CAMILLUS – Maybe it was fitting for the Baldwinsville ice hockey team to begin its 2023-24 season on the home ice of its greatest nemesis and most historic rival.
The Bees were stopped by West Genesee 2-1 in last year’s Section III Division I final at the War Memorial, then got to watch the Wildcats earn its first state championship since 2010.
Now B’ville found itself at Shove Park, part of a marquee field for WG’s annual Ice Breaker Tournament, but not getting an opportunity to meet the Wildcats.
Instead, in Wednesday’s opening round it was the Syracuse Cougars as the opposition, and with plenty of depth and balance the Bees managed to beat Syracuse 4-2.
Though Syracuse had two games in the books (losing both in a Buffalo-area trip during Thanksgiving weekend), B’ville still managed to grab a 2-1 lead through one period and then doubled that margin in the second.
Blanking the Cougars in the third period to prevent any comeback, the Bees saw Nolan Burlingame, Dylan Garcia, Dan Hinman and Conner Bourque all put in goals, with Brady Garcia and Rocco Weaver joining Burlingame in the assist column. Nate Sotherden stopped 18 of the 20 shots he faced.
The final Thursday night would pit B’ville against Skaneateles, the reigning state Division II champions, who were impressive in shutting out host West Genesee 4-0 in the other half of the opening round.
Shut out in the opening period, the Bees still played solid defense and only trailed 1-0 before it tied the game early in the second, only to have the Lakers seize control with goals from Luke Mizro and Casey Morrissey.
Though the Bees did pull within one early in the third, it could get nothing more past Danny Angelina, who had 19 saves and preserved the Lakers’ 3-2 victory.
Brody Clookey scored for B’ville, as did Rylan MacCollum. Hinman, Alessio McGrane and Casey Gilbert all had assists, and Sotherden, in his second game in as many nights, made 16 saves.
Two more road games await the Bees this week, at Rome Free Academy Tuesday and at Ontario Bay two nights later.
