Since the Cicero-North Syracuse ice hockey team shares the same Twin Rinks facility as Fayetteville-Manlius, it only figures that their head-to-head meetings would have a bit more intensity and meaning.
So when they squared off on Dec. 18 in the first of two Division I National Conference showdowns, it only figured that the game would go to overtime, and the Northstars would claim it, earning its third victory in a row by edging the Hornets 4-3.
C-NS had just come off wins over Potsdam and Rome Free Academy, each of them by 5-2 margins, and didn’t get too fazed when it fell behind F-M 2-1 in the first period.
Instead, the Northstars blanked the Hornets in the second period, tied it 2-2, and traded goals with F-M in the third period before notching the overtime game-winner, all of it with Logan Field involved in the equation.
Not only Did Field earn a goal, he assisted on all three of C-NS’s other scoring plays, with Parker Lane also picking up three assists. Zach Matyasik was the main benefactor, earning two goals, while Noah Koenig got the other tally. Trevor Pokines led F-M with two goals as Northstars netminder Jack Doren earned 20 saves.
These two teams meet again Feb. 3 at the Twin Rinks. In the meantime, C-NS would rest until home games this week against Fulton and state no. 1-ranked Syracuse
Liverpool went to Shove Park on Dec. 18, taking its shot at West Genesee, and could not get much going in a 4-1 defeat to the Wildcats.
WG hurt the Warriors with a pair of first-period goals. Thanks to the work of Steve Kozikoski, who finished with 34 saves, Liverpool kept it 2-0 for a while before the Wildcats tacked on two more goals in the final period.
At least Bobby Welch picked up a late goal to prevent WG from a shutout, with assists going to Tom Bianchi and Richie Hart. Ryan McDonald, with two goals and one assist, and Dan Colabufo, with one goal and one assist, paced the Wildcats.
In last Wednesday’s visit to Kennedy Arena, Liverpool took on Mohawk Valley, who was trying to rebound from surrendering 10 goals to defending Section III Division I champion Baldwinsville in its last outing.
And the Warriors got a big victory, rallying past the Raiders 5-3, and what made it more special was that Mohawk Valley jumped all over Liverpool and led, 3-0, through one period, with goals from Nick Mandia, Ryan Netzband and Eddie White.
From there, though, Noah Langdon, getting a turn in goal in Kozikoski’s absence, blanked the Raiders, finishing with 20 saves, and the Warriors’ attack stirred to life, closing within 3-2 by the end of the second period and netting three more goals in the final period to pull it out.
Bianchi, with two goals, led the comeback, with Hart adding a goal and assist. Carson Ferguson and Jeff Gentile had the other goals, while Welch earned a pair of assists and Rocco Leone got an assist, too.
Liverpool was back at Lysander Arena Tuesday and looked for back-to-back wins against Oswego during its only action of the break week.
