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Oswego Ends 2012 with Victory!

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OSWEGO, N.Y. – The No. 2-Oswego State men’s ice hockey team (11-2-0) ended 2012 with a 7-2 victory against Lawrence University to earn its fourth-ever Pathfinder Bank/Oswego State Hockey Classic Championship trophy and first since the 2009-10 season.

Jesse McConney (Sr., Barrie, Ontario) was named Most Valuable Player after tallying six points on three goals and three assists, including a pair of goals and a pair of assists in the title game. Chris Ayotte (Sr., Cornwall, Ontario) was also named to the all-tournament team following his third power-play goal of the weekend Monday afternoon.

The Vikings went on the offensive early in the contest when they had a 5-on-3 situation for 1:14 in the opening two minutes.Zach Josepher (Sr., Wantagh, N.Y.), Chris Brown (Sr., Centreville, Ontario), and McConney kept Lawrence at bay for all but five seconds of the two-skater advantage, as the scoreboard remained blank.

The Lakers scored the first of four power-play goals at 7:55 in the first. Brown fed Nick Rivait (So., Kingsville, Ontario) at the blue line. Rivait’s shot was blocked, but landed on the tape of Chris Muise‘s (Sr., Oakville, Ontario) stick for the open net.

Just over five minutes later, Denton King (Fr., Pense, Saskatchewan) created an offensive opportunity for Oswego State when he sent a no-look pass from the net along the board into the slot with hopes of finding an open player. David Titanic(Jr., Markham, Ontario) pounced on the shot as he hustled off the bench for his third goal of the year.

Oswego State was not done scoring in the first period, though, as Chris Ayotte lit the lamp with another one-timed blast for the circle at 16:37 to put the Lakers ahead 3-0 at the break after out-shooting the visitors, 17-6.

Lawrence started the second period with increased intensity resulting in a pair of Viking goals to make the score, 3-2. Phil Bushbacher put the visitors on the scoreboard at 7:36 in the stanza, while William Thoren cut the deficit in half on a power-play slap shot off a faceoff with 1:04 left in the period.

The Lakers responded right away in the third period when McConney scored his first goal of the game 19 seconds into an Oswego State power play with a slap shot that found its way through traffic at the 1:19 mark. Jon Whitelaw (Sr., Huntsville, Ontario) and Paul Rodrigues (Sr., Etobicoke, Ontario) earned assists on the play.

Minutes later, the Oswego State power play struck again when Tyler Leimbrock (Sr., Bolton, Ontario) dove for a puck that was sliding through the crease from Muise and Brown. Leimbrock got enough of his stick on the puck to send it past Lawrence goalie Fabian Sivnert to make the score, 5-2.

McConney scored his second goal at 14:19 with another shot from the blue line after receiving a series of passes from Whitelaw and Taylor Farris (Sr., Oakville, Ontario). Oswego State’s final goal came with 2:23 remaining in the game following RJay Berra‘s (So., Prince George, British Columbia) second marker of the season with an assist going to McConney.

Oswego State ended the game with a 42-21 advantage in shots on goal, while going 4-for-9 on the power play as Andrew Hare (Sr., Burlington, Ontario) registered 19 saves. Lawrence went 1-for-6 with the extra attacker as Sivnert finished the contest with 35 saves.

Joining McConney and Ayotte on the all-tournament team were Lawrence’s Fabian Sivnert and Brad Scurfield, Castleton State’s Brian Greene, and Plymouth State’s Zach Fox.

Oswego State opens 2013 with a pair of road games at Elmira on Friday and Utica on Saturday.

WNY Girls Varsity Ice Hockey

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Yesterday’s scores:

Williamsville 2; Kenmore 0

Monsignor Martin 9; West Seneca 2

Amherst/Sweet Home 13; Lancaster 4

Today’s Game–December 21

West Seneca Goalie Abby Mutton makes a save (Photo by Janet Schultz)

Monsignor Martin vs Lancaster at North Buffalo at 4:30 p.m.

Orchard Park/Frontier at West Seneca; West Seneca Rink at 5:30 p.m.

Canisius Falls to Mercyhurst in Men’s Hockey

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 The Canisius College hockey team fell in its final game before the holiday break, losing at Mercyhurst in overtime, 3-2. The Griffs are now 5-7-4 on the season and 4-3-2 in Atlantic Hockey play, while the Lakers improve to 8-6-1 and 7-3-0 against league foes.

 

Sophomores Braeden Rigney (Singhampton, Ontario) and Doug Beck (Plymouth, Mich.) each netted goals for the Griffs.

 

Junior Tony Capobianco (Mississauga, Ontario) stopped 20 shots in net to anchor the Canisius defense.

