Even with a strong finish to the regular season, the Cicero-North Syracuse ice hockey team would face a difficult road assignment to start out the Section III Division I playoffs.
Since it finished third in the Division I National Conference behind Syracuse and Rome Free Academy, the Northstars would, in the opening round, meet the second-place team in the American Conference, Baldwinsville, at Lysander Arena.
Before all this, C-NS went to Ithaca last Wednesday night, looking for its sixth straight victory – but got derailed in a 4-2 defeat to the Little Red.
Following a scoreless first period, the Northstars got on the board in the second, yet still behind 2-1. Then the same thing happened in the third period as Ithaca doubled its margin, C-NS finishing its regular season with a 10-9-1 mark.
Meanwhile, Liverpool, because it finished fourth in the American Conference, would have to face National Division regular-season champion Syracuse in the first round at Meachem Rink – this coming right after the Warriors’ 9-0 defeat to the Cougars last Monday at Lysander.
Things held for one period, with Syracuse netting just one goal. Then, in the second period, the Cougars scored four times on Liverpool, repeating that feat in the third period and never letting the Warriors get on the board.
Though Sebastian Jesmore had 40 saves, he couldn’t keep Syracuse from having 11 different players earn points. Ryan Eccles, with two goals and three assists, led that charge, while Philip Zollo also scored twice. C.J. Walsh added a goal and two assists.
In Friday’s game at Watertown IHC, the Warriors reached double digits on the scoreboard and beat the Cavaliers 11-5, giving itself a bit more momentum before reuniting with Syracuse in the post-season opener.
