Queensbury Skates past CBA

ALBANY– The game between the two top teams in the Independent Division featured hard hitting and plenty of surprising goals. As the Spartans of Queensbury survived in a hard fought league game against the Brothers of CBA.

The Spartans opened up the scoring early on in the first period when TJ Poublon stuffed home a wrap around, past CBA’s Brent Hendricks, to give the Spartans an early 1-0 lead. CBA would get that one back a few minutes later. A slapshot by Casey Milsop hit a defender in front of the net and bounced to teammate Kareem Niazi and he went top shelf over the Spartans scrambling netminder. Not to be outdone, Queensbury was sure to get another goal past Hendricks before the first period ended. They did just that, when Freshmen Brad Kervin skated into the CBA zone on a break and showcased a fancy move on his defender and faked out Hendricks to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead at the end of one period.

The second period featured hard hitting by both teams as the frustration began to mount for the Brothers after another Queensbury tally. The Spartans saw their third and final goal come off the stick of Senior Assistant Captain Kowan Drake. Drake took the puck from the CBA defense at neutral ice and put on the afterburners past the stunned Brothers defense. He skated in and managed to stick the puck between the legs of Hendricks while flying across the crease to give his team a commanding 3-1 lead early on in the second. The Brothers would get one back when Senior Andrew Green intercepted a Queensbury cross ice pass and took it in all alone for the score late in the second period. The goal brought the Brothers to within one of the Spartans, 3-2. The two teams headed into the locker rooms to re group after a very physical 2^nd period for both teams.

The third period seemed to be all CBA hustling hard and trying to get the equalizer and tie up the score at three. The Brothers undoubtedly had their chances to tie it up, but were unable to get their third goal past the stellar play of Queensbury Freshmen Chris Devlin. With Queensbury Captain Brent Davis in the box for interference late in the third the Brothers seemed to have their best chances. But, the Brothers were stone walled shot after shot by Devlin. As the final period began to wind down CBA pulled their goalie for the extra skater and their offense was on a mission to tie it up. It looked as if they would do just that, when Milsop skated around defenders with the puck and fired a shot in the slot, and it rang off the post and almost squirted in past Devlin off the rebound. CBA was unable to tie it and the game ended with a Queensbury win, 3-2.

Queensbury gets back on track with the win, after a loss to Niskayuna/Schenectady on Wednesday. The Spartans improve to 7-3 in league play, and 8-10 overall, and travel to Saratoga on Tuesday to take on the Blue Streaks at 6:30pm. With the loss CBA remains in first place in the Independent Division, but drops to 8-5 in league play, and 12-7 overall. The Brothers next game is at home against Pelham on Friday at 4:15pm.