 

The Griffs struck first in the contest when Rigney netted his first goal of the season. The sophomore tipped in a shot from junior defender Duncan McKellar (Phoenix, Ariz.) 2:22 into the second frame for the 1-0 advantage. Junior Ryan Bohrer (West St. Paul, Minn.) also registered an assist on the game’s opening tally.

 

Canisius’ lead, however, would be short-lived as Mercyhurst took advantage of two rushes to grab the advantage. Just 43 seconds following the Griffs’ tally, Daniel O’Donoghue finished on a 2-on-1 break to knot the game at one. Then with 13:07 remaining in the second frame, Daniel Bahntge used his speed to get a step on the Griffs defense and scored for the 2-1 Mercyhurst lead.

 

The Griffs fought back and eventually knotted the game at two. After successfully killing three-straight third-period power plays, Beck netted his fourth goal of the season with 6:32 remaining in regulation. From the point, McKellar sent a shot toward goal and juniorPatrick Sullivan (Derby, N.Y.) redirected the puck out front. Beck was there to knock the loose puck in to tie the contest at two.

 

Canisius continued to pour on the pressure and even had a great opportunity in the closing seconds of the third but it was Mercyhurst who earned the victory in overtime. The puck popped out to the blue line and Matthew Zay fired it in for the 3-2 win.

 

The Griffs held a convincing edge in shots on the night, 39-23. Neither team scored on the power play with Canisius going 0-for-4 with the extra man and killing all five Mercyhurst power plays.

 

Max Strang recorded 37 saves for the Lakers in the win.

 

Canisius is back in action on Saturday, Dec. 29, hosting Army. Game time at the Buffalo State Sports Arena is set for 7:05 p.m.

 

Game Notes: Beck now leads the team with nine points this season (4g, 5a) … Canisius has lost its last three games at Mercyhurst after winning a school-record five-straight at the Mercyhurst Ice Center … For the first time in 16 Canisius games this season, the team that scored first would lose the game … The loss also ended the Griffs’ three-game winning streak in addition to the team’s 3-0-0 start on the road in league play.

Buffalo Stars looking for a Merry Christmas

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The Buffalo Stars Empire Junior team is looking for an early Christmas present at home this weekend as the downstate Brewster Bulldogs come to town for a 2 game set. The Stars are hoping to make this a Merry Christmas with a pair of wins.

 

Brewster is currently in 8th place in the American Conference with a record of 10 and 14.  The Bulldogs, after winning five in a row have dropped their last 2 games by a combined score of 11-2.  They have scored 75 goals while giving up 105.

 

Brewster is led by Defenseman Francisco Sherding with 22 points. Forwards Sean Henderson and Brad Alexander have 21 and 19 points respectively. Sherding is a potent force on the Special Teams as he has recorded 9 points while the Bulldogs are up a man as well as 2 while they are shorthanded.

 

Buffalo has struggled so far this season. With a record of 2-18 the Stars are dead last in the Conference.  “Lack of offense is our major problem” said Stars Head Coach Jerry Wheeler. “We just cannot score”.  Buffalo has a league low 25 goals for while surrendering 124.  “We play hard for a period, even 2 periods, but we have yet to put a full game together. When we do that, we will start to win, PERIOD!”   The Stars have not won a game since October 7th.

 

Buffalo’s leading scorer is Patrick Schmelzinger with 11 points followed by John Colvin with 9.

 

Puck drop time for this weekend is Saturday at 7:25pm and Sunday morning at 10:25am.

 

Stars Notes:

Saturday is the Buffalo Stars Annual Christmas Party and Food Drive.  The Stars all day event will feature a Food Drive for the benefit of the FOOD BANK of WNY.  Last year the Stars collected just under 5000 pounds of food. They hope to exceed that this year.  There will be food and beverage all day along with a Bounce House and a Family Skating Party. Santa arrives around 4pm and there will be Chinese Auction, Christmas Carolers and all sorts of activities.  The festivities begin at 2pm at the Holiday Twin Rinks in Cheektowaga and continue until 8pm.

 

Following the weekend the Stars Juniors will have off until the New Year when they travel to New Jersey to take on the Jersey Wildcats January 5-6. That trip begins a grueling 6 consecutive weekends of games.

 

You can follow the Stars home games live on our UStream TV Channel at:http://www.ustream.tv/channel/buffalo-stars-junior-hockey%20

 

Visit the Buffalo Stars at: www.buffalostars.com

 

SUCCESS IS A MARATHON: ONE SHIFT AT A TIME

Rinks Being Installed; Tim Horton Classic Coming

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The Tim Hortons Backyard Classic, a three-on-three charity ice hockey tournament, is gaining significant traction in the Western New York hockey community.

