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The Times Union
Sunday, March 11, 2001

By BEN DE LA MATER, Staff writer

La Salle falls at states

Williamsville North's Baker tallies in overtime

W'ville North 2 La Salle 1

UTICA -- The day didn't start smoothly for the La Salle hockey team. Fifteen minutes into its journey to the state semifinals, its bus broke down.

Coaches and players scrambled to call for rides. Any vehicle would do. Parents who hadn't left yet received distress calls, loaded up their cars with players and equipment, sped to the arena and watched their Cadets fight a gritty battle against the Section VI (Buffalo area) representative, Williamsville North.

It had all the ingredients of a perfect story, except this one had a sad ending.

At 1:53 of overtime, Spartans center Billy Baker gathered a deflected pass and rifled it past La Salle goalie Tys Bailey-Yavonditte, ending the Cadets' season with a heartbreaking 2-1 loss.

"I thought we played a great game and they played a great game,'' La Salle coach Tim Flanigan said. "That was the way a hockey game should end. That kid made a perfect shot on goal. I can live with that. That's hockey. Our seniors have set the ground work by bringing La Salle to the state final four three years in a row. It's something to be proud of.''

La Salle had early advantages when Williamsville North committed two penalties with 13:35 and 11:55 left in the opening period, but the Spartans killed off both disadvantages. After a scoreless first period, sophomore Eric Cassidy took a breakaway pass off the boards, skated down the ice and flicked the puck through the legs of the Spartans' goalie, putting the Cadets up 1-0 at 14:06 of the second period.

The Spartans answered at 9:41 of the third period when Michael Cohen tied the game with a wrist shot past Bailey-Yavonditte's left shoulder.

But there was plenty of hockey left to play, and La Salle stepped up the pressure. Cassidy and senior Brian Fage both had shots on goal late in the third that looked as though they were certain game-winners before the Williamsville North defense deflected the opportunities.

La Salle was outshot 24-16 in regulation, but it was the Spartans' last shot that sealed the Cadets' fate.

"It popped out of the crowd, fortunately right on my stick,'' Baker said. "I was trailing the play and I shot low and the goalie didn't have time to see it.''

This was La Salle's first season competing at the Division I level after winning the state championship at the small-school Division II level last season. Flanigan sees no difference, and it was apparent from the 23-5 record the Cadets earned.

"The seniors set a great example for us to come back and work harder,'' Bailey-Yavonditte said. "We'll lift and get stronger and faster in the off-season, and we'll make it back here.''

The Post Star
Saturday, March 10, 2001

Glens Falls' hockey season ends in semis

By JIM SEIP

seip@poststar.com

UTICA – Glens Falls had more speed, talent and senior leadership. Aquinas Institute had more goals.

For the second consecutive year, Utica held nothing but tough luck for Glens Falls High School's hockey team as the Indians lost 5-1 to Aquinas Institute of Rochester in the state semifinals of the Division II tournament Friday.

A year after coming up empty in the state championship game, Glens Falls once again fell short of its ultimate goal at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.

This year, however, Glens Falls appeared to have the tools necessary to win the school's first state hockey title since 1991. That was until Aquinas employed a neutral-zone trap.

“Glens Falls is a fast club,” Aquinas captain Ryan Gage said. “They had so much speed, so much skill, we just had to apply pressure.

“And then we could sit back.”

Gage, whose father Jody played in the NHL, explained how his team attempted to stuff Glens Falls' skaters by bunching up at the blue line. Allowing a third defender to play the center of the blue line, Aquinas concentrated on stopping the puck – and the extra defender worked on forcing a turnover.

In the first two periods, Glens Falls outshot Aquinas Institute 17-12 and gained control of 7-of-12 faceoffs in the offensive zone, but Glens Falls never managed to beat Aquinas goalie Ben Collins. Following two periods of play, Glens Falls only had a three-goal deficit to show for its dominance.

Aquinas also frustrated Glens Falls by dropping a number of players into the defensive zone to clear out rebounds. And although Glens Falls' top line of Brian Herlihy, Tom Girard and Marc Carpenter had opportunities to score – they very rarely had second chances.

Glens Falls one deficient statistic: forced defensive miscues, something Aquinas exploited to earn a trip to the championship game on Sunday at noon against Salmon River, an 8-1 winner over Lake Placid.

Four of Aquinas' tallies came on turnovers at or near Glens Falls' blue line, with the fifth goal coming when two Glens Falls' skaters lost their footing.

“At this level, every club is going to be nervous, because one mistake could switch momentum and your season is over,” Gage said.

That mistake came at 11:53 of the first period. Aquinas gained control of the puck in the neutral zone when a Glens Falls forward fell down, and Ryan LaSchomb brought the puck into the offensive zone with a 3-on-2 advantage. The trouble came when a Glens Falls defender lost his edge while backpedaling. Standing just outside the crease, Aquinas' Mario Nucci broke the scoreless draw with a doorstep goal.

Aquinas scored the game-winner with 34 seconds left in the first period.

Glens Falls goalie Sean Powers skated out of the crease to gather a clearing pass, but Aquinas' LaSchomb beat him to the puck, centered a pass to Justin Wilson and Powers stumbled to get a piece of the shot as it caromed over his shoulder.

“When we got down 2-0 (in the first period), it really deflated us,” Glens Falls coach Don Miller said. “They were trapping us, taking away everything on the ice. They double-teamed Girard and put a lot of bodies down in front to take away rebounds.

“I sort of sensed it that we could take it to them, when you outshoot a team you take it as an indication you can beat them. But they capitalized on their chances.”

Kyle Merkosky replaced Powers in goal in the second period, but it didn't make much difference. Glens Falls allowed another blue-line turnover and Nucci beat Merkosky one-on-one for a shorthanded goal.

“They were very quick, so we knew we couldn't pinch on defense,“ Aquinas coach Grady Monks said. “We tried to slow their first line down in the neutral zone with traps – we knew No. 8 (Tom Girard) was their main man.

“But we also finished our chances.”

When Glens Falls finally scored on Collins, it took a top-shelf flash from Kevin Vogel, who scored on a slap shot over the far shoulder of Collins' glove hand. Vogel's tally ricocheted off the cross bar and into netting, but it came with less than six minutes to play in regulation.

Thanks to its defense, Aquinas never had to resort to that sort of high-skill scoring play. At one point in the second period, Aquinas had converted on 50 percent of its shots, scoring on three of its first six chances.

“We knew they had a great top line we had to shut down, and we had to play defense,” Nucci said. “We only had a few chances, and we buried everything.”

The game marked the end of the high school career of nine Glens Falls seniors, but 13 juniors could return next year.

One individual who won't return is Miller, who coached his final game as Glens Falls' coach. He retires after 16 years, two state championships and 253 victories. He is also the school's first and only hockey coach.

But even Miller couldn't come up with an answer for Aquinas.

“Those two goals at the start of the third period were just nails in our coffin,” Miller said.

“I thought we could come back from a 3-0 deficit, but 5-0 …. There wasn't much I could tell them to do.”



Aquinas (20-6) 2 1 2 -- 5

Glens Falls (20-6-1) 0 0 1 -- 1

First period – 1, Aquinas, Nucci (LaSchomb, Wilson), 11:53. 2, Aquinas, LaSchomb (Wilson), 14:26. Penalties – Carpenter, GF (roughing), 3:54; Gage, A (elbowing), 6:45; T. Powers, GF (tripping), 7:16; Bri. Collins, A (roughing), 15:00.

Second period – 3, Aquinas, Nucci (unassisted), 7:08 (sh). Penalties – Doherty, A (holding), 4:59; Guzylak, A (roughing), 5:11; Bri. Collins, A (holding), 7:28; Sipowicz, GF (hooking), 7:53; Nucci, A (roughing), 8:53; Girard, GF (roughing), 8:53; Vogel, GF (interference), 13:10.

Third period – 4, Aquinas, Gage (Doherty), :30. 5, Aquinas, Wilson (Nucci), 1:13; 6, Glens Falls, Vogel (Herlihy), 9:37 (pp). Penalties – Bri. Collins, A (high-sticking), 1:54; Herlihy, GF (slashing), 1:54; Carpenter, GF (tripping), 7:53; Nucci, A (elbowing), 9:03; Girard, GF (roughing), 10:17; Carpenter, GF (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:17; LaSchomb, A (slashing), 11:15; Conlon, A (tripping), 14:00; Naylor, GF game-misconduct (unsportsmanlike), 14:00.

Shots on goal – Aquinas 4-8-11—23. Glens Falls 7-10-7—24.

Power play opportunities – Aquinas 0 of 7. Glens Falls 1 of 6.

Goalies – Aquinas, Be. Collins (24 shots-23 saves). Glens Falls, S. Powers (4-2); Merkosky (19-16).

The Times Union
Friday, March 9, 2001

The Troy Record
Sunday, March 4, 2001

La Salle back in Final Four

By: Mike Dyer, The Record

TROY - The La Salle Institute hockey team achieved a big goal Saturday night - a chartered bus trip to Utica next week.

"Utica's been our goal all year," Cadets head coach Tim Flanigan said in his noisy team locker room at Hudson Valley Community College's Conway Ice Arena. "It's a great trip, the culmination of a great year."
La Salle reached the Final Four of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association's Division I (big schools) hockey championship.
Standout left winger Brian Mohan scored his school record 45th and 46th goals of the season and Brian Fage knocked in the other goal as La Salle stunned Irondequoit High of Rochester, 3-2, before a foot-stomping, cheering capacity crowd.
"The Final Four means everything to my kids," Flanigan said. "I told them at the start of the season Utica was our goal."
La Salle extended its school-record winning streak to nine games while ending the Indians' winning skein after seven wins in a row. The Rochester school, finishing 23-2-1, was ranked No. 2 in the state among big schools.
"No one's beating us in the postseason," Mohan said after accepting congratulations for two more goals. "We're a playoff team."
A year ago La Salle won the state's Division II (small schools) hockey title. La Salle is 24-4-0 this season and 44-9-1 over the last two years.
Fage, who scored his 28th goal before the game was two minutes old, sparked the Cadets.
"It was great to open the game with that goal," the 17-year-old Delmar resident said. "We were nervous. (Mike) Barbera made the steal and put the puck right on my stick."
Fage had his goal after only 62 seconds of play. Barbera skated into the corner to the Indians goaltender Kevin Paprocki's right and fed Fage for a one-timer from the slot.
Then Mohan went to work.
The 18-year-old left winger from Waterford skated in with Barbera on a two-on-one with 3:45 gone in the middle period. Mohan froze the goalie and then blasted a low shot for the goal.
Mohan struck again at 7:54 after Adam Daitz had a goal for the visitors.
Mohan deked the Indians' defense, pulled Paprocki from the net, then fired into a virtually empty net.
That forced Irondequoit head coach Terry MacAdam to switch goalies.
"Goaltending wasn't good," the Indians coach said. "He didn't make the saves."
MacAdam said his skaters "didn't get their legs going."
It was a long bus trip from Rochester but the coach didn't want an alibi. "Excuses are for losers," he said.
Irondequoit failed on four power-play opportunities in the final period.
Then the Indians yanked their goalie for an extra attacker in the final minute and scored a goal to get to within 3-2.
Jon Summer beat La Salle goalie Tys Bailey-Yavonditte with a screened shot with just 48 seconds left in regulation time.
"A big win for us," Mohan said. "They were ranked second in the state. We worked hard and we gained a lot of confidence."
"The whole team found defense," Flanigan said. "We capitalized on scoring chances. But ... they made it close."
The Cadets skate against Williamsville North in a noon game next Saturday at Utica Memorial Auditorium. The winner advances to the finals next Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

The Times Union
Friday, March 2, 2001

The Times Union
Wednesday, February 28, 2001

The Saratogian
Saturday, February 25, 2001

Shen is second again

WARREN ALBER, The Saratogian

DELMAR -- The Shenendehowa High School ice hockey team has been down this road before, right down to the final score.

