Even with that Jan. 13 win over West Genesee on the ledger, the Syracuse Cougars ice hockey team still had a chance to show that it was the best team in Central New York against an opponent bound to make that same claim.
Syracuse, no. 5 in the state Division I rankings, and Skaneateles, no. 2 in the state Division I rankings, both carried 13-1 records into last Tuesday night’s game at Meachem Rink, but with a blitz through the first two periods, the Cougars overwhelmed the Lakers, eventually prevailing by a 7-2 margin.
From the outset, the Lakers’ defense found itself working as hard as it has all season, but it still couldn’t keep Syracuse from amassing a 4-1 lead. And that margin kept growing in the second period as, ultimately, Skaneateles had to use both of its goaltenders, Zach Wilhoit and Chris Falso, who combined for 35 saves.
No single player paced Syracuse’s attack. Rather, five different players scored, including Ryan Eccles and Matt Goddard, each of whom found the net twice as Andrew Hodgens got one goal and two assists. Bryan O’Mara earned the other goal as Matt Eccles also scored. Matt Frye and Philip Zollo had two assists apiece.
All that the Lakers could manage was single goals by Matt Benson and Ryan Gick, each of them assisted by Raymond Falso, who was held without a goal after surpassing the 100-career-goal mark in his team’s 9-0 rout of Auburn Jan. 20 at Allyn Arena. Patrick Major also had an assist.
Syracuse now met Ithaca Thursday night, and again won big, routing the Little Red 10-1 as it got half of its production during a 5-0 first-period blitz. More would follow as Andrew Corning earned the first three-goal hat trick of his Cougars tenure.
C.J Walsh, with a goal and three assists, and Nate Frye, with three assists, anchored this attack as Ryan Eccles found the net twice. Hodgens and Goddard each got one goal and one assist as Stephen Matro added a goal. O’Mara, Matt Eccles and Ryan Durand had two assists apiece. Hugh White, Matt Frye and Emmett Barry notched single assists.
West Genesee had started its week by going to Ithaca on Jan. 22 and smothering the Little Red in a 6-0 shutout.
The Wildcats got away from Ithaca with a three-goal second-period outburst and then turning to its defense, who allowed just 13 shots, all of them stopped by Sammy Colabufo and Anthony Mazzoni.
Six different players – Schnorr, Dan Colabufo, Jay Considine, Jack Miller, Ryan Washo and John Galimi – scored those six Wildcats goals, and McDonald set up most of them thanks to his four assists. John Bergan added two assists as single assists went to Considine, Galimi, Winn and Dan Colabufo.
From there, the Wildcats rested until Friday’s game against Mohawk Valley at Rome’s Kennedy Arena, which turned into a showcase for WG’s attack as it put up a season-high goal total in a 14-0 destruction of the Raiders.
No less than 17 WG players earned at least one point amid a 71-shot assault. Pat McDonald got two goals and two assists, with Washo and Jack Birchler also scoring twice. Considine had one goal and four assists, with Dan Colabufo adding a goal and three assists.
Behind them, Miller, Tim Winn and Marshall Winn each put up a goal and two assists. Mike McGuigan got one goal and one assist. Single tallies also went to Schnorr and Dan Holzhauer. Bergan again got two assists in front of single assists from Galimi, Billy Fisher, Chris Peer, Ryan Smith and Jimmy Zolo.
Now all was set for the Wildcats’ battle with Baldwinsville Wednesday night at Shove Park, WG having won the first encounter 3-1 Dec. 9 at Lysander Arena. Each of WG’s last three regular-season games are at home, including Friday’s match with Liverpool and a Feb. 8 visit from Fulton.