The tournament  is now in its 5th year and has raised over $20,000 for charity. This year’s beneficiary will be Haseks Heroes. Hasek’s Heroes gives children of low-income families a chance to play hockey at no cost to the family as well as supports them off-ice with their education. The moneh raised at this tournament will be used to build an educational center in one of the ice rinks owned by Hasek’s Heroes to assist in not only the development of the kids from Hasek’s Heroes but those from South Buffalo as well.

In the past, the proceeds  have sent players who have never traveled out of Buffalo before on a hockey trip to Detroit and also equipped players who had no equipment with brand new stuff with the money we have raised.

At past tournaments players such as as Justin Bailey (OHL Kitchener Rangers), Andrew Poturalski (University of New Hampshire), Parker Gahagen (Buffalo Jr. Sabres and NYS High School Hockey MVP), Matt Nuttle (USHL Youngstown Phantoms) and Pat Polino (USHL Chicago Steel), alongside many other Buffalo Jr. Sabres players have taken part.

This tournament is a celebration of the game of hockey by taking it back to its roots on the backyard rink or pond.  Even if those not playing in the tournament are invited out to join in the festivities and enjoy some quality outdoor hockey (hopefully with a little snow) where hockey was meant to be played, in the outdoors.
This year we the tournament will be held at the Rose Garden (2753 Wehrle Drive  Williamsville, NY 14221) on January 12th and 13th, 2013 from 9AM to approximately 8PM.

Organizers expect to have 96 teams playing over that two day period on four outdoor ice rinks.  There will be four divisions (Middle School, High School, College, and Adult) which will each have 24 teams.  Through the help of major sponsors such as Tim Hortons, the Buffalo Sabres, City Fence, New Era, The Mac Groups, and more they hope to raise an additional $15,000.

If you would like to register either go to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/backyardclassic or www.timhortonsbackyardclassic.com .  It is $125 for a team of 3 players and 1 goalie.  All participants are guaranteed three 20 minute games and an official Tim Hortons Backyard Classic T-shirt.

CONGRATULATIONS RIT WOMEN!

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The 2011-12 RIT Women’s Ice Hockey Team had a special celebration Sunday morning when they received their 2012 NCAA DIII Championship Rings.

A full story on the morning will be in NY Hockey Online’s January issue. Don’t miss it because a WNY girl was one of those receiving a ring!

RIT Women with Rings and Trophy-2012 NCAA DIII Champions
(Janet Schultz Photo)

Western Region Empire State Tryouts

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Tryouts for the Western Region women’s ice hockey team that will participate in the Empire State Games will be held as follows.

Sat Dec 22nd, 10PM North Buffalo Rink, Tacoma Ave, Buffalo NY
Sat Jan 5th, 1030AM Nichols School, Amherst St, Buffalo NY
Sun Jan 6, 11am ESL, Rochester, NY
Sat Jan 12th, 630PM North Buffalo, Tacoma Ave, Buffalo NY

Ages 18+ are eligible to play in the games.

You must attend one of the icetimes to be eligible to be selected for this team. Questions, contact Head Coach Scott Then, [email protected] or via facebook or phone 716-868-3673

Purple Eagles No. 16 USCHA

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Purple Eagles Net the No. 16 Spot in USCHO.com Poll

 

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles pocketed their highest ranking of the season on Monday, pulling down a No. 16 ranking in the USCHO.com Division I Poll.

This is the team’s best position in the USCHO.com poll since the 2006-07 season when the Purps earned the 16th spot for two consecutive weeks (Jan. 22 & Jan. 29).  Niagara has been ranked for the prior three weeks, cracking into the poll at the 20th position on Nov. 19 before holding the 18th spot for the last two weeks.

The Purps have gone eight consecutive games without a loss on the scoresheet, and are currently riding a nation-best 11-game unbeaten streak, going 9-0-2 in that span.  The team is a perfect 9-0-0 in Atlantic Hockey Conference action, outscoring their opposition 34-8 to top the nation for the fewest goals allowed during conference play this season.

Niagara has several Purple Eagles who have cracked into the top-10 in several statistical categories.  Giancarlo Iuorio is one of the top offensive threats in the nation, ranked first in goals per game (0.80), and 10th in points per game (1.33).  Mike Benedict has scored a career-high six goals so far this season, including three game-winning tallies which rank him eighth in the nation.

Goaltender Carsen Chubak holds the top spot in the nation in save percentage (.962), goals-against average (1.21) and shutouts (5), while his .821 winning percentage places him third nationally.

