CENTRAL NEW YORK – Right from the time the calendar turned to February, the Fayetteville-Manlius ice hockey team started to show its best form of the entire season.
But the Hornets really wanted to show that form last Friday when it faced Christian Brothers Academy/Jamesville-DeWitt in the regular-season finale for both sides at Cicero Twin Rinks.
As it turned out, though, the Brothers got the last word before post-season play, prevailing by a score of 6-3 to improve to 11-8-1 overall as F-M fell to 11-9.
F-M’s surge had begun back on Feb. 1, when the Hornets defeated Ontario Bay 4-1, blanked in the first two periods by Storm goalie Aiden Terry, who would finish with 27 saves.
However, the Hornets broke through in the third, tying it, going in front and then adding a pair of insurance tallies as Noah Chen, Tyler Mayne, Connor McDonald and Brian Tonkovich each found the net. Joey Leveroni managed two assists, helped by single assists from Mayne, Nico Capriotti and Walker Thomson.
Not able to rest, F-M had Ithaca was coming to Cicero Twin Rinks a night later, but putting together another fine all-around effort, the Hornets shut out the Little Red 3-0, and Chris Finger was at the forefront, stopping all 30 of the shots Ithaca took.
Again displaying scoring balance, F-M saw Thomson, Capriotti and Jack Lalik each put in goals. Mayne, Joey Leveroni, Henry Dougherty and Michael LaDuke joined Thomson in the assist column.
Finger earned another shutout last Tuesday when the Hornets turned back Mohawk Valley 4-0, F-M only surrendering 13 shots but taking 40 and having four different goal-scorers.
Capriotti and Tonkovich found the net, as did LaDuke and Greyson Mucha, while Leveroni, Mayne, Jack Lalik and Brady Moore each took turns earning assists.
On that same night, CBA/J-D had its own impressive effort against Cortland-Homer, bashing the Golden Eagles 7-0 to clinch a winning record and improve to 10-8-1 overall.
Having beaten Cortland-Homer 5-3 early in January, the Brothers never let the rematch get that close, its defense steady and consistent and all 21 of the Golden Eagles’ shots stopped by Justin Buffum.
On the other end, James Stanton and Jack Dement each scored twice, with Logan Novak getting a goal and two assists. Quinn Wimer had one goal and one assist, Ryan Hayden also finding the net as Griffon Fillighera and Jacob Dubrey also had assists.
After beating F-M, CBA/J-D found out that, as the no. 4 seed in Division II for the sectional playoffs, it bypasses the opening round and hosts a second-round game Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Nedrow.
Up in Division I, F-M’s no. 8 seed meant a first-round game Tuesday night at the Twin Rinks against no. 9 seed Baldwinsville.
