CICERO – When together again for the annual Optimist Tournament at the Twin Rinks, the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool ice hockey team endured vastly different results.
Fresh off a tough 2-1 win over the Warriors on Dec. 22, the Northstars, in the opening round against New Hartford, claimed another close decision, outscoring the Spartans 6-5.
What keyed the victory was getting an early 2-0 advantage, because when New Hartford scored three times in the second, C-NS did the game, and then held on in the late going.
Through it all, Emmit Porter led the way, earning a three-goal hat trick as Tyler Milewski picked up three assists. Tanner Long had a goal and two assists.
Andrew Davis earned one goal and one assist. The other goal went to Cole Prevost as Ethan Shaw and Kyle Debejian earned single assists. In goal, Kaii Van Iuven recorded 24 saves.
A day later, the final against 6-1 CBA/Jamesville-DeWitt proved another thriller, in doubt until the final horn as the Northstars took a 5-4 defeat to the Brothers.
C-NS did blank CBA/J-D in the first period, yet only got a 1-0 advantage that the Brothers erased in the second as Quinn Wimer, Alex Binsack and Will Sharlow picked up goals.
Still, the Northstars kept up enough to have it tied, 3-3, before Wimer’s second tally early in the third period put CBA/J-D go in front for good, and a second goal from Binsack would prove the game-winner, even though the Northstars converted late.
Leyton Sullivan, taking his turn in goal, made 26 saves, his effort nearly rewarded as Long, Porter, Hayden Scott and Drew Matyasik earned goals, with Davis and Chase Mearon joining Porter in the assist column. CBA/J-D’s Finn Wheeler piled up four assists and Gavin Parks managed three assists.
Liverpool, when it faced CBA/J-D in the first round Dec. 29, was overwhelmed from start to finish in a 12-0 defeat.
Nearly the entire game was in the Warriors’ end as it managed just four shots to the Brothers’ 52, 40 of which were stopped by James Welch and Trevor Smith.
Highlighted by a six-goal second period, CBA/J-D was led by Finn Wheeler’s two goals and three assists. Gavin Parks and Jack Dement each had two goals and two assists, with Gavin Dunford also converting twice.
In the consolation game against New Hartford, Liverpool lost, 6-1, to the Spartans, with the only goal coming from Bradley Cole as Alex Kirkby got the assist. Welch had 41 saves as Rowan Gall led New Hartford, scoring twice and getting three assists.