Along with the team’s present unbeaten streak, the Purps are ranked in the top-10 in five statistical categories including third in team winning percentage (.767), fourth in combined special teams (57.4), seventh in penalty killing (90.5) and ninth in scoring defense (2.00).

The NCAA Tournament Pairwise Comparison Ratings has NU tied at No. 15 with Harvard and Colgate, while D1Hockey.com lists the Purple Eagles at the No. 14 spot in the country.

Fresh off a weekend sweep of the Sacred Heart Pioneers, the Purps will enter their final home game of the 2012 portion of the schedule with a battle against the RIT Tigers on Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 7:05 p.m.

A reminder for those attending, Niagara will be hosting its Teddy Bear Toss during Wednesday’s game, benefiting the Carly’s Club for Kids & Cancer Research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.  Fans that bring a new, stuffed animal to the game will receive a discounted ticket, and will be able to toss them onto the ice following the Purple Eagles’ first goal of the game.  There will also be teddy bears for purchase provided by the Beverly Hill Teddy Bear Company.

For ticket information, please call the Niagara Tickets Office (located inside Dwyer Arena) at 716-286-TIXX, visit www.PurpleEagles.com/Tickets or by emailing [email protected].

Rodrigues, Hare HOnored by SUNYAC

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CORTLAND, N.Y. – Paul Rodrigues (Sr., Etobicoke, Ontario) and Andrew Hare (Sr., Burlington, Ontario) of the men’s ice hockey team have all been named the SUNYAC Player of the Week  and Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Dec. 9. It marks the second time this season that both players have received conference recognition.

Rodrigues netted a goal in each Oswego State game against ninth-ranked Utica and fourth-ranked Hobart. Rodrigues’ goal versus the Pioneers pulled the Lakers to within one goal with 4.4 seconds left in regulation. He scored the Lakers’ second goal in the first minute of the second period at Hobart, where Oswego State handed the Statesmen their first loss of the season in overtime. Rodrigues leads the nation in scoring with 24 points (9-15-24) and 2.18 points per game for the Lakers.

Hare compiled 74 saves and a .949 save percentage against ninth-ranked Utica and fourth-ranked Hobart this past weekend. Against the Pioneers, Hare stopped 30 shots, including a pair of 1-on-1 breakaways to keep Oswego State within striking distance of the Pioneers in a 3-2 loss. On Saturday, Hare handed Hobart its first loss of the season after turning aside 44 shots, including 15 in the third period.

Potsdam Women Recognized by ECAC West

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POTSDAM, N.Y.– SUNY Potsdam hockey players Izzy Fayerman (Calgary,
Alberta/The Edge) and Sally Mooney (New Albany, Ohio/Wyoming Seminary)
have been recognized by the Eastern College Athletic Conference West for
their play during the week ending Dec. 9. Fayerman was named the
conference’s Player of the Week, while Mooney earned a spot on the honor
roll.

Fayerman scored in each of the Bears three games last week. After scoring
Potsdam’s final marker against Hamilton on Tuesday, the sophomore forward
scored the game-tying goal in the Bears’ 2-2 draw with Saint Michael’s on
Friday. She then notched the game-winner in Potsdam’s 3-1 victory over the
Purple Knights on Saturday. Fayerman leads the team in goals with five and
is second on the team in scoring (5g-0a-5a).

Mooney had four points in the Bears’ three games. The forward scored her
first collegiate goal and recorded an assist in the Bears’ contest at
Hamilton. She then added an assist in each of Potsdam’s contests against
Saint Michael’s over the weekend. The freshman leads Potsdam in scoring
and assists with one goal and five helpers for six points.

The Bears (3-8-1, 2-5 ECAC West) are off until Jan. 4-5, when they travel
to South Burlington, Vt. for the Double Tree Ice Hockey Classic hosted by
Saint Michael’s. Potsdam faces Nichols College on Friday at 4 p.m. and the
host Purple Knights at the same time on Saturday.
###

Head shots attached. Action shots upon request.

Fayerman

Mooney

Zimmerman Honored

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Women’s ice hockey player honored by NESCAC

Hamilton College forward Katie Zimmerman ’13 (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth-Salem HS) was selected the NESCAC women’s ice hockey player of the week on Dec. 10.

Zimmerman, who picked up her second player of the week honor at Hamilton, posted five goals and one assist in two wins last week and helped guide the Continentals (6-2-0 overall) to their best eight-game start in program history. She recorded her second hat trick this season in a 4-2 win against SUNY Potsdam on Dec. 4.