The Plainsmen, in the Section II Division I championship game for the second straight year, suffered their second straight 2-1 loss in the game, which relegated Shenendehowa to the at-large regional playoff round for the second straight year when Brian Mohan scored his second goal of the game and 44th of the season with 42.4 seconds left in regulation.

''I told my guys after the game that I wasn't in the losing locker room,'' Shenendehowa coach Bill MacArthur said. ''We were one goal short, that's all. They played like crazy, they did everything they could. Sometimes the puck bounces your way, other times it just squirted through.''

Which is how the winning goal came about in this 45-minute chess match that saw both teams matching checking lines against each other's top scoring lines.

But with 1:24 left in regulation, after the Plainsmen (15-11-1) forced a faceoff deep in the LaSalle zone, MacArthur deviated from the plan.

In trying to go for the game-winning goal, MacArthur replaced Tony Marinello, who had been shadowing LaSalle's Mohan all game, on the right wing of his checking line alongside Nick Pugh and Andrew Barnett with first-line winger Lee Carrier.

The Plainsmen didn't get a shot off on the play and the Cadets (23-4-0) worked the puck into the Shenendehowa zone. A clearing attempt by Jason Woll was knocked down by LaSalle's Brian Fage, who moved it to Mohan in the slot, and Mohan ripped a 35-footer past goaltender Kirk Manke (Manke finished with 15 saves in the game).

''Our goalie never had a chance,'' MacArthur said. ''We had (Marinello) shadowing him, but when we got the face-off down there, I put in Pete (MacArthur) to try to get a draw quick shot, (and after earning another faceoff) then I put in Lee to try to get to the net and get a score.

''So we didn't have anybody on him right then and it burned us a little bit. We tried to win it down there and we ended up losing it up here, but that was my decision. I'd do that again any time to try to win a game like that.''

Especially in a tight-checking contest where quality scoring opportunities were few and far between.

With the checking lines neutralizing the offensive flow and both team's playing dump-and-chase, shots were tough to come by. Shenendehowa took 18, LaSalle 15.

''In playoff hockey, the referees are not going to call a lot,'' LaSalle coach Tim Flannigan said. ''So I told my kids when they got the chance just take shots, because you are not going to have a lot of room to work with. Once you get inside the blue line get a shot on net because any shot is a good play.

''I've been telling Brian Mohan to shoot more all year,'' Flannigan said. ''And today he scored two great goals.''

Shenendehowa opened the scoring 7:06 into the first period when Dan Mathias picked up a loose puck in the left corner, skated along the end boards a stride before stepping in front of the net and stuffing it under goaltender Tys Bailey-Yavonditte.

Mohan evened the game 8:37 into the second period, taking Eric Cassidy's pass at the Shenendehowa blue line and skating down the slot before ripping it past Manke, setting up Mohan's game-winner.

In the Division II final, Glens Falls rolled over South Glens Falls, 8-1.

NOTES: Shenendehowa will host Section V's Greece, which lost to Irondequoit, 5-4, Tuesday night at 7:45 p.m. LaSalle will host Irondequoit next Saturday.

The Suburban Council all-star teams were announced prior to the Division I Championship. Saratoga Springs was represented on the second team by forward Chad Cummings and goaltender Devon Lent.

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake's Adam Platka was a second team defender and Nick Pugh was a second-team forward.

Shenendehowa's Carrier and Peter MacArthur were first-team forward while Victor Barger and Jason Woll were first-team defensemen.

The Times Union
Sunday, February 25, 2001

The Post Star
Saturday, February 24, 2001

The Times Union
Friday, February 23, 2001

The Post Star
Friday, February 23, 2001

ICE HOCKEY

Queensbury hockey falls to La Salle, 1-0

The Times Union
Thursday, February 22, 2001

The Times Union
Wednesday, February 21, 2001

The Times Union
Sunday, February 18, 2001

Staff Report

Ryan Grady scored in the final minute as Mohonasen/Schalmont rallied to tie Bethlehem 3-3 Saturday in a Capital District High School Hockey League game at BIG Arena in Delmar.

Mohonasen/Schalmont also got goals from Matt Benedetto and Dave Badalucco and 21 saves from Dan Moore.

Chris Abbott, Joe Siniski and Andrew Wenath scored for the Eagles. Greg Pittz (15 saves) and Matt Guntner (9) split time in the Bethlehem goal.

Niskayuna-Schenectady 7, Burnt Hills 1: Gary Labelle led a five-goal outburst in the first period by the Mohawks. Mike Melnick also scored a goal in the first period and added another in the second.

Chris Welde scored the first Mohawks' goal at 1:45. Adam Platka got the lone goal for Burnt Hills.

The Saratogian
Saturday, February 17, 2001

RICK GARGIULO Photo-The Saratogian
Shenendehowa forward Peter MacArthur is held up by the LaSalle defense after taking a shot on goal during the second period of Friday's 4-2 loss to the Cadets.

LaSalle clinches league title

WARREN ALBER, The Saratogian

CLIFTON PARK -- The LaSalle Institute ice hockey team captured the league championship and No. 1 seed in the Section II tournament with a 4-2 victory over Shenendehowa Friday night at Clifton Park Arena.

The Times Union
Saturday, February 17, 2001

By ALAN HART, Staff writer

Cadets gain overall CDHSHL crown with win

La Salle 4 Shen 2

CLIFTON PARK -- Brian Fage scored three goals and goaltender Tys Bailey-Yavonditte made 21 saves as La Salle Institute of Troy beat Shenendehowa 4-2 Friday night in the regular-season finale for both Capital District High School Hockey League teams.

The outcome gave La Salle (20-4 overall, 12-2 league) a share of the Independent Division championship with Glens Falls. The Cadets won the overall title of the CDHSHL on the basis of goals-scored, goals-against differential in head-to-head games with the Indians. Shenendehowa (13-10-1, 11-3) won the Suburban Division last week.

Afterward, La Salle coach Tim Flanigan put winning the overall championship in cryptic perspective -- it means a lot ... but it means nothing.

La Salle and Shen are both Division I (large-school) teams and will begin playing for the Section II title with quarterfinal games Tuesday against opponents to be determined in Monday play-in games.

The Cadets and Plainsmen may wind up playing again Feb. 24 in the Division I final at BIG Arena in Delmar.

Glens Falls already has a berth in the Division II (small-school) title game that day.

"I've been here eight years, so, yes, it means a lot to me,'' Flanigan said, "but the big thing is the sectional title, and my teams are always taught to get ready for the end of the season. It was a great win for us and a great achievement to win the (overall) title, but it's secondary to next week's game.''

Fage, a senior forward, scored his team's first three goals for his fourth hat trick of the season. The third goal broke a 2-2 tie at 7:23 of the middle period after Shenendehowa had fought back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the score on goals by Andrew Barnett and Lee Carrier.

Fage, who missed the first meeting between the teams (won by Shen in OT) just before the holidays because of a shoulder injury, scored on a breakaway when he fired in a wrist shot from the left face-off circle. The puck steamed past Plainsmen goalie Erik Manke.

"That was the biggest of the three goals, I thought,'' Fage said. "I mean, it was 2-2, and you pop that one in and you take all the momentum away from the other team.''

Fage said he was not concerned after the Cadets had given up their early 2-0 lead.

"I was pretty confident,'' Fage said. "I know Tys can play, and I knew he was going to shut them down the rest of the way.''

Bailey-Yavonditte was especially strong in the second period, when he made 12 of his 21 saves. He also made a brilliant glove save of a backhander by Peter MacArthur from close range with 9:47 left.

It was a frustrating night for Shen coach Bill MacArthur, behind the bench for his final regular-season home game at Clifton Park Arena. MacArthur, Shen's coach since the 1980-81 season, is retiring as coach but will remain as a teacher at the school.

His son Peter, a junior center and the team's leading scorer, also is leaving after this season and will play next year at Northwood Prep.

"We couldn't beat their goalie,'' coach MacArthur said. "We had the chances, but we couldn't convert.''

The Post Star
Saturday, February 17, 2001

Staff Report

ICE HOCKEY

South Glens Falls 4, Mamaroneck, 3 OT

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Anson Wood scored the game-winning goal 27 seconds into overtime to propel South Glens Falls to a thrilling victory against Mamaroneck.

South Glens Falls (8-16) fell behind 2-0, but reeled off three second-period goals to take a slim lead into the final frame.

Mamaroneck's Richard Lechy scored with just 15 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime.

On the game-winner, South High defenseman Jeff Beecher made a rush up the ice with the puck and flicked it in front of the net where Wood slammed it home.

Drew Chapman had a goal and two assists, Jeff Beecher collected two assists and Dan Hart and Greg Beecher each netted one goal each.

South High will open up sectional play against Burnt Hills on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Weibel Avenue Rink in Saratoga Springs. The winner will play Glens Falls next Saturday.

Mamaroneck (8-15-1) 1 1 1 0 -- 3

South Glens Falls (8-16) 0 3 0 1 -- 4

First Period: 1. Mamaroneck, Baiocco (O'Bryne, Lechy,) 7:57.

Second Period: 2. Mamaroneck, Merl (unassisted), 10:42. 3. SGF, Drew Chapman (Jeff Beecher, Josh Cote), 9:33. 4. SGF, Dan Hart (Ryan Brock), 9:07. 5. SGF, Greg Beecher (Chapman), 2:21.

Third Period: 6. Mamaroneck, Lechy (Thompson), :15.2

Overtime: 7. Anson Wood (Chapman, J. Beecher), 4:33.

Goalies: Suang (M) 18-of-20, Gibbs (M) 15-of-17; Tanner Cormie (SGF) 30-of-33.

The Times Union
Saturday, February 10, 2001

By ALAN HART, Staff writer

Woll's goal lifts Plainsmen in OT

Shen 3 G. Falls 2

CLIFTON PARK -- Senior Jason Woll scored in overtime to lift Shenendehowa to a 3-2 victory over Glens Falls on Friday in a clash of Capital District High School Hockey League division leaders.

"I wish I could say I knew it was going in as soon as I let the shot go, but quite honestly, I can't,'' said defenseman Woll, whose slap shot from the blue line in front of the Glens Falls' bench with 34 seconds left in the extra period was his second overtime, game-winning goal of the season. "I just knew there was less than a minute left, and we had to put shots on net.''

Woll, in his fourth season with the Shen varsity, helped the Plainsmen improve to 3-1-1 in overtime games this season.

Shenendehowa (13-9-1 overall, 11-2 league) already has won the Suburban Division and has one game remaining -- Friday against La Salle Institute at Clifton Park Arena. Independent Division leader Glens Falls (17-5-1, 11-2) also has one game left -- Wednesday at Saratoga.

