Perhaps the West Genesee ice hockey team is not yet back to the high level of play to which it has grown so accustomed – but it’s getting closer.
That was the main takeaway from the Wildcats’ 3-3 tie with state Division I no. 3-ranked Baldwinsville Friday night at Shove Park, where Ryan McDonald’s hat trick, and Sammy Colabufo’s strong play in goal, helped WG erase two different deficits in the latest chapter of this intense rivalry.
Having gone 4-4-2 in the first half of the regular season, the Wildcats had started to show real improvement. This made the postponement of last Monday’s trip to Mohawk Valley (it will get made up Jan. 19) a bit disappointing, because WG wanted more momentum going into its lone regular-season encounter with B’ville.
Ever since it lost in overtime to Cicero-North Syracuse in the Frozen Dome Classic at the Carrier Dome on Nov. 21, the Bees had gone 7-0-1, its lone blemish a 3-3 tie at New Hartford on Jan. 2. But B’ville carried plenty of memories of recent defeats to the Wildcats, and badly wanted to atone.
During an evenly played first period, each side had chances, with WG unable to convert on two power plays. When the Bees got the man advantage, though, it took a 1-0 lead midway through the frame, Matt Abbott putting in the rebound of Alex Paterson-Jones’ shot.
Early in the second period, A nifty wrist shot by Taylor Gebhardt flew past Wildcats goalie Sammy Colabufo to make it 2-0. Needing a spark, the hosts got it from Ryan McDonald, who just as his team’s third power play ended, broke free on the right side and, taking Matt McDonald’s pass, fired one into the net.
McDonald was far from done. With yet another man advantage late in the second period, WG’s David Procopio sent a shot from the right side that McDonald deflected past Bees goalie Matt Sabourin to tie it at the 12:57 mark.
They stayed 2-2 until the third period. Upon getting another power play, B’ville called its time-out and, keeping the puck in WG’s end, didn’t stop until Kyle Lindsay’s angled shot beat Colabufo, Abbott and Adam Tretowicz earning the assists.
Now it was up to the Wildcats’ defense to keep the game close – which it did, twice killing off Bees power plays and gaining energy from those stops. Colabufo got more confident, too, turning away shots that may have put the game out of reach.
And with 2:36 left in regulation, McDonald again broke free on the right side, and when his shot found the net, the hat trick was complete, and the game was even again.
The action didn’t let up, though. Through the last stages of the third period and five minutes of frantic overtime play, WG and B’ville both had glorious chances to win the game, but got turned back, Colabufo running his total to 23 saves and Sabourin getting 26 saves, two of them pad stops in the final seconds of OT to preserve the tie.
While all this was going on, the Syracuse Cougars, sitting at no. 7 in the latest state Division I rankings and bound for its own showdown with B’ville next Friday at Meachem Rink, returned to action at home and defeated Rome Free Academy 4-2.
These same two sides had met in last year’s sectional semifinals, which the Black Knights won. Badly wanting revenge, the Cougars did its main damage early, scoring twice in each of the first two periods while playing stout defense to build a 4-0 advantage.
RFA tried to rally late with a pair of third-period goals from J.T. Antelisano, but it didn’t prove enough. Nick Matro found the net twice for Syracuse, while Sean Eccles had a goal and two assists. Matt Eccles had one goal and one assist as Colby Skrupa, Matt Frye and Bryan O’Mara also earned assists. Goalie Sam Walsh finished with 19 saves.
Before it faces B’ville, the Cougars must first deal with Watertown IHC Monday and Mohawk Valley Wednesday, each of them road trips. WG visits the Bees’ home facility at Lysander to take on Liverpool Monday before returning home next Friday to play Cicero-North Syracuse.
