not lean on all-time leading scorer Eric Hamilton as much as in some other games, though Hamilton still finished with a goal and two assists.
Eight different players found the net, with Connor Doren and Jesse Farabee the only ones to get two goals. Danny Rush, Kyler Schilling, Chris Schneid, Nick Schneid and Zach Sheridan also had goals, with Matt Siegel and Cole Parzich each getting two assists. Ben Cummings, Devin Bronner, Paul Ludden and Shawn O’Neill joined Rush, Doren and Nick Schneid in the assist column.
From there, C-NS visited Division II contender Auburn Thursday afternoon at Casey Rink, and steady, diverse production made the difference in a 5-2 victory over the Maroons.
Up 1-0 going to the second period, C-NS was threatened as Auburn’s Jake Orlando notched both of his team’s goals and Jeff Gardner, busy in the net, worked his way to 40 saves.
However, C-NS matched that production and maintained a 3-2 lead to the third period, where it would convert twice more to gain needed insurance.
Hamilton again led a well-balanced offense, getting two goals and one assist. Rush had one goal and one assist, while Fiume and Farabee each got two assists. Doren and Chris Schneid also found the net, with Sheridan and Siegel also getting assists.
On Wednesday, C-NS resumes league play at Meachem Rink against the newly-formed Syracuse Cougars (who stunned West Genesee 1-0 in overtime on Dec. 21 at Shove Park), this before hosting the C-NS Optimists Tournament on Friday and Saturday.