Glens Falls, which had not lost since a Dec. 28 non-league setback against New Hartford and had gone 13-0-1 in that span, would have secured the CHDSHL's overall title had it beaten Shen. Now, the Indians may share the crown with Shen, or one of them (even La Salle at 9-2) still could win it outright depending on next week's results and the various tiebreakers involved.

For now, Shen coach Bill MacArthur and his players will simply relish this victory. Shen, which has been undermanned in recent games with illness and injuries, had lost two of its last three games, including a 3-2 loss Jan. 31 at Glens Falls.

"Our kids came to play, and that third period was the best period we've played this season,'' said MacArthur, who got a great outing from freshman goalie Kirk Manke.

Manke had 26 saves, including a spectacular kick save to deny Brian Herlihy from the doorstep with 2:33 left in the second.

"That was the save of the season,'' MacArthur said.

Manke, asked to comment on the save, smiled and shrugged.

"I just try to do what I can to help us win,'' Manke said. "I thought everyone on the team came in here and played hard.''

The Indians got goals from Chris Fields and Tom Girard in the second period for a 2-1 lead.

Shen's Ryan Sawyer scored in the second period, and senior forward Lee Carrier tied it at 2 at 7:14 of the third period, taking a pass from Peter MacArthur and beating goalie Kyle Merkosky (24 saves).

The Times Union
Saturday, February 10, 2001

Nisky/Schenectady wins

Gary Labelle scored an unassisted goal at the 6:06 mark in the third period to give Niskayuna/Schenectady a 5-4 victory over Colonie/Shaker in a Capital District High School Hockey League game Friday night.

Mike Melnick had two goals and Chris Welde one for the winners. Ryan Donovan made 41 saves in goal. Tom Jevans, Rob Thomas and Matt Colehour scored for Colonie/Shaker.

MORE HOCKEY

Queensbury 7, Bethlehem 3: Tim Leroy, Adam Blackbird and Tim McCarthy scored two goals each for Queensbury. Andy Carpenter had the other goal.

Goalie Matt Beaulieu had 12 saves. Dan Stevens had 35 saves for Bethlehem, which got goals from Chris Abbott, Jon Albert and Jeff Kattrein.

The Post-Star
Thursday, February 8, 2001

Hats off for Glens Falls

By JIM SEIP

GLENS FALLS -- Glens Falls rolled out the red carpet.

In the first high school hockey meeting between Glens Falls and Queensbury, the host team had all the details covered.

Glens Falls made sure they had a crowd, a band -- yes a band -- and even a ceremonial faceoff, where longtime Glens Falls coach Putt La May dropped the puck.

The teams also decided to exchange a traveling trophy to the winner of the game, a wooden hockey stick that will be engraved with the game's outcome from each meeting.

A hospitable host, Glens Falls even allowed Queensbury to score the game's first goal.

With just over four minutes to play in the first period, the niceties ended. Tom Girard slapped home the first of his three goals as Glens Falls recovered to defeat Queensbury 6-2 at the Civic Center.

Girard approached his hat trick with reluctance.

"It's either my second or third," he offered. "I'm not even sure."

And yes, this was the first meeting with Queensbury -- which is playing its first season of high school hockey.

"The hype got us going," Girard admitted.

But what really hyped up Girard was this: His team's play.

"It was really the play of the other guys," explained Girard, whose goal total currently stands at 26. "They just kept feeding me in front of the goal. They were doing all the work.

"With all the attention the game received, you start to worry. Start to second guess. But I know this team can beat any team in the state, if we play to our ability."

You see, Glens Falls (11-1, 17-4-1) is shooting for a Capital District High School Hockey League title and a state championship. The Indians are in position for the league title, they sit atop their division with two regular season games remaining.

And the state championship? Well, after Wednesday night's performance the team noted a few things it still needs to work on.

"Well, we're looking pretty good. I guess we could use some more hustle," said Glens Falls' Ray Sipowicz, who netted his first two-goal game of the season.

Glens Falls coach Don Miller quipped: "We could use a hanger play."

Miller was referring to the first goal of the game, where Queensbury kept a forward at the offensive end in an attempt to spring a breakaway.

"If we pick off the pass it's no loss to them," Miller said. "But if he gets the puck, he has a breakaway."

Queensbury's Adam Blackbird got the breakaway, and he slid a back-handed shot by Glens Falls goalie Nick Vitouski early in the first period.

"That woke up (Nick)," Miller said. "He was probably a little nervous, because he was playing against his former school and I'm sure he heard a lot of talk."

Vitouski stopped 20 of the next 21 shots he faced and Girard and Sipowicz provided all the offense Glens Falls needed. Glens Falls kept working the boards down low, and Girard and Sipowicz kept gathering the passes in front of the net and slapping the puck into the net.

"The intensity, the play and the hype was where we expected it to be," Queensbury coach Dean Williams said.

Queensbury 1 1 0 -- 2

Glens Falls 2 3 1 -- 6

First period -- 1, Queensbury, Blackbird (McCarthy, Gersten), 2:22. 2, Glens Falls, Girard (Naylor), 10:53. 3, Glens Falls, Herlihy (Vogel) 12:05. Penalties -- None.

Second period -- 4, Glens Falls, Sipowicz (Naylor), 4:01. 5, Glens Falls, Girard (Carpenter, Herlihy), 8:34. 6, Queensbury, Gersten (Carpenter, Rozell) 11:21. 7, Glens Falls, Sipowicz (Powers), 13:36. Penalties -- Carpenter, Glens Falls (slashing), 6:34. Fleury, Glens Falls (interference), 9:21.

Third period -- 7, Glens Falls, Girard (Carpenter), :16. Penalties -- Keeley, Queensbury, game-misconduct (roughing), 1:16. Vogel, Glens Falls (tripping), 10:41. Stuart, Queensbury, (holding), 11:07. Girard, Glens Falls (holding), 11:36. Vogel, Glens Falls (tripping), 13:09. Wiart, Queensbury (cross-checking), 14:20.

Shots on goal -- Queensbury 8-7-7--22; GF 10-5-6--27.

Power play opportunities -- Queensbury 0-5; GF 0-3.

Goalies -- Queensbury, Fitzgerald (27 shots-21 saves); GF, Vitouski (20-22).

The Saratogian
Wednesday, February 7, 2001

Chad Cummings breaks in on goaltender Erik Manke in the first period Wednesday. Manke saved the shot. ED BURKE/The Saratogian

Shen sweeps Blue Streaks

JON HINES, The Saratogian

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Chalk up round two to the Plainsmen as well; but this time they had to fight for it.

The Post-Star
Wednesday, February 7, 2001

Erin R. Coker Photo The Post-Star
Queensbury's Ryan Rueckert (10) and Tim Mcarthy (2) move past
the defense in a recent game.

The Record
Sunday, February 4, 2001

Mohan, Cadets cruise past Bethlehem

By: Mike Dyer, The Record

DELMAR - A willingness to mix it up and work hard best explains Brian Mohan's goal-scoring touch for the La Salle Institute hockey team this season.
Or, as Cadets head coach Tim Flanigan says, "Brian just has a knack for finding the back of the net. He's been tenacious all year."
The 17-year-old senior center scored his Section II-leading 35th and 36th goals Saturday night as La Salle cruised to a 6-1 Capital District High School Hockey League victory over Bethlehem Central at BIG Arena.

The victory improved La Salle's overall record to 16-4 and gave it a 9-2 league mark. Bethlehem is now 4-10, 5-11.
Mohan has his career-best 36 goals in just 18 games as he had to miss two of the Cadets' contests with a bruised shoulder early in the season.
The 5-foot-11 Waterford resident went to extremes with his goals. Mohan scored a power-play goal in the opening period, then connected on a shorthanded score early in the final period. He also added an assist on one of Brian Fage's three goals for the Cadets.
"People take runs at me," Mohan said. "But I get to do the celebrating."
A year ago Mohan scored only 18 goals as La Salle won the New York State Division II title. He's doubled that total and the Cadets still have four games to play in the regular season and then the sectionals.
Can there be a 50-goal season for Mohan?
"I only know my first two games of the year helped build my confidence," the Cadets' top sniper said. "I had seven goals in the first two games."
Flanigan saw a big difference in his star after those two early games. "Right off, he had those seven goals," the head coach said.
"That surge has carried him right through the season," Flanigan added. "He has shown great improvement from last year and remember, he missed two games with a shoulder injury and was hurt in some of the other games."
Mohan, who is considering college next year at either Stonehill or the University of New Hampshire, had trouble deciding which of his two goals Saturday was the most important.
"I guess the power-play goal because that got us going," he said.
Mohan went to his backhand and slid the puck past the Eagles' goaltender Matt Gunter at 11:48 of the opening period. Bethlehem had taken the 1-0 lead on a John Albert tally just 1:39 after the opening faceoff.
Mohan nearly had two shorthanded goals while La Salle was killing a penalty in the third period.
Gunter robbed Mohan of a goal on a breakaway with 3:58 gone in the period. But just 25 seconds later, Mohan redirected a pass from Fage for the shorthanded score.
La Salle began the game gingerly and Flanigan said his Cadets were still thinking about a 3-2 overtime loss to Glens Falls on Friday night.
La Salle blew a 2-1 lead with 40 seconds left in regulation.
"Friday's game took a lot of energy out of us," the coach said. "It was tough mentally for them. When we have a lead with 40 seconds to go, we expect to win. But we didn't give up in the overtime."
But there was lethargy in La Salle's first-period action against Bethlehem.
The teams were tied 1-1 before La Salle went ahead for good at 1:52 of the middle period with Mike Barbera scoring on a Cadets' power-play. La Salle skated five-on-three and Barbera rebounded Justin Burke's blistering shot from the left point.
Fage then scored his first goal of the game off a scramble with 3:36 remaining in the second period.
La Salle has switched a game for next week. The Cadets will host South Glens Falls at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Hudson Valley Community College. The game had been originally set for Wednesday night.

The Times Union
Sunday, February 4, 2001

Nisky upsets Shen

Niskayuna-Schenectady 3, Shenendehowa 2, OT: 

GLENVILLE--  Niskayuna-Schenectady pulled off the upset over Shenendehowa on Kevin Nappi's goal with seven seconds left in overtime. Chris Welde and Gary Labelle also scored in the second period for Niskayuna-Schenectady.

Victor Barger put in the first goal for Shenendehowa (11-8-1, 9-2) near the end of the second period. Peter MacArthur tied the game for the Plainsmen on a power-play goal midway through the third.

La Salle 6, Bethlehem 1: 

Brian Fage recorded a hat trick and Brian Mohan added a pair of goals for La Salle. Bethlehem's John Albert scored the first goal of the game.

Glens Falls 1, Suffern 1: 

Tim Powers scored in the second period as Glens Falls skated to a tie with visiting Suffern.

The Mounties (16-2-3) took a 1-0 lead in the opening stanza on Lee Gilner's goal.

But the Indians (16-4-1) came back on Powers' goal, with assists from Brian Herlihy and Charlie LaHaise.

Sean Powers had 31 saves for Glens Falls.

The Post-Star
Saturday, February 3, 2001

G.F. hockey beats La Salle in OT

The Times Union
Saturday, January 27, 2001

Sipowicz paces Glens Falls

Ray Sipowicz had two goals and three assists and Brian Herlihy added two goals and one assist as Glens Falls drubbed Mamaroneck 8-1 Friday in a high school hockey contest.

The Indians upped their record to 13-4. Mamaroneck fell to 6-10-1.

