ONONDAGA COUNTY – Cold weather and other factors led to a quiet mid-January period for the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool ice hockey teams.
When games resumed last Monday at the Twin Rinks, the Northstars kept reigning sectional Division I champion Syracuse quiet for a while, but a mid-game surge led to a 4-1 loss to the Cougars.
Syracuse netted three unanswered goals in the second period to break a 0-0 deadlock. Emmit Porter did convert in the third period to prevent a C-NS shutout and Jordan Miller recorded 39 saves as the Cougars were led by Owen Mahar’s pair of goals.
Then it was Liverpool’s turn against Syracuse 24 hours later at Meachem Rink, and just like C-NS, the Warriors were kept off the board until the latter stages, unable to keep up with the Cougars in an 8-1 defeat.
James Welch had another occasion where he faced a barrage of shots, and he stopped 39 of them. Yet Syracuse built a 4-0 advantage through two periods and doubled that total late.
Jameson Bucktooth, who had two assists, and Adam Frye both notched two goals to lead the Cougars, with Xavier Springer netting Liverpool’s lone goal in the third period, assisted by Ellie Grinnals.
Playing again on Thursday against Fulton, Liverpool could not get on the board in a 2-0 defeat to the Red Raiders.
Welch had 38 saves this time around, but single goals in the second and third periods proved enough for Fulton, who had Dan Devendorf and Nicolai Tardibone find the net and John Wallace stop all 18 of the Warriors’ shots
C-NS was off until Friday, when it traveled to Lysander to take on state Division I no. 4-ranked Baldwinsville and played quite well, even as it took a 6-4 defeat to the Bees.
Getting the jump, the Northstars led 1-0 after one period, only to see B’ville crank up its pressure and score four times in the second to grab the lead. Then, up 4-2, the Bees would match goals with C-NS the rest of the way.
Andrew Davis led the attack with two goals and one assist. Emmit Porter got a goal and two assists, Braden Porter also getting two assists as Devin Freeman had the other goal. Miller finished with 37 saves as assists also went to Tyler Milewski and Tanner Long.
Meanwhile, Liverpool engaged in a close battle with Rome Free Academy at Kennedy Arena, staying close in this game, but still falling o the Black Knights 2-1.
John Sharrino’s goal 2:34 into the first period got RFA in front, and it was the only goal for either side in the first two periods as Trevor Smith was on his way to recording 20 saves.
Not until Peter Summa converted on a breakaway with 9:22 left did the Black Knights double its margin – and it was needed because Kyle Kirkby, off a feed from Matt Markusz, scored with 18 seconds left.
