When the Cicero-North Syracuse ice hockey team recorded an emphatic 6-1 win over its neighbors from Liverpool Feb. 1 at Lysander Arena, it hoped that would prove a springboard to more success in the last week of the regular season.
And at first, that did prove the case, with the Northstars getting back-to-back victories to clinch a winning mark in 2018-19, only to run into the defending Section III Division I champions at the end of a 48-hour stretch.
C-NS faced Mohawk Valley last Monday night at the Twin Rinks, and were tied 1-1 through one period before taking over in the second period with five unanswered goals, eventually topping the Raiders 9-2.
This was a showcase for Logan Ungelich, who not only notched a three-goal hat trick, but also contributed three assists as Holden Sarosy was close behind, scoring twice and getting a pair of assists.
Aidan Long and Dan Quick both had one goal and one assist, with Josh Matyasik getting two asssits. Jake DenBleyker, Nate Sorbello, Matt Cramer and Nate Wagner had one assist apiece.
With no time to rest, C-NS went north, to Haldane Arena, to face Ontario Bay a night later, but found the task an easy one as the Northstars outscored the Storm 11-5.
Sarosy, in particular, flourished with a career-best total of five goals, with support from Carter Wisely and Tyler Murray, each of whom scored twice and added an assist. DenBleyker and Cramer both produced four assists.
Matyasik again had two assists as he and DenBleyker both scored once. Sorbello and Nick Sciore each had two assists, with Wagner, Ryan Wheeler, Devin Freeman, Ryan Sisco and Ethan Osgood getting single assists.
The fact that the Northstars had to face 14-1-1 Syracuse on Wednesday night was difficult enough. That it was the Northstars’ third game in three days, and that the Cougars had to win both of its remaining games to pass West Genesee for the regular-season league title, made it more difficult.
C-NS had a game effort, but Syracuse topped them 4-1. Other than Sciore’s first-period goal, the Northstars could not get anything past a Cougars defense atoning for allowing seven goals to Cortland-Homer in its only defeat of the season Feb. 2.
Jordan Miller made 26 saves, only to have Syracuse get two shots past him in each of the first two periods, Ryan Eccles (one goal, two assists) and Steve Matro (one goal, one assist) leading the way as Philip Zollo and Ryan Durand also converted.
So that meant the Northstars’ regular season concluded at 10-9-1, and it sat in sixth place – until CBA/J-D passed them, meaning that, with a seventh-place league finish, it faced a first-round Section III playoff game early this week.
Meanwhile, Liverpool found itself clinging to the 10th and final berth in the sectional playoffs, needing to win its own game against IHC Thursday to assure that the season would go on.
But the pressure, and the long road trip, did not bother the Warriors as, with a strong first period, it moved out in front and went on to defeat the Cavaliers 3-1.
Liverpool was up 2-0 before that opening period was done, adding a goal in the second as Connor Boland found the net twice, with Matt Gagnon earning two assists.
Pat Langlois had the other goal, with single assists going to Jack Irwin and John Coggiola. The Warriors’ defense mostly kept IHC quiet, Gavin Buza only surrendering a second-period goal to Kyle Hughes as he finished with 13 saves.
Before that, the Warriors took on 14-4 Rome Free Academy at Kennedy Arena, and never could get much going in the course of a 7-1 defeat to the Black Knights.
RFA led 2-0 after one period and tacked on four more goals in the second period to get away, Griffin Eychner leading them with two goals and two assists as Jake Hall and Michael Bostwick each had two goals and one assist.
Only in the third period did Tucker Knapp convert for Liverpool to prevent the shutout, assists going to Chris Zimmer and John Coggiola. James Welch and Nick Reed had 17 saves between them.
In the opening round of the sectional tournament, no. 9 seed Liverpool faces no. 8 seed Cazenovia Tuesday night at the Morrisville State IcePlex, while no. 7 seed C-NS hosted no. 10 seed Fulton a night later. Winners advance to quarterfinal games later in the week.