Sean Powers stopped 12 shots for Glens Falls.

MORE HOCKEY

South Glens Falls 6, Mohonasen-Schalmont 4:

Anson Wood scored a hat trick and netted the winning goal 12:01 into the third period.

Wood's goal broke a 4-4 tie and Drew Chapman scored his second goal of the game two minutes later to ice the game. Matt Benetto tallied two goals for Mohonasen and Nate Fregoe added a goal and two assists. Bulldogs netminder Jeff Mabb turned away 28 shots while Matt Rush had 24 in net for Mohonasen (3-11). South High improved to 6-14 on the season.

La Salle 7, Saratoga Springs 3: 

Brian Mohan and Mike Barbera each netted a hat trick. The Cadets (13-3) pulled away in the third period after holding a 3-1 lead going into the period. Andrew Usas led the Silver Streaks with a goal and an assist. Devon Lent had 36 saves for Saratoga Springs and Tys Bailey-Yavonditte had 18 for the LaSalle.

The Post-Star
Saturday, January 27, 2001

SGF icers complete comeback

The Post-Star
Wednesday, January 24, 2001

Erin R. Coker- The Post Star
Glens Falls' Charlie LaHalse (23) scores a goal against South High Tuesday night.

Glens Falls pounds SGF

By JIM SEIP

seip@poststar.com

GLENS FALLS -- South Glens Falls hockey coach Bill Carey considers his team's annual games against Glens Falls a necessary evil.

The series is necessary because Glens Falls is the area's traditional power and Carey is under the belief that his team needs to play the best-caliber teams in order to improve.

The evil portion comes on the ice, where the blare of the horn broke the silence again, and again, and again, and again ....

Glens Falls doled out another one of those lopsided games Tuesday night at the Civic Center, beating South Glens Falls 9-1.

"This type of game tonight certainly doesn't fill the seats up," Glens Falls coach Don Miller said. "People like to see the players go up and down the ice -- those are the ones you remember."

This was not that type of game.

But it did have another use, and Miller noted Glens Falls needed this game. Glens Falls (12-4, 8-1 Capital District) is one year removed from a state championship game appearance, and not all aspects of the team's play is glaring with postseason-type polish.

"We've got to work on our special teams," Miller said. "Tonight it was mostly our penalty killing.

"We don't get to work on those things as well as I'd like to in practice. It's hard to do something when every one on the team knows what's coming."

So Glens Falls killed off five penalties in the first two periods, and even scored a short-handed goal.

So what's next?

"We just want to go out there and pound, pound, pound," Glens Falls defenseman Kevin Vogel said. "We're trying to get the younger kids in there and allow them to get some experience."

Vogel did his share of pounding. The senior defenseman scored and assisted on a goal in Glens Falls' five-goal bonanza in the first frame. Vogel took his job seriously in the game's opening minutes, in large part because he came up through the same system. Suiting up as an eighth grader, he rarely saw playing time unless the upperclassmen could punch out a comfortable lead.

"I learned from the older kids teaching me," Vogel said.

And besides, after Glens Falls built an 8-0 lead in the second period, special teams play wasn't so special.

Ray Sipowicz kept himself busy after scoring the game's first goal less than two minutes into the game. The senior forward scored twice, dished out an assist and played an integral part in Glens Falls' special teams work -- sitting in the penalty box for three South Glens Falls' power plays.

The extra skater did little to aid South Glens Falls (5-13, 5-9), which had trouble controlling the puck beyond center ice against Glens Falls' first two lines. Getting past the blue line was almost out of the question.

"In order to be considered a good team, we have to play teams at a higher level," Carey said. "We just got back from a tournament and we hoped there would be a carry over ... but when you have six guys scratched and the other team is man-for-man deeper and faster ...."

There's no need to continue. The horn told the rest of the story.

South Glens Falls 0 1 0 -- 1

Glens Falls 5 3 1 -- 9

First period -- 1, Glens Falls, Sipowicz (Powers), 1:25. 2, Glens Falls, Vogel (Carpenter, Herlihy), 3:45. 3, Glens Falls, Fields 5:50 (sh). 4, Glens Falls, Carpenter 8:02. 5. Glens Falls, Naylor (Vogel, Sipowicz), 9:48. Penalties -- Sipowicz, GF (interference), 5:37.

Second period -- 6, Glens Falls, Girard (Herlihy, Carpenter), 7:09. 7, Glens Falls, LaHaise (Harrington), 8:29. 8, Glens Falls, Sipowicz, (Herlihy), 13:45. 9, Underwood (Chase, Chapman), 14:59. Penalties -- Powers, GF (roughing), 1:52; Sipowicz, GF (roughing), 8:56; Edwards, GF (high sticking), 10:28; Herlihy, GF (tripping), 11:52.

Third period -- 10, Glens Falls, Carpenter (Girard, Herlihy), 5:19 (pp). Penalties -- Sipowicz, GF (roughing), 2:43; Beecher, SGF (slashing), 4:26; Hart, SGF (slashing), 11:55; Chapman, SGF (roughing); Tefft, GF (roughing).

Shots on goal -- SGF 6-7-5--18; GF 14-8-13--35.

Power play opportunities -- SGF 0- 6; GF 1-2.

Goalies -- SGF, Cormie (26 shots-35 saves); GF, Vitouski (12-13), Cory (5-5).

The Times Union
Wednesday, January 24, 2001

The Troy-Record
Sunday, January 21, 2001

Shen falls in final

By: James Allen, The Record

The Times Union
Sunday, January 21, 2001

 Shen falls in own tournament final

Mike Cortese's second goal of the game 1:24 into the third period proved to be the game-winning tally as New Hartford won the championship game of the Shenendehowa Winter Classic hockey tournament with a 5-4 decision over the Plainsmen on Saturday.

Nick Pugh and Jason Woll each had a pair of goals for Shenendehowa (10-6-1).

New Hartford's Stephan Harmon was named the tournament Most Valuable Player after making 12 saves. Named to the all-tournament team for Shenendehowa were Woll and Pugh.

MORE HOCKEY

Shaker-Colonie 5, Bethlehem 0: 

Joe Jeram, Justin Hawver, Tom Jevons, Jason Faas and Chris Pericak each had a goal for the Jets (12-4, 10-2) in the Capital District High School Hockey game. Chris Jarvis earned the victory after stopping 11 shots. Matt Guntner had 23 saves for the Eagles (5-8, 4-8).

The Times Union
Tuesday, January 16, 2001 

By ALAN HART, Staff writer

Racking two hat tricks

Shen's Barger, MacArthur score three each in victory

COLONIE -- Victor Barger and Peter MacArthur each had three-goal games and Shenendehowa High bombarded Shaker-Colonie 10-2 on Monday afternoon in a pivotal Capital District High School Hockey League game.

Shenendehowa, 4-0-1 in its last five games, took a firm grip on first place in the Suburban Division. Coach Bill MacArthur's Plainsmen are 8-0 in the league, 9-5-1 overall.

"We're playing well in the league and we're setting ourselves up for the sectionals next month,'' the elder MacArthur said. "That was the best offensive output all year by us.''

Shaker-Colonie (9-2, 11-3), in only its fourth year of existence and lately showing definite signs of growth as a program, took a step backward with their first conference loss since Dec. 20 when they were throttled 8-1 by Glens Falls.

"We're not making that next step up that I expect us to make,'' a disappointed Jets coach Rob Dils said. "We're right there. We're so close, but it's frustrating. We looked to focus on coming back in the second period, but we didn't do it. Shenendehowa's power play was awesome, and our penalties hurt us badly.''

Shen, which converted six of eight man-advantage chances, took a 1-0 lead 32 seconds into the game when MacArthur put a backhander past starting Shaker goalie Chris Jarvis.

After the Jets got a goal from Chris Pericak late in the first period to stay within hailing distance, the Plainsmen erupted for four unanswered goals in the middle period to put it away. Barger, who had never had a three-goal game before in his career, had two goals in the critical second period.

"We've been playing really well lately,'' said Barger, a sophomore defenseman. "I'm pretty surprised we were able to win by this much, because (Shaker-Colonie) beat both Saratoga and Bethlehem recently.''

Dils hopes his team can bounce back when it faces another stern test Friday -- at home against last year's state Division Two champion, La Salle Institute of Troy.

"We're going to have to rebound,'' Dils said. "We definitely are going to have to have three days of the best practice we've had all year to get ready.''

The Saratogian
Saturday, January 13, 2001


ED BURKE/The Saratogian
Shenendehowa's Matt Giannetti (5) looks for the puck after hitting Saratoga's hane Mongeon (14), as Saratoga's Aaron Swick, behind Giannetti, gets the puck during the first period.

Shen deals a shutout.

By Kenneth McGrath

CLIFTON PARK -- Mark round 1 for the Plainsmen.

Sophomore Peter MacArthur notched a goal and two assists as the Shenendehowa High School ice hockey team scored all three goals in the first period and overcame a 32-save performance from Saratoga Springs goaltender Devon Lent, to earn a 3-0 victory in the teams' first meeting of the season Friday at Clifton Park Arena.

Shenendehowa outshot the Blue Streaks, 36-21, to improve to a perfect 6-0 in the Capital District High School Hockey League and 7-5-1 overall.

The Plainsmen took advantage of many Saratoga mental mistakes in the defensive zone in the first period, outshooting the Blue Streaks 19-6.

Saratoga (5-3-1, 5-7-1) responded with two strong periods of hockey, but the damage was done.

Shenendehowa junior Erik Manke was perfect in net, with 19 saves to keep Saratoga off the scoreboard.

''We got two goals early and we stayed out of the (penalty) box in the first period, where I think we dominated,'' Shenendehowa coach Bill MacArthur said. ''After that, and this is our Achilles heel, we spent too much time in the box, but we did a good job killing penalties even if it took all the flow out of the game.

''Both goaltenders played very well. Erik made the basic saves and he wasn't called on to make the spectacular saves,'' MacArthur said. ''Devon was called on several times. He did a great job, but we played even-team hockey.''

Sophomore Peter MacArthur opened the scoring 5 minutes, 29 seconds into the period, when he corralled a loose puck in front of the net and sent a backhander over Lent's left shoulder for the score.

Junior Ryan Sawyer made it 2-0 after junior Andrew Barnett sent a centering pass from the right corner, which Sawyer one-timed past Lent for the goal. The score came less than a minute after Lent had put on a clinic during a Shenendehowa power play, making five saves while under relentless pressure in front of the net.

Sophomore defenseman Victor Barger scored off his own rebound with 14 seconds remaining in the period to make it 3-0. MacArthur started the play with a centering pass from behind the net, which Barger redirected off of Lent's mask before scoring on the rebound.

Saratoga managed just two shots on each of its power plays during the period, and it took a standout effort by Lent just to keep the Blue Streaks in the game.

''I don't think (Saratoga) thought we'd be as fast as we are,'' Peter MacArthur said. ''We really took it to them early, got them on their heels and got a three-goal cushion.''

Saratoga came out shooting in the second period, when it had a 10-7 advantage in shots on goal, and was aided by three power-play opportunities. But the Blue Streaks could not get on the scoreboard, as Plainsmen goaltender Manke finished the period with nine saves, including robbing junior Chad Cummings on an open shot during the Blue Streaks' second power play of the period.

Saratoga escaped danger when Lent robbed Barger with a nifty glove save of a slap shot taken from the left side just over center ice.

