CENTRAL NEW YORK – Throughout the winter, as the West Genesee ice hockey kept pulling out close victories, Rome Free Academy kept pace, the two of them staying atop the Division I standings.
But when they met Tuesday night at Shove Park with first place in the league (and a possible top Section III playoff seed) on the line, the Wildcats again demonstrated its quality, taking advantage of its scoring opportunities and beating the Black Kngihts 5-2.
With its 15-2 record, RFA held the no. 11 spot in last week’s state Division II rankings, five places behind WG at no. 6, and it would prove a game where each side had an equal amount of chances, the Black Knights getting 28 shots to WG’s 24.
Yet it was the Wildcats who immediately went in front just 1:19 into the game, a turnover leading to Nick Meluni finding the net on a solo breakaway set up by Matt Schneid forcing a turnover.
Meluni returned later in the first period to convert on a wrist shot from the left circle to make it 2-0, Jackson Pensabene earning the assist. Then, midway through the second, an RFA power play turned into a Wildcats short-handed goal when Jonah Vormwold stole the puck, broke away and beat Donte Sparace.
Trailing 3-0, RFA didn’t go away, scoring late in the second on Cameron Orton’s power-play goal and again in the third when John Sharrino converted.
But during that stretch, Luke Beck also stopped a two-on-none short-handed breakaway when he turned back Tyler Lokker. And WG maintained its margin with Carson Berg’s goal 2:20 into the period before Vormwald added a late empty-netter. Ryan Long joined Pensabene in finishing with two assists.
Thursday brought WG to Meachem Rink to face Syracuse, whose season-long struggles had continued earlier in the week with a 3-2 defeat to Mohawk Valley that dropped the Cougars’ overall record to 4-14.
The Wildcats kept Syracuse quiet, claiming a 3-0 shutout as Meluni continued to pace WG’s attack, not only netting a goal, but assisting on the other two, one each by Vormwald and Jackson Pensabene.
Christian Ball and Jacob Pensabene also gained assists, and while Syracuse did manage 25 shots, none of them got past Beck.
As the Wildcats kept its place atop Division I, Skaneateles did the same in Division II, beginning this week’s action with a 10-0 romp over Clinton on the Comets’ home ice at Clinton Arena.
It was the state no. 2-ranked Lakers’ fourth shutout in a row, one that included taking 60 shots against two Clinton goalies and, again, featured plenty of depth and scoring balance.
Jack Torrey (two goals, two assists) and Luke Mizro (one goal, three assists) led the way, with Casey Morrissey also scoring twice. Andrew Falkenberg finally had his first goal of the season to go with three more assists that ran his season total to 18.
Sean Kerwick had a goal and two assists, with Andrew Gaglione getting one goal and one assists. Trevor Jensen and Addison Taggart also found the net, with Jack Marquardt getting a pair of assists.
A fifth shutout in a row came Thursday night, Skaneateles smothering Whitesboro 11-0 as it peaked with a five-goal second period and got two goals apiece from Torrey, Jensen, Andrew Gaglione and Luke Bobbett.
Torrey also got four assists, with Mizro again notching four points all from assists. Morrissey and Tye Kennedy both got one goal and one assist, with Falkenberg, Marquardt, Kasey Rutledge, Cullen Heintz and Tyler Calkins each getting one assist.
All of this will lead to a big regular-season finale next Friday at New Hartford, no. 4 in the state rankings and 14-1-1 with its only loss to Skaneateles back in December. This comes after WG hosts Watertown IHC on Tuesday to close out its regular season as the Lakers face Oswego.