With two goals in a 3-1 victory at Utica College on Dec. 8, Zimmerman moved into fifth place on the team’s all-time list with 47 for her career. She ranks first in Division III with 1.38 goals per game and fourth with 1.62 points per game. Zimmerman’s 11 goals and 13 points lead the NESCAC.

Hamilton breaks for finals and resumes play on Saturday, Jan. 5, for another non-conference game at Elmira College.

NU, RIT Play to 2-2 Tie

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The No. 16 Niagara hockey team closed out the first semester with a 2-2 draw against Atlantic Hockey opponent RIT on Wednesday evening at Dwyer Arena.

For the second straight game, the Purple Eagles (10-2-4; 9-0-1 AHA) came back from two goals down, but had to settle for the tie, extending its unbeaten streak to a nation-best 12 games.

“We just stuck with it again tonight,” head coach David Burkholder said.  “I think the shot chart will say that we were doing what we wanted to do, but I don’t think we made it very difficult on the RIT goalie.  We didn’t spend enough time at the top of the crease, but overall it was two very even teams that played toe-to-toe in the final round.  It was a couple of breakdowns on our part and RIT scored two goals.  Other than that it was a pretty good effort from our guys.”

The victory also extended Niagara’s current home ice unbeaten streak to 13 games, dating back to the Purple Eagles 3-3 draw against Air Force on Feb. 11, 2012.

“We kept the home-game unbeaten streak alive and we’re unbeaten in league play at Christmas,” added Burkholder.  “We have a lot to be happy and thankful for heading into the second half of the season.”

The Tigers (4-8-4; 3-5-3 AHA) jumped out to a two-goal lead halfway through the contest off a pair of tallies from Ben Lynch.

RIT capitalized on a Purple Eagle defensive mistake while on the man-disadvantage just under the 10 minute mark of the first period to make it 1-0.  With 14 seconds remaining on the Niagara powerplay, Dan Schuler forced the turnover, slipping a feed to Lynch who skated in on goaltender Carsen Chubak and roofed his fifth goal of the year under the crossbar.

The Purple Eagles would have to battle back from a two-goal deficit as Lynch gave RIT the 2-0 lead at the 13:30 mark of the second stanza.  Lynch’s second goal came on the rush off a blast from the slot that beat Chubak over the shoulder.

Isaac Kohls jump started the Purple Eagle offense with 7:57 remaining in the second period off assists from Hugo Turcotte and Ryan Rashid   Turcotte raced in to the right of RIT goalie Josh Watson and faked a shot before finding Kohls at the top of the blue paint for the easy tap in.  The goal was the right winger’s third of the season.

With just under five minutes remaining in the period, Patrick Divjak knotted the game at two apiece with his second tally of the year.  A wrister from Jason Beattie could not be controlled by Watson and the rebound jumped out to Divjak who ripped one top-shelf.

After a scoreless third period, the teams skated into overtime, but neither could find the game-winning tally.  The game wrapped up with Niagara outshooting RIT by a 46-21 margin.

Chubak made 19 stops in goal for the Purps, improving his record to 10-1-4.

The Purple Eagles will take two weeks off for the holidays before returning to action on Saturday, Dec. 29, at Bowling Green in a non-conference battle against the Falcons.

 

NU Photo

Williamsville’s Scolnick Recognized

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Williamsville’s Sarah Scolnick was named Super 7 Athlete of the Week for December 9.

Sarah is a member of the Williamsville Girl’s Varsity Ice Hockey Team. She is a forward in tenth grade at Williamsville East HIgh School.

Williamsville will face Amherst/Sweethome on Friday (Dec. 14) at Amherst Northtowns Ice Arena at 3:50 p.m.

Super 7 Athlete of Week
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Williamsville’s Sarah Scolnick was named Super 7 Athlete of the Week for December 9.
Sarah is a member of the Williamsville Girl’s Varsity Ice Hockey Team. She is a forward in tenth grade at Williamsville East HIgh School.
Williamsville will face Amherst/Sweethome on Friday (Dec. 14) at Amherst Northtowns Ice Arena at 3:50 p.m.

Super 7 Athlete of Week
Path:

Buffalo’s Kirchberger Honored

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Buffalo State freshman defenseman Nikki Kirchberger (Buffalo, NY/W. Seneca West) was named the ECAC West Women’s Hockey Rookie of the Week.

Kirchberger scored the Bengals first two goals, her third and fourth of the season, in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Cortland.  Both goals were unassisted and came while even strength.

Jordan Lee (Colorado Springs, CO/Widefield) was named to the weekly honor roll after posting a .925 save percentage and a 1.46 GAA in the two weekend games, a 1-1 tie and Saturday’s win over Cortland.

Buffalo State will not play again until a home set against Adrian on Jan. 5 and 6.