Saratoga controlled play for the opening six minutes of the third period, but manufactured only one shot on goal during that time.

The Blue Streaks finished 0-for-7 in power-play opportunities for the game.

Lent helped keep the Plainsmen 0-for-4 with a man advantage, including five saves in a minute and 30-second span on the Plainsmen's final power play midway through the third period. Lent finished with 10 saves in the period, where Shenendehowa held a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal.

''We tried to put ourselves in the position to win in the third period, but we just weren't able to accomplish that tonight,'' Saratoga coach Jeffrey Harrington said. ''Take away a few breakdowns in the first period and we played strong after that. We're waiting to see these guys again.''

The Times Union
Saturday, January 13, 2001

 Staff Report

Plainsmen shut out Saratoga

Peter MacArthur scored a goal and added two assists to lead Shenendehowa to a 3-0 win over Saratoga in a Capital District High School Hockey League game.

The Plainsmen are 7-5-1 overall and 6-0 in the league.

MacArthur scored Shenendehowa's first goal 5:29 into the first period and Ryan Sawyer and Victor Barger each tacked on a goal in the first period to complete the scoring.

Erik Manke had 21 saves in recording the shutout and Devon Lent had 33 saves for the Silver Streaks. 

MORE HOCKEY 

Glens Falls 6, Bethlehem 2: 

Ray Sipowicz and Tom Girard each scored a pair of goals to lead Glens Falls (5-1, 8-4).

Andrew Wendth and John Albert each scored for Bethlehem and goalie Greg Rittz tallied 32 saves.

Nick Vitouski and Jon Luhrman combined to stop 19 shots for the Indians. 

Shaker-Colonie 7, CBA 2: 

Seven players scored for Shaker-Colonie. Chris Pericak had a goal and two assists. Jason Gingras, Kyle Jojo and Tom Jevons each had a goal and an assist. Chris Jarvis and Tyler Brown combined for 25 saves in goal for Shaker-Colonie. Sean George and Ted Stanowsky combined for 22 saves for CBA.

The Post-Star
Thursday, January 11, 2001

Erin R. Coker Photo
Queensbury's Nick Parente, 16, battles in front of the Troy goal
with a Troy defenseman Wednesday night.

Queensbury skaters roll

GLENS FALLS -- Queensbury erupted for the first five goals in CDHSHL game against Troy, and rolled to a 9-3 win Wednesday night at the Glens Falls Recreation Center.

Eight different players scored goals for the Spartans.

D'arcy Wiart, Tim McCarthy and Jed Stewart scored in the first period for Queensbury.

In the second period, Adam Blackbird, Andy Carpenter and Brett Sheldon scored for the Spartans. Mike Rozell, Frank Keeley and Stuart scored in the third period.

Queensbury fired 29 shots on two Troy goalies. Queensbury's Pete Fitzgerald stopped 24 shots.

The Spartans are 7-4 this season.

Troy 0 2 1 -- 3

Queensbury (5-3) 3 3 3 -- 9

First Period: 1. Queensbury, D'arcy Wiart (Adam Ludeman, Tim LeRoy) 13:52; 2. Queensbury, Tim McCarthy (Jed Stuart) 11:44; 3. Queensbury, Stewart (Wiart, Ludeman) 2:45.

Second Period: 4. Queensbury, Adam Blackbird (McCarthy, Mike Rozell) 14:27, 5 Queensbury, Andy Carpenter (Brett Sheldon) 12:04. 6. Troy, Jared O'Neill (Kyle Coletti) 7:33; 7. Queensbury, Sheldon (Frank Keeley, Carpenter) 5;36. 8. Troy, Coletti (Eric Lord) 3:06,

Third Period: 9. Queensbury, Rozell (Sheldon), 14:40; 10. Queensbury, Keeley (Carpenter) 10:21, 11. Queensbury, Stuart (LeRoy, Ludeman) 8:56; 12. Troy, Eric Lord (Coletti) 1:03.

Goalies: Troy, Kevin Boomhauer 15 shots, 11 saves, Colin Shehan 14 shots, 9 saves; Queensbury Pete Fitzgerald 27 shots, 24 saves.



Bethlehem 5, South Glens Falls 1

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Chris Abbott and Dan Smith each scored three points to lead Bethlehem past South Glens Falls at the Vernon Arena in Saratoga Springs.

Bethlehem scored the final four goals of the game.

Abbott struck first with 12:36 left in the first period. But South High's Brian Brock tied it with 8:10 remaining in the first. Assists went to Anson Wood and Josh Cote. Bethlehem took the lead for good five minutes later on Smith's tally.

South Glens Falls outshot Bethlehem 45-31.

South High is 4-9 overall and 4-8 in the league. The Bulldogs play Saturday at Troy-Columbia.

Bethlehem 0 2 3 -- 5

South Glens Falls 0 1 0 -- 1

First Period: No scoring.

Second Period: 1. Bethlehem, Chris Abbott (Dan Smith) 12:36; 2. SGF, Brian Brock (Anson Wood, Josh Cote) 8:10; 3. Bethlehem, Smith (Andrew Windth, Abbott) 3:30.

Third Period: 4. Bethlehem, Joe Siniski (Greg Sieme, Tom Trimarchi) 13:09; 5. Bethlehem, Abbott (Windth, Smith) 10:30; 6. Bethlehem, John Albert (Abbott, Smith) 7:43.

Goalies: Bethlehem, Greg Pitz 10-14-20--44 saves; South Glens Falls, Tanner Cormie, 10-8-8--26 saves.

The Times Union
Thursday, January 11, 2001

By ALAN HART, Staff writer

Breakthrough for Shaker-Colonie

Jets impressive in first victory over Saratoga

Shaker/Col. 5 Saratoga 0 

WILTON -- For the past three years, Saratoga High's hockey team has grown accustomed to simply showing up for games with Shaker-Colonie in order to come away with an easy victory.

But on Wednesday night, the skate was on the other foot.

Shaker-Colonie, in only its fourth year of existence and in its first under new coach Rob Dils, got its first-ever victory over the Blue Streaks. The Jets did it in style, getting two goals each from Cody Daigle and Joe Jeram plus outstanding shutout goaltending from Chris Jarvis in a 5-0 triumph in a Capital District High School Hockey League game at Weibel Avenue Rink.

"It was a great win for our program,'' said Dils, an assistant coach last season. "We started to pick up our level of play in the second period.''

It was the second shutout of the season for Jarvis, who turned aside 25 shots as S-C improved to 8-1 in the league, 10-2 overall.

"The defense did a great job in front of me; they protected me a lot,'' Jarvis said. "They (Saratoga) came in here thinking they were going to run all over us, but our team shut them down.''

Daigle, a junior defenseman, scored the only goal of the first period when he fired in a rising slapshot from the blue line for a power-play goal with 4:02 left.

The blue and yellow-clad Jets struck for quick goals in the middle period, one each by Matt Colehour and Jeram, for a 3-0 bulge halfway through the contest. Saratoga (5-2-1, 5-6-1) seemed to lose interest after that.

It would be inaccurate to say that Saratoga coach Jeff Harrington, also a first-year head coach, was angry with the way his team played. Perplexed would be a more descriptive word.

"There's not much to say. Shaker's got a good team and they played well,'' said Harrington, who would speculate as to whether his players were caught looking ahead to their showdown Friday night with arch-rival Shenendehowa at Clifton Park Arena.

"I've really got to go home and think about this one,'' Harrington said. "One thing our guys have to learn is that every team we play in this league is so much better now than they used to be.''

SHAKER-COLONIE 5, SARATOGA 0 First period--1, Shaker-Colonie, Daigle (Reinhart), 10:58 (pp). Penalties--Thomas, S-C (hooking), 0:37; Jeram, S-C (interference), 5:07; Usas, Sara (interference), 9:07; Shapiro, Sara (tripping), 10:22. Second period--2, Shaker-Colonie, Colehour (Pericak), 2:04 (pp). 3, Shaker-Colonie, Jeram (Faas, Hawver), 7:15. 4, Shaker-Colonie, Daigle (Jeram), 10:35. Penalties--Benner, Sara (cross-checking), 0:58; Gentile, Sara (roughing), 4:24; Pericak, S-C (holding), 4:38; Smith, Sara (holding), 5:12; Gentile, Sara (roughing), 10:43; Jojo, S-C (roughing), 12:15. Third period--5, Shaker-Colonie, Jeram (Randall, Daigle), 2:22 (pp). Penalties--Usas, Sara (elbowing), 1:03; Oles, Sara (slashing), 10:03; Benner, Sara (roughing), 11:54; Jeram, S-C (roughing), 11:54; Usas, Sara (holding), 12:58/ Shots on goal--Shaker/Colonie, 10-12-8--30; Saratoga, 11-6-9--26. Power-play opportunities--Shaker/Colonie 3 of 8; Saratoga 0 of 4. Goalies--Shaker/Colonie, Jarvis. Saratoga, Lent.

The Troy-Record
Sunday, January 7, 2001
Shen settles for 5-5 tie

By Mike Dyer

CLIFTON PARK - Shenendehowa High hockey head coach Bill MacArthur doesn't want anyone to think the Plainsmen can't win without his son in the lineup.
But that's the way it looked Saturday.

With high-scoring Peter MacArthur forced to miss the third period of action, Shenendehowa blew a two-goal lead and had to rally to tie New York state powerhouse Plattsburgh High, 5-5, in a very physical, non-league contest at Clifton Park Arena.
"We're not a one-man team," Bill MacArthur said after the game. "But what Peter gives us is a threat. I'm just glad he's OK."
MacArthur's 16th goal of the season - a shorthanded breakaway dash late in the first period - and an early assist helped Shenendehowa take the 4-2 lead. But the Plainsmen sophomore was sent to the sidelines after he took a big hit in the final minute of the second period.
"He has deep contusions," his father said. "Peter was cross-checked and just couldn't go in the third period. I'm glad it's just a bruised arm."
Shenendehowa is 4-0 in the Capital District High School Hockey League and the young MacArthur will be needed this week as Shen has four games in the next eight days against area teams.
"I'm optimistic we'll be fine this year," the head coach said. "I'd like at least seven points in the next four games."
The younger MacArthur leads the Plainsmen in goals (16), assists (11) and points (27). He has scored at least one goal in nine of the team's 11 games.
Saturday, Shenendehowa (5-5-1) was forced to kill off 10 shorthanded situations against the powerful Hornets (8-3-1). The Plainsmen didn't get their third power-play chance until the final minute of regulation.
Behind 4-2 in the third period, Plattsburgh struck for three goals in a 96-second span to take a 5-4 lead. Trevor Waite scored four times for Plattsburgh (twice in the final period), then Ian Stanton beat Shen goaltender Erick Manke from a tough angle with only 6:36 remaining in regulation for the 5-4 lead.
The Plainsmen knotted the score at 5 on Lee Carrier's second goal of the game with only 1:50 remaining in the game.
Neither team scored in the five-minute sudden death period.
"We were a little ragged," the Shen coach said. "Maybe with Peter playing in the third period, we don't give up those goals. We just seemed to be lulled to sleep in the third period."
Defenseman Jason Woll had a first-period goal and two assists for the Plainsmen. Andrew Barnett had a goal for the Plainsmen and also bruised a few Hornets with some tough hits.
The Plainsmen host Burnt Hills this Wednesday and welcome rival Saratoga Springs Friday night. Shen travels to Christian Brothers Academy for a game Saturday and then visit Shaker-Colonie next Monday.

