ONONDAGA COUNTY – No matter what it tries, the Christian Brothers Academy/Jamesville-DeWitt ice hockey team still finds itself in close contests against most of its Division II opponents.

It happened again last Monday night at the McDonald Sports Complex, where one rough stretch proved costly for the Brothers in a 3-2 defeat to Cortland-Homer.

CBA/J-D led, 1-0, through one period, only to see the Golden Eagles strike for all of its goals in the second period, one each by Tanner Douglass, Braden Marsh and Chris Yang, with Ryan Spalding adding two assists.

Fighting back, the Brothers pulled within one in the third period, but could not quite force overtime, with Cortland-Homer goalie Riley Delage recording 28 saves.

James Stanton had a part in both of CBA/J-D’s scoring plays, netting a goal and assisting on Joe Dotterer’s tally as Finn Wheeler assisted on both goals. Ben Lovell, in goal, stopped 17 of 20 shots.

Back at State Fair Coliseum to face Auburn on Friday, the Brothers again found itself in a close contest – but this time was able to prevail, edging the Maroons by that same 3-2 margin.

Neither team scored until a second-period exchange of goals. Then CBA/J-D managed to score twice in the final period, with Wheeler at the forefront.

Not only did Wheeler net a goal, he assisted on both of the other tallies, by Dotterer and Ty Parker. Seamus Nicholson, John Sheridan, Nate Vault and Alex Binsack also got assists as Lovell finished with 19 saves.

Fayetteville-Manlius, who pulled out a 1-0 decision against Albany CBA on Jan. 8, made it back-to-back wins last Tuesday night when it went north and roared past Watertown IHC 9-3.

That brief win streak was halted two nights later as reigning sectional Division I champion Syracuse put away the Hornets 5-1 at Meachem Rink.

Three first-period goals gave the Cougars quick control, and it used puck control to keep F-M quiet, limiting the visitors to just nine shots all night.

Gavin Patnode did put one of them in the net in the third period, his goal assisted by Joey Leveroni and Walker Thomson. Chris Finger made 38 saves as, for Syracuse, Jameson Bucktooth led the way with two goals and one assist.

F-M’s game against Liverpool last Friday night was postponed.