CENTRAL NEW YORK – For much of January, the Cicero-North Syracuse ice hockey team took its competitive lumps, absorbing consecutive defeats to the top three teams in area Division I ranks – West Genesee, Syracuse and Baldwinsville.
Yet as that stretch ended, the Northstars sensed that it was making improvement, as evidenced by the battle it gave the Bees during a 6-4 defeat in Lysander on Jan. 22.
Exactly one week later, that newfound confidence was on display when, at the Twin Rinks, C-NS knocked off state no. 7-ranked Cazenovia 4-2 with a strong closing push.
They were scoreless until the second period, when C-NS converted twice to match goals by the Lakers’ Bryson Weaver and Will Penoyer.
Then C-NS broke that 2-2 tie in the third, netting the game-winner and adding an insurance tally for its most impressive victory of the season so far.
Hayden Scott scored twice, with Tanner Long and Devin Freeman getting the other goals. Andrew Davis and Emmit Porter had two assists apiece as Jordan Miller, in goal, turned back 22 of Cazenovia’s 24 shots.
Before this, C-NS had a superb all-around effort in a 9-1 win over Fayetteville-Manlius, quickly deciding matters by netting five unanswered goals in the first period and then continuing to add to that margin.
Emmit Porter led the way, netting a three-goal hat trick plus a pair of assists as Long matched that point total thanks to his two goals and three assists.
Scott also scored twice, adding an assist, while Braden Porter and Kyle Debejian had the other goals. Nate Bustin got two assists as Freeman, Davis, Noah Degan and Tyler Milewski also had assists.
All through this challenging winter, what has helped Liverpool was that James Welch has spent most of the time between the pipes, dazzling opponents with his ability to stop shots.
That was never more evident that in last Tuesday’s game against state Baldwinsville at State Fair Coliseum, a 5-1 defeat where Welch proved the featured attraction.
Throughout the opening period, the Bees camped out in the Warriors’ end, but only managed a single goal. And in the third period Welch managed to stop everything B’ville threw at him.
By the time the final horn had sounded, Welch had accumulated 72 saves, only struggling in the second, when the Bees put together a four-goal outburst as Matt Fawwaz (two goals, one assist) led the way.
Preventing a shutout, Liverpool had Matt Markusz net a second-period goal, assisted by Calen Brown.
Perhaps Welch’s effort had a long-term effect, for when Liverpool faced Mohawk Valley last Thursday at State Fair Coliseum, it rose up to defeat the Raiders 2-1.
Goals by Markusz and Cole Bradley established a 2-0 advantage through two periods, and the Warriors would need it since Alex Talerico converted in the third to move Mohawk Valley within one, but Welch, with his 32 saves, preserved Liverpool’s slim advantage.