The Times Union
Sunday, January 7, 2001

The Post-Star
Saturday, December 30, 2000

Rob Barendse  -  The Post-Star
Greg Beecher of South High scores an unassisted
goal during the first period of Friday's South Glens
Falls Holiday Tournament at the Civic Center.

South High squanders shot at title

By KEVIN C. WILSON

wilson@poststar.com

GLENS FALLS -- After the first period of Friday's game, it looked as if South Glens Falls had a great chance at capturing the title in its inaugural ice hockey tournament.

After the second period, that chance had all but completely vanished.

Mount Graylock, Vt. reeled off five goals in the second to blow open a close game and the Mounties went on to earn a 9-3 victory against South High in the championship of the South Glens Falls Holiday Tournament at the Glens Falls Civic Center Friday.

Tournament MVP Greg Hansen scored two goals and dished out one assist and three other players recorded two goals each as Mount Graylock ran its winning streak to six games with its second consecutive dominating performance.

"We were very much in the game at the end of the first period, but we just had a really, really bad second period," South High coach Bill Carey said. "You can't blame it on any one person, it was just a collection of different things. Some guys didn't back check, we didn't play physical enough and we let in a couple of soft goals.

"Overall, this was probably the worst performance we've had as a team."

Queensbury had a much more impressive performance in the consolation game as Adam Blackbird and Tim McCarthy each collected two goals and an assist as the Spartans cruised to an 8-2 victory against Troy.

Less than 18 hours after pulling out a dramatic 5-4 overtime victory against Troy, it appeared as if South Glens Falls (4-6) was still riding that wave of momentum in the early going of Friday's game. After Ross Thurston put Mount Graylock ahead 1-0 less than three minutes into the game, South High captain Dan Hart evened it up with a wrister into the top left shelf.

Hansen put the Mounties in front again when he found the net two minutes later, but the Bulldogs immediately responded with a goal of their own as defenseman Greg Beecher finished off a tremendous end-to-end rush by knocking his own rebound past goalie Alex Cook. However, the game didn't remain tied for long as Thurston netted his second goal of the period less than two minutes later to give Mount Graylock a 3-2 lead entering the first intermission.

In the second, the Bulldogs didn't come out nearly as focused or aggressive as they did at the beginning of the game and the slick-passing Mounties took immediate advantage. Adam Rothschild scored two goals and Hansen added a goal and an assist as Mount Graylock turned a slim one-goal lead into a commanding 6-2 advantage in less than a five minute span.

"Last night we had a really good game and we were just riding off that in the beginning," said Hart, who scored the game-winner against Troy on Thursday. "In the second, we just broke down. We were all just kind of standing around and watching in the defensive zone."

Beecher cut the lead to three with a power-play goal less than a minute later and South High had another man-advantage moments after, but the Bulldogs couldn't capitalize and they never got any closer the rest of the way. Nick Lo Presto found the net in each of the final two periods and Herr added a goal in the second as the Mounties cruised to victory.

It was not a lack of effort that led to South High's demise, but rather a lack of sufficient marking. The Bulldogs did a solid job of picking up the man with the puck when they entered the offensive zone, but the Mounties pushed forward so quickly and got into such good position so often that the South High defenders couldn't account for them all.

"I knew from watching yesterday's game that Mount Graylock moves the puck very, very well, especially with their forwards. And basically, we just didn't cover them very well," Carey said. "They deserved to win, they played very well together. We played hard, but we didn't play together."

Mount Graylock coach Ron Hansen said that that togetherness has been the main reason his team is off to such a hot start.

"We have a very unselfish team this year, they always like to help the other guy out," Hansen said. "It's great when the kids are that much into helping each other out and just working for the team and not themselves. That's been the difference this year, the kids really want to win as a team."

Queensbury also used the team approach in its win on Friday. After Kyle Coletti gave Troy a 1-0 lead just 38 seconds into the game, the Spartans reeled off eight unanswered goals. Six Queensbury players scored at least one goal and eight tallied at least one assist as the Spartans improved to 6-3 on the season.

Hansen, who scored two goals against Queensbury in the first round and had four overall, was named the tournament MVP. Joining him on the all-tournament team was Troy forward Kyle Coletti, South High's Greg Beecher and Anson Wood, Queensbury defender Jed Stuart and Mount Graylock goalie Alex Cook.

Although the Bulldogs didn't come away with the ultimate prize in their first ever holiday tournament, Carey said it was definitely a learning experience for his young team.

"I think this is a very positive thing for us," said Carey, who has just two seniors on his roster. "It's unfortunate that we didn't end up winning it all, but at least we had the opportunity to do it."

And maybe next year, South High won't let that opportunity slip away.

Championship Game

Mount Graylock (6-1) 3 5 1 -- 9

South Glens Falls (4-6) 2 1 0 -- 3

First Period: 1. MG, Ross Thurston (Nick Lo Presto), 2:50. 2. SGF, Dan Hart (Anson Wood, Jeremy Delisle), 6:19. 3. MG, Greg Hansen (Tim Kasuba), 8:22. 4. SGF, Greg Beecher (unassisted), 10:09. 5. MG, Thurston (Henry Bailey), 11:55.

Second Period: 6. MG, Adam Rothschild (Hansen), 2:35. 7. MG, Rothschild (Aaron Herr), 5:06. 8. MG, Hansen (Herr), 7:17. 9. SGF, Beecher (Delisle), 8:11. 10. MG, Herr (Ben Murphy), 11:29. 11. MG, Lo Presto (Thurston), 14:10.

Third Period: 12. MG, Lo Presto (Kyle Jolin), 13:34.

Goalies: MG, Alex Cook 8-4-4-16, Cory Brenner 1-1; SGF, Tanner Cormie 10-15-25, Jeff Mabb 4-9-13.

Consolation Game

Troy (2-7) 1 0 1 -- 2

Queensbury (6-3) 4 3 1 -- 8

First Period: 1. Troy, Kyle Coletti (Schwarz), :38. 2. Qby, Adam Blackbird (Jed Stuart), 2:28. 3. Qby, Sam Gersten (Ryan Rueckert), 2:58. 4. Qby, Tim McCarthy (Stuart), 7:50. 5. Qby, Rueckert (Craig Meade), 11:20.

Second Period: 6. Qby, Kowan Drake (Nick Parente), 6:07. 7. Qby, McCarthy (Blackbird), 9:11. 8. Qby, Mike Porpora (Andy Carpenter), 11:08.

Third Period: 9. Qby, Blackbird (McCarthy, Brett Sheldon), 7:56. 10. Troy, Coletti (unassisted), 12:51.

Goalies: Troy, Don Feslazzio 7-7, Kevin Boomhower 12-12-24; Qby, Pete Fitzgerald 7-3-4-14.

The Times Union
Friday, December 29, 2000

HOCKEY

HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT

Pelham 3, Niskayuna/Schenectady 2: Dan Marrone scored in overtime to key Pelham in the championship game. Marrone and Tim Evans had the other goals. Gary LaBelle and Chris Wedle scored for Niskayuna/Schenectady, Kevin Nappi assisting on LaBelle's goal. Ryan Donovan had 18 saves for Niskayuna/Schenectady, Peter Juliano 21 for Pelham.

SARATOGA TOURNEY

Fulton 1, Oswego 0: Mark Digby scored for Fulton in the championship game.

Potsdam 5, Saratoga 0: Josh Taylor had a hat trick in the third period to lead Potsdam in the consolation game.

The Times Union
Thursday, December 28, 2000

It will be Fulton vs. Oswego for the Saratoga Hockey Tournament title today at 3:30 p.m. at Weibel Avenue Rink in Saratoga Springs.

Fulton edged Potsdam 2-1 on Matt Normandeau's goal at the 11:36 mark of the third period. Nate Molinari and Josh Beck had two goals each as Oswego blanked Saratoga Springs, 6-0.

Saratoga and Potsdam meet in the consolation game at 1 p.m.

MORE HOCKEY

NISKAYUNA/SCHENECTADY

HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT

Niskayuna/Schenectady 4, Mamaronek 2: Mark Giemza and Gary LaBelle scored late in the third period to lift the Mohawks (6-2-2) to the finals of their own tournament held at the Schenectady County Recreational Facility. LaBelle also scored earlier in the contest to give Niskayuna/Schenectady a 2-0 lead. Patrick Carney gave the Mohawks a 1-0 lead.

Niskayuna/Schenectady will meet Pelham, a 4-3 winner over Saranac Lake, in today's 3 p.m. finals. Mike Sheehy scored all four goals for Pelham.

Mamaronek will face Saranac Lake in the consolation game, scheduled to begin at noon.

The Post-Star
Saturday, December 23, 2000

Rob Barendse photo
Saratoga Springs High School hockey players scramble to clear a puck
from the front of their net during Friday's game against South Glens Falls.

The Times Union
Saturday, December 23, 2000

Mohan's hat trick leads Cadets

The Times Union
Wednesday, December 20, 2000

By ALAN HART, Staff writer

Streaks icers ready to put the heat on

Saratoga Springs-- Saratoga High's hockey team in struggle to defend Section II championship

Give Chad Cummings credit.

The junior forward, one of the two co-captains on this year's Saratoga High hockey team, knows what it's going to take for the Blue Streaks to get untracked and approach the standards set by Saratoga teams of the past seasons.

It's going to take good, old-fashioned gumption.

"We've got to work harder in practice,'' Cummings said outside the Weibel Avenue Rink one night last week after scoring his team's only two goals in a 3-2 Capital District High School Hockey league loss to Glens Falls.

"It felt good to get the goals tonight and get us on the scoring sheet, but we're going to have to improve.''

Saratoga, which played a scoreless tie in its first game with Niskayuna-Schenectady, faces the difficult task this season of trying to defend its Section II and regional Division I championship with a very young, inexperienced roster.

Gone are the high scorers like Mike Paine, Mike Santamoor and Tim Rehm. They graduated.

So did goalie Mark Paine. Heck, even coach Bob Santamoor is gone. He retired in order to spend more time with his new job.

Therefore, new coach Jeff Harrington will rely heavily on Cummings and the other few veterans he has to try to keep Saratoga high in the CDHSHL's Suburban Division standings.

"We've got a lot of inexperience on the team, but we're gaining some experience with every period -- every game,'' Harrington said. "Glens Falls is good;, really a strong team, so playing a close game with them is a good sign. We hope to be there at the end of the year.''

There are only eight seniors on Harrington's roster. One is Patrick Kauth, a forward and the other co-captain along with Cummings.

Forwards Brian Benner, Randy Capasso, Aaron Swick, Phil Rodrigue and Paul Fennessey and defensemen Travis West and Brandon Smith are the other seniors.

A strength of the Blue Streaks to this point has been junior goalie Devon Lent, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound junior. Replacing Mark Paine, now at Cortland State, is an unenviable assignment, because Paine was one of the best high school goalies in the state the past two seasons when Saratoga went to the state final at Utica twice. (Saratoga won the state crown in 1999 but was runnerup this year).

"Devon played great in the goal last week against Niskayuna, and he had another fine performance out there tonight,'' Harrington said of Lent, who 23 saves against Glens Falls, including some brilliant ones.

Lent could not be faulted on the one goal which turned out to be the turning point of the game. That was the one scored by defenseman Jason Herrington with just one second left in the first period to give the Indians a 2-0 lead. Lent had a cluster of players in front of him and was screened on the shot.

