Though everything had gone well for the West Genesee ice hockey team during its 5-0 start, and though it got within an ill-timed whistle of going to overtime in the state Division I championship game a season ago, it still was looking up in the first state rankings of this season – though by week’s end, it didn’t seem that crazy.
The Wildcats occupied the no. 3 spot in the inaugural Division I state poll behind Mamaroneck, the team that beat them 1-0 in the state title game, and St. Joseph’s (Buffalo), who is part of the Catholic High School Athletic Association and does not compete in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association tournaments.
In order to maintain that position, WG simply had to keep winning games like the one it faced last Saturday at Rochester Institute of Technology’s Gene Polliseni Center against Pittsford, the state’s no. 4-ranked team who was coming off a 3-1 loss to Victor earlier in the week.
Roaring back from that effort, the Panthers handed the Wildcats its first defeat of the season, a 2-1 decision where Pittsford’s defense made the difference, constantly thwarting a WG offense despite all of its attempts to find the net.
Just before this, the Wildcats sought its fifth win in a row Wednesday at the same Lysander Ice Arena where it topped Baldwinsville 3-1 five days earlier.
Only now, WG was skating on the other Lysander rink facing Liverpool, and here the goals would prove plentiful, especially in a second-period outburst that decided the outcome of a 9-3 victory over the Warriors.
Going into the second period, WG already led 2-0, but proceeded to make it far worse, knocking in seven goals during those 15 minutes as Dan Colabufo worked his total to four goals and two assists, Jay Considine amassed six assists and Ryan Smith added four assists.
Marshall Winn chipped in with a pair of goals as Pat McDonald notched a goal and two assists. Chris Peer contributed a goal and John Galimi earned an assist.
Liverpool did manage to blank WG in the final period as Tyler Dorval netted two of his team’s three goals and Tommy Bianchi had the other, plus an assist. In the net, goaltender Sebastian Sesmore finished with 28 saves.
Even with the loss to Pittsford, at least West Genesee was in the state rankings. The Syracuse Cougars, despite its 2-1 start, was not, and whether it knew that going into last Tuesday’s game against Watertown IHC at Fairgrounds Arena, the result was the same – and emphatic.
For the third time in four games, Syracuse hit double digits and gained a shutout, prevailing 13-0 over the Cavaliers to add to the 10-0 shutout of Cazenovia and 11-0 shutout of Rome Free Academy it already had on the books.
The Cougars climbed into first place in the Division I National Conference with 10 different goal-scorers as Philip Zollo, with a three-goal hat trick plus two assists, and Bryan O’Mara, with two goals and three assists, led the effort.
Ryan Eccles also had five points, earning four assists to go with his lone tally as Matt Eccles, Andrew Hodgens, Wyatt Weil, Mack Etoll and Kyle Lamson each posted one goal and one assist. Matt Frye and Casey Rogers found the net, too, as Owen Rodgers got two assists. Zach Delaney and Emmett Barry had one assist apiece.
It figured to get tougher Friday night when the Cougars faced Fayetteville-Manlius at Cicero Twin Rinks, but Syracuse didn’t care much for figures, instead making it to double digits again in an 11-1 romp of the Hornets.
As it had done before this season, the Cougars asserted itself with five first-period goals, and doubled its total from there as Zollo again had a hat trick, his three goals matched by Ryan Eccles, the scoring plays often set up by Matt Eccles, who had a season-best five assists.
Delaney and Ryan Durand both scored twice, while Matt Frye earned the other goal. O’Mara proved nearly as generous as Matt Eccles, finishing with three assists. Etoll and Nate Frye gained two assists apiece.
And now, on Tuesday night at Meachem Rink, Syracuse would get a chance to avenge its 4-3, last-second defeat to Baldwinsville on Dec. 3, this before a neighborhood clash Friday against CBA/Jamesville-DeWitt.
West Genesee, looking to bounce back from the Pittsford loss, plays Rome Free Academy Tuesday at Kennedy Arena before returning to Shove Park Friday to face Suffern, the same team it beat 3-0 in the Dec. 3 final of the Wildcat Classic.
