CENTRAL NEW YORK – All through the rest of January, the area’s pair of ice hockey teams will work to see just where they fit in the overall Division I picture heading toward the Section III playoffs.
The combined CNY Fusion team of Liverpool and Fulton, lost a narrow 1-0 decision to reigning state Division I champion West Genesee Jan. 12 at Shove Park, but left that game even more convinced of its own abilities to stay right with the top local sides.
Nearly a week later, that confidence and faith paid off with a tremendous effort against Rome Free Academy at Fulton Community Center that resulted in the Fusion prevailing 2-1 over the Black Knights.
Entering the game, RFA was 12-1, ranked no. 9 in the state in Division I and had won 11 games in a row. Yet the Fusion managed to contain the Black Knights during a scoreless first period.
Then, in the second, Andrew Gabor twice put shots past RFA goalie Donte Sparace for a 2-0 Fusion advantage as Alex Kirkby assisted on both of them, with assists also credited to John LaPlante and Reilly Bizgia.
RFA cut its deficit in half when, later in the period, the Black Knights’ John Sharrino put his side on the board, but the rest of the way, as pressure built up, the Fusion defense responded, with Trevor Smith again sensational as he ultimately stopped 40 of the 41 shots he faced.
Before all this, the Fusion returned home last Tuesday and prove quite impressive in a 7-2 win over Ontario Bay.
All of it was done in the first two periods, the Fusion accumulating a 7-1 advantage as Gabor led the attack, notching three goals for a hat trick as John LaPlante scored twice and added an assist.
Will Burns had a goal and two assists, with Gavin Rodman also finding the net. Kirkby had two assists as single assists went to Dylan Ling, Jack Hayes, Evan Haskins and Dan Devendorf.
After knocking off RFA, Liverpool met Geneseo (Section V) on Saturday night and ended in a 2-2 tie, able to pull even in the third period as it trailed 2-1 going into that last frame.
That it even was close was a tribute to Smith, who was sensational in the face of a relentless Geneseo attack and amassing 50 saves through regulation and overtime. Gabor and Kirkby each netted goals, with an assist credited to Reilly Bizgia.
Cicero-North Syracuse has played well ever since its own Optimist Tournament at the end of 2023, and kept it up Tuesday night at the Twin Rinks with a 5-2 victory over Mohawk Valley, though it required some late-game magic.
Despite its 3-10-1 record, the Jugglers were superb throughout the first two periods, shutting out C-NS in the first and then matching it in the second to go to the final frame with a 2-1 advantage, Rhys Kennedy having scored in each of the first two periods for Mohawk Valley off feeds from Matt Kernan and Leo Heiser.
Playing with some urgency, though, C-NS dominated the third, quickly tying the game and going in front and, for good measure, tacking on a pair of insurance goals to overcome 34 saves from Noah Narolis.
Hayden Scott had a part in every scoring play, notching four assists to go with a lone goal. Tanner Long scored twice and got two assists, with Cole Prevost and Andrew Davis also scoring. Drew Matyasik, Tyler Milewski and Jace Knopp earned assists.
A day later, though, C-NS lost, 5-3, to Syracuse, unable to sustain the momentum from a first period where Davis, Milewski and Jack Clary all scored, with Long getting two assists. Matyasik, Prevost and Knopp had one assist apiece.
That early 3-2 lead did not hold as the Cougars tied it in the second and then went ahead in the final period, led by two goals apiece from Nick Rayfield and Will Glass as Conor Rose blanked the Northstars late, finishing with 32 saves.