"I don't want to say it was a bad goal, but it hurt us for them to score just before the period ended,'' the Saratoga coach said. "It hurt us a lot, and Glens Falls did a good job of forechecking us. I think it was important we made it a one-goal game, though. It just proves we're not going to quit whether we're up by 20 or down by 20.''

Rounding out this season's Saratoga team are juniors Andrew Usas (defense) and Brendon Thorton (goalie). Sophomores on the team are Alex Glessing (goalie), Jeff Kirkland, Nick Russell, David Shapiro and Mike Laurent (defense) and Brandon Capasso, Mike Gentile, Shane Mongeon, Stephen Musci and Jamie White (forward). Two ninth-graders are forwards Josh Roberts and Luis Oles. The lone eighth-grader is defenseman Brendan Magner.

Harrington's Blue Streaks are back in action tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Weibel Avenue Rink against Burnt Hills. Another home game follows on Friday (6:30 p.m.) against South Glens Falls. Then comes the Saratoga Christmas Tournament at home on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 27-28. In the first round, Fulton plays Potsdam at 1 p.m. before Saratoga plays host to Oswego at 3:30. The consolation and final doubleheader follows the second day at the same times.

The Times Union
Saturday, December 16, 2000

By ALAN HART, Staff writer

Shen nips La Salle in OT

The Post-Star
Saturday, December 16, 2000

The Times Union
Saturday, December 9, 2000

Shaker/Colonie gets victory

Jeram scores two goals in non-league victory

Joe Jeram scored two goals and Tyler Brown stopped 16 shots as Shaker/Colonie blanked Mamaroneck 3-0 Saturday in a non-league high school hockey game at USA Rink.

Shaker/Colonie also got a goal and an assist from Ryan Ahl.

Jason Gingras, Jason Faas, Jason Dubrey and Cody Daigle also had assists for the winners.

LA SALLE TOURNAMENT

La Salle 8, IHC-Watertown 5:
Justin Burke had three goals and two assists, as the defending state Division II champion Cadets moved to 3-1. Andrew Kazanjian had two goals and Mike Van Barren, Mike Barbera and Shawn Green also scored for La Salle. Barbera was an all-tournament selection for the Cadets.

Clinton 5, Glens Falls 2:
Goals by Chris Fields and Marc Carpenter gave Glens Falls a 2-1 lead after two periods, but the Indians -- who lost last year's state final to La Salle -- gave up four goals in the third period. Tom Girard, who had four goals and an assist Friday night in Glens Falls' 7-4 win over IHC-Watertown, represented Glens Falls (3-2) on the all-tournament team.

NCCS 9, Mohonasen/Schalmont 4:B
Mike Stock and Ryan Clark each had one goal and one assist for Mohonasen/Schalmont (0-2-0), which lost to Section VII's Northeastern Clinton. 

The Troy Record
Sunday, December 10, 2000
LaSalle's Burke goes on the offensive.

By Mike Dyer

TROY - If La Salle Institute's hockey team is to defend its New York state championship, standout defenseman Justin Burke knows he'll have to take the body and play solid defense.
But Saturday, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior did his best to resemble a hard-hitting winger.

Burke scored his first career three-goal hat trick and added two assists as the Cadets flattened Immaculate Heart High, 8-5, in the consolation game of La Salle's 12th annual Ice Hockey Classic at Hudson Valley Community College.
"I'm getting a lot of confidence with my shot," Burke said after scoring his fourth goal in four games for the Cadets. "Of all my goals today, the one I went back-door with Pat (Kennally) was the best."
That goal came in the third period and completed the Cadets' scoring for the game.
Cadets head coach Tim Flanigan appreciated the work of his star defenseman.
"Now Justin is passing well and creating spaces," Flanigan said. "I was very satisfied with the work of the team."
La Salle (3-1) scored seven goals on its first 24 shots.
The Cadets opened up a 7-2 lead before Immaculate, a team from Watertown, notched a pair of power-play goals in the third period to make the final score respectable.
"I'm very satisfied," Flanigan added. "We rotated lines and got good games from our goalies Seth Robinson and Mike Culligan. The power-play (four of nine) looked very good."
La Salle players said they were disappointed they allowed Clinton a 4-1 win on Friday. That enabled Clinton to win the tournament after a 5-2 win Saturday over Glens Falls.
"We knew we didn't play our best game (Friday) and we wanted to do better today," Burke said.
Nine Cadets had at least one point in Saturday's game.
Besides Burke, other goal-scorers were Andrew Kazanjian (two goals); Mike Barbera; Mike VanBaaren; and Shawn Green.
Ironically, La Salle's most prolific goal-scorer, senior Brian Mohan, was held without a goal Saturday. Mohan had scored eight goals in the first three games but was held to a pair of assists Saturday.
In the championship game Clinton scored four goals in the third period to pull out the win. Clinton got two goals in an eight-second span.
La Salle will be after its fourth win of the young season when it skates in a league match Friday against Shenendehowa at Hudson Valley CC.

The Post-Star
Sunday, December 10, 2000

Spartans now 2-0 in ice hockey

The Times Union
Saturday, December 9, 2000

La Salle stumbles despite goalie's effort

La Salle lost to Clinton 4-1 in a high school hockey game Friday, despite Tys Bailey-Yavonditte's 40 saves for the Cadets (2-1).

La Salle's Brian Mohan scored on the power play, assisted by Eric Cassidy, for the Cadets' only goal.

Jack Bullard, Mike Lane, Jeremy Alden and Dan Owens scored for Clinton (4-1). Clinton's Jay Rishel stopped 28 shots. 

MORE HOCKEY Shenendehowa 6, South Glens Falls 1: The Plainsmen had three players with two goals and Erik Manke made 16 saves to earn the victory in goal.

Peter MacArthur, Scott Gilsca and Victor Barger each scored twice and Barger added an assist. All three netted a goal in the third period when Shenendehowa (2-0, 3-3) blew open a 3-1 game. Josh Cote scored South Glens Falls' only goal in the second period.

Tanner Cormie was stellar in net for the Bulldogs (1-2), turning away 41 of 47 shots. Shaker/Colonie 6, Burnt Hills 1: Derek Reinhart scored two goals and Joe Jeram, Chris Perick, Cody Daigle and Jason Faas one each to lead Shaker/Colonie (2-0). Brian Cocco scored for Burnt Hills (0-3). Chris Jarvis had 12 saves for Shaker/Colonie. 

The Post-Star
Saturday, December 9, 2000

Girard nets four goals for Indians

The Times Union
Thursday, December 7, 2000

By ALAN HART, Staff writer

Glens Falls gets jump on Saratoga

Herrington's score at end of 1st period key moment

Glens Falls 3 Saratoga 2

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Glens Falls High took a 2-0 lead after one period -- one goal coming on Jason Herrington's slap shot with a second left in the period -- and the Indians held off Saratoga 3-2 on Wednesday night in a Capital District High School Hockey League game at Weibel Avenue Rink.

Glens Falls (2-0-0 league, 2-1-0 overall) built its lead to 3-0 before Saratoga (0-1-1 league and overall) got a pair of goals from junior forward Chad Cummings to make it close.

Cummings' second goal came on a breakaway with just 3.2 seconds remaining.

"We squandered some chances, but it was a good win for us,'' Glens Falls coach Don Miller said. "We kind of went to sleep after the first period. They lost that gut feeling that they had when they came in the door and got a warm, fuzzy feeling instead. And I thought Saratoga cranked it up a little, too.''

It was Herrington who cranked up a long slap shot from the right side along the boards with the goal just before the first period ended, which ultimately was the game's turning point. Already up 1-0 on John Naylor's goal at 6:59, the Indians seemed almost content with that as time was running down.

But with the puck at his skates and the Glens Falls fans in the crowd urging him to shoot as the final seconds were ticking down, Herrington finally wound up and fired the puck through traffic and past a screened Saratoga goalie Devon Lent.

"He's not a real goal scorer,'' Miller said. "He seldom takes a shot.''

Saratoga, which played a scoreless tie in its only other game, fell behind 3-0 when Kevin Vogel scored at 7:32 of the second period, which was dominated by the Blue Streaks. Finally, Cummings got his team's first goal of the season at 8:33, steaming a wrist shot past goalie Sean Powers.

"That goal right at the end of the first period made it harder for us,'' Cummings said. "It was definitely a little bit deflating, but we talked in the locker room about how we had to forget about it and just go out and play hard.''

Cummings scored again with 3.2 seconds showing, tucking it past Powers on a breakaway.

First-year Saratoga coach Jeff Harrington said his team has a lot of inexperience but is gaining valuable experience every game.

"We were very flat in the first period and got badly outplayed,'' said Harrington, who lost many players from last season's Section II Division I championship team through graduation. "I think it was important we made it a one-goal game, though. It just proves we're not going to quit whether we're up by 20 or down by 20.''

GLENS FALLS 3, SARATOGA 2 First period--1, Glens Falls, Naylor (Brochu, Vogel), 6:59. 2, Glens Falls, Herrington (Carpenter, Girard), 14:59. Penalties--Usas, Saratoga (holding), 3:00; Lent, Saratoga (roughing), 9:41 (served by Capasso). Second period--3, Glens Falls, Vogel (Girard, Young), 7:32. 4, Saratoga, Cummings (Benner), 8:33. Penalties--Girard, Glens Falls (roughing), 3:43; Gentile, Saratoga (tripping), 10:24; Powers, Glens Falls (interference), 11:47; Gentile, Saratoga (interference), 14:24. Third period--5, Saratoga, Cummings (Oles), 14:56. Penalties--Fleury, Glens Falls (interference), 3:40; Usas, Saratoga (holding), 3:59; Sipowicz, Glens Falls (tripping), 6:49; Usas, Saratoga (roughing), 14:23; Sipowicz, Glens Falls (roughing), 14:23. Shots on goal--Glens Falls, 14-6-7--27; Saratoga, 3-10-7--20. Power-play opportunities--Glens Falls 0 of 4; Saratoga 0 of 4. Goalies--Glens Falls, S. Powers 3-9-6--18 (20 shots-18 saves). Saratoga, Lent 12-5-6--23 (26-23). 

HOCKEY Shenendehowa 8, Troy 2: Peter MacArthur had a hat trick, as well as three assists, in Shenendehowa's win over Troy. MacArthur scored two of his goals in the first period, and had one goal and two assists in the third to lead the Plainsmen (1-0, 2-3).

Andrew Barnett and Tony Marinello each scored two goals in the win, while teammate Lee Carrier chipped in with one goal and three assists.

Eric Manke and Chris Woll combined for 20 saves for Shenendehowa. Kevin Boomhower made 26 saves for Troy in the first two periods, while Don Feriazzo had 11 saves in the third. 8, TROY 2 Shen (1-0, 2-3) 3 2 3--8 Troy 2 0 0--2 Scoring: Shen--Peter MacArthur 3-3, Andrew Barnett 2-0, Tony Marinello 2-0, Lee Carrier 1-3, Dan Mathias 0-2, Jason Woll 0-1; Troy--Decker 1-0, Eric Lord 1-0, Smith 0-1, Kyle Coletti 0-1. Saves: Shen--Eric Manke 15, Chris Woll 5; Troy--Kevin Boomhower 26, Don Feriazzo 11.

The Saratogian
Thursday, December 7, 2000
Steaks score, but too late

By Warren Alber

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- In a season that is going to be full of baby steps, the Saratoga Springs High School ice hockey team broke its season-opening scoring drought.

Now the Blue Streaks will be looking for their first win.

John Naylor and Jason Herrington scored first-period goals, propelling Glens Falls past Saratoga Springs, 3-2, in a Capital District High School Hockey League battle of New York State Public High School Athletic Association runners-up.

''We're an inexperienced team and we are getting better every day,'' Saratoga coach Jeff Harrington said. ''We have to learn from our mistakes in the first period, but we grew period to period.''

Saratoga (0-1-1 league, overall), the 1999-2000 Division I runner-up, was dominated by the Indians in the first period, and looked to have dodged a bullet when Naylor's rebound goal through traffic was the only score. That was until Herrington scored from the right point with one second left, getting the 1999-2000 Division II state runner-up to the first break with a 2-0 lead.

Glens Falls, which posted its first win over Saratoga in 10 years, boosted the lead to 3-0 midway through the second period before Saratoga junior Chad Cummings scored off a face-off at 8:32 of the period, snapping Saratoga's 53:32 season-opening scoreless drought.

Cummings scored again with 3.2 seconds left in the game, long after the outcome was decided.

''It was good to finally be able to open it up and start scoring goals,'' Cummings said, ''but we know we have to work harder in practice.

''The intensity was down in the first period; we were not moving our feet,'' Cummings said. ''But in the locker room, we addressed that and were able pick it up. States helped us out there.''

Right now, that seems so long ago.

The Post-Star
Monday, December 4, 2000
Hockey preview: Queensbury fields program for first time

Times-Union
Sunday, December 3, 2000

La Salle victorious

Staff Report-

The Post-Star
Saturday, December 2, 2000

Cadets step up in class

Move to Division I doesn't worry LaSalle

By Alan Hart, Staff Writer

LaSalle Institute of Troy's state Division II champion ice hockey team has its challenges to contend with this winter.

Not only is LaSalle a defending state champion, but the Cadets also are moving up to Division I this season.

Coach Tim Flanigan, however, said Wednesday that he and his players, who beat league rival Glens Falls 4-3 on March 12 in Utica to win the state Division II crown, are unfazed by the changes.

As far as Flanigan is concerned, not that much is different from a year ago when the Cadets won the Independent League of the Capital District High School Hockey League with a 6-1 division record and 12-3 league mark.

LSI, 17-5-2 overall during the regular season, nearly won the CDHSHL race. Shenendehowa, the Suburban Council division champ, won the overall league championship with 19 points in a very close four-team race. The Plainsmen edged out both LaSalle and Saratoga by one-half point each and Glens Falls by one full point.

"The move to Division I doesn't mean that much at the start of the year, because our league is made up mostly of Division I teams so we have always played a lot of them,'' Flanigan said. "We're not worried about it, but it'll of course be harder at the end of the year because there will be a bunch of teams lined up to beat you if you don't play very well.''

LaSalle, which opens its season Friday at 6:15 p.m. against Plattsburgh in the first round of the Fulton Tournament, should be a quality team again this season.

"We look forward to another special year,'' Flanigan said. "Last year we had three lines that at the end of the season were all about even. That was one of the real strengths of our team, and that should be the case again this year.''

Gone is stellar goalie Matt Dominelli, who was 11-5 with a 1.64 goals against average last season. Andrew Carnevale, with 12 goals and 26 points, also graduated. But the Cadets still have a great nucleus of players from last season's title team. Brian Fage, who with 38 points was tied for sixth place in scoring in the CDHSHL last season along with Shenendehowa's Lee Carrier, returns as a senior captain. Mike Barbera and Justin Burke, assistant captains, also return.

So does goalie Tys Bailey-Yavonditte, a junior who was a solid backup last season and had some memorable games in the postseason.

"Tys will be the number one guy in the goal this year,'' Flanigan said. "He'll get the bulk of the work. Two others -- Seth Robinson Mike Culligan -- are fighting for the backup position. They've all done well in the preseason.''

Glens Falls and South Glens Falls, the only other of the six Independent League teams to post winning records last season, figure to give LSI the most trouble this time.

Glens Falls (6-1-0 division, 11-3-1 league last season) is again a strong team. But coach Don Miller is going to miss goaltender Matt O'Connor, a stouthearted member of the Indians' stingy defense of a year ago.

Brian Herlihy, No. 8 scorer in the league last season with 37 points, returns with fellow juniors Tom Girard (29 points) and Ben Tefft (31). Marc Carpenter (26), a senior, also is back.

South High (5-4-0 division, 11-7-1 league) must adjust to the loss of its two top scorers -- Jim Greene (33 points) and Joe Brewer (23).

Christian Brothers Academy, Troy-Columbia and Mohonasen-Schalmont hope to fare better this time around. CBA (2-4-0, 5-10-1) must deal with the loss of goalie Jason Vasco, now stopping pucks at Hudson Valley Community College. Troy-Columbia (2-5-0, 3-14-1) can expect improvement knowing that Eric Lord (33 points) and Kyle Coletti (32) are back this winter as senior forwards.

Mohonasen-Schalmont (0-6-0, 1-14-0) had only three players graduate from its young squad of 19 members of last season.

A newcomer to the league this year is Queensbury, which will play home games at the Fire Road Rink -- the same ice Glens Falls calls home. Coach Dean Williams has senior Jed Stuart, a defenseman, as captain. Alternates are senior forwards Tim McCarthy and Adam Blackbird. 

Times-Union
Thursday, November 30, 2000

Depth concerns Shen

Hockey champs talented, but without key players

By Alan Hart, Staff Writer

Going into this season, Shenendehowa High hockey coach Bill MacArthur expected to have a strong team.

And why not? Shen had a large number of experienced, talented players eligible to return from last year's team which won the Suburban Council and overall titles of the Capital District High School Hockey League.

Don't misunderstand ... MacArthur still expects to put a tough team on the ice. But it's a fact that some of those players he had counted on coming back will not be part of the teams plans, after all.

Nick Pugh, a rugged forward, had total knee reconstruction in June and will be out for a good chunk of the season. Jose Pasada, another talented forward, has transferred to Albany Academy. Brian McDonald, who shared goaltender duties with Erik Manke last season, is playing junior hockey.

"We'll be OK,'' MacArthur said Wednesday. "We should be a good team, but we won't have the depth that we expected to have. The upside of all this is that some of my kids with less experience have gotten a lot of work.''

Before anyone begins shedding tears for Shen, know that Lee Carrier -- who tied Brian Fage of LaSalle Institute for honors as the sixth-highest scorer in the CDHSHL last season with 38 points -- returns as co-captain.

The other captain is Jason Woll, one of the best defensemen in the league.

Then there's Peter MacArthur, son of the Shen coach and one of Section II's top players last year as a freshman. He scored 24 points, including a game-winning goal in a triumph over arch-rival Saratoga.

"Our Suburban Council race will not be easy,'' Bill MacArthur said. "I think Niskayuna-Schenectady will be one of the toughest teams in the Council, and I expect Shaker-Colonie will be very good.''

The unknown factor in the Suburban division this winter is Saratoga, which in recent years has been a powerhouse but may find it much more difficult this time.

Saratoga (4-1-1 division, 10-2-2 league, 19 points last season) in March very nearly defended the state Division I title it captured in 1999, going all the way to the state final only to fall to Ithaca, 4-0.

The Blue Streaks enjoyed a tremendous season. They lost the CDHSHL regular-season Suburban and overall titles by only half a point to Shenendehowa but then gained a large measure of revenge by beating Shen in the Section II Division I final at BIG Arena in Delmar, 2-1.

However, Saratoga returns with a much different look this season. For one thing, coach Bob Santamoor has stepped down. New coach Jeff Harrington will have few veterans returning from last year's talented squad. The Paine twins, Mark (goalie) and Mike (forward, two-time league scoring champion) graduated in June along with other top scorers Tim Rehm and Mike Santamoor.

Forwards Chad Coppernoll, a senior, and Chad Cummings, a junior, are two of the veterans who are returning.

Bethlehem (3-4-0 division, 9-8-0 league) and Shaker-Colonie (4-4-0, 9-8-1) also had winning records last season.

Dan Cocozza, the league's No. 3 scorer with 41 points, has graduated. But coach John Battaglino's Eagles have junior Chris Abbott (32 points) and senior Dan Smith (30 points) returning.

Niskayuna-Schenectady (3-4-0, 7-8-1) and Burnt Hills (1-7-0, 4-14-0) hope to improve.

Kevin Nappi (24 points) returns as a senior forward for Nisky. For Burnt Hills, two 30-point scorers -- junior Brian Cocco and senior Jesse Brozyna -- are returning.

The Saratogian
Thursday, December 30, 2000

RICK GARGIULO photo  The Saratogian
Saratoga Springs' Luis Oles finds open ice during the second period Wednesday in the Blue Streaks' 0-0 tie with Niskayuna-Schenectady. 

Streaks start with 0-0 tie

ERIC DeGRECHIE, The Saratogian

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Wednesday night's high school ice hockey game between Saratoga Springs and Niskayuna-Schenectady started out with a 0-0 score. Three periods and a five-minute sudden death overtime later, the score was exactly the same.

In a contest that Niskayuna-Schenectady coach Todd Templeton called, ''the best high school hockey game I have seen in years,'' the Blue Streaks and Mohawks battled to a deadlock.

The game featured spectacular goaltending and defensive excellence.

Saratoga Springs (0-0-1) got a captivating performance from junior goalkeeper Devon Lent, who stopped 38 shots. Lent leaped out from the shadow of former Blue Streaks sensation, and current SUNY Cortland freshman Mark Paine.

''I thought I would be more nervous then I was,'' Lent said. ''but I mellowed down as the game went on.''

Mohawks goalkeeper Ryan Donovan put on a show-stopping performance of his own with 24 saves and a thwarting of Blue Streaks' scoring chances.

Both teams put together some nice scoring sequences in the first period to no avail. Junior Blue Streaks defender Andrew Usas was all over the ice and prevented numerous Mohawk shots from happening.

Saratoga Springs coach Jeff Harrington, who replaced Bob Santamoor in October, was happy with the way his team played in its first game of the season.

''It was a well hard-fought game by both teams,'' Harrington said. ''Lent was outstanding. He kept us in the game. We were breaking down in parts and he was able to stop the puck.''

In the second period, Niskayuna-Schenectady failed to take advantage of several Blue Streaks penalties, and was 0-for-4 on power plays. Derek Howells and Chris Welde took numerous whacks at Lent, but he kept on putting a glove or stick on the puck.

With less then five minutes left in regulation, Mohawk Kevin Nappi fired a shot at the end of a power play that Lent just got a stick on. With 1:30 left in regulation, Luis Oles got ahead of the pack for the Blue Streaks and just missed on a one-on-one with Donovan.

''That's a great hockey team who went very far last year, and we held them scoreless,'' Templeton said.

In overtime, the Blue Streaks' Brandon Capasso came around the net and slapped a wrap- around that barely missed with 3:20 left. Mohawk Gary LaBelle missed a rocket, and then fell short on the rebound which brought Lent out of the crease, and slid right with 10 seconds remaining.

Saratoga Springs hosts Glens Falls Wednesday. Niskayuna-Schenectady hosts CBA on Saturday.

1999-2000 CDHSHL NEWS