By Janet Schultz
October 1, 2018
The hockey season is underway.
The RIT Tigers were the first to begin their season with a 3-3 tie in an exhibition game against Ryerson University and then opened at home with a 2-0 win over Holy Cross College. Goaltender Terra Lanteigne stopped 25 goals with teammates Kendall Cornine and Madison Itagaki putting the puck in the net in the first period. In game two of the Holy Cross series, RIT tied 1-1 with Ellie Larson scoring a power-play goal in the first to tie the game. Buffalo’s Jada Brenon made her collegiate debut for Holy Cross and stopped 29 of 30 shots of goal.
RIT is now on the road for a doubleheader in St. Cloud, Minn. before returning home for the Brick City Homecoming against Union on October 19 at 5 p.m. and October 20 at noon at the Gene Polisseni Center.
This is Head Coach Chad Davis’ first year behind the bench with lots of veteran players that will make this an exciting year for RIT.
The University of Buffalo Lady Bulls (D2 ACHA), with Mark Lauber behind the bench, opened their season with 6-0 and 3-2 wins over the University of Pittsburgh. After the first weekend Buffalo’s Alexis Peters was #1 in points in the league with 4 assists in two games; Kimberly Corrie was #2 with 2 goals/2 assists in two games. In third was MacKenna Walp.
They will face the US Naval Academy on Saturday, October 6 at 5:30 p.m. Oswego Sunday, October 7 at 2 p.m. at Northtowns. This is the Lakers first season as a ACHA competitor.
The Buffalo State Bengals open their season Friday, October 26 at 4 p.m. against Canton and then take on the Roos again on Saturday, October 27 at 2 p.m. With the departure of Coach Jenn Wilson, Jim Fowler has been named as interim for this season. This season’s roster has not been published.
Moving to the East, Manhattan College opens their season November 2 and 3 at Stevenson.
Union, under third year Coach Josh Sciba, won an exhibition game at Carleton and then lost two games to Merrimack. Their home opener is October 5 and 6 against Lindenwood. On the roster are New York natives Rachel dePerro of East Amherst/Niagara Junior Purple Eagles, a junior Forward and Alli First, Niskayana/Northfield Mt. Hermon, a sophomore Forward.
Over at RPI the Engineers lost two to Mankato, Minn. after a 3-0 victory over Carleton. They open at home on October 6 against Holy Cross at 3 p.m. and then go on the road to Robert Morris the following weekend. Blake Orosz, Chase Mills; Ana Orzechowski, Tonawanda and Jenn Gregg, Altamont are New York ladies to watch.
“Way Up North” Clarkson has been ranked #1 in the first Preseason USA Today/USA Hockey Women’s College Poll. They opened at Bemidji with 5-1 and 5-3 victories and will host Robert Morris October 5 and 6. October 6 is Youth Hockey Day at Cheel Arena. Game times are 6 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively. Oswego’s T.T. Cianfarano takes the iced with the Golden Knights this season as a graduate student. She comes from Quinnipiac University.
The St. Lawrence Saints are 2-1 after a win in exhibition over the University of Ottawa and a split series with Robert Morris. Their home opener is this weekend (October 5 and 6) against the University of New Hampshire. Freshman Goaltender Grace Smith, Ithaca, is coming in from Northfield Mt. Hermon and last year’s backup goaltender, Allison Compeau of Potsdam is a senior this season. Kali Grant, also from Potsdam, returns as a junior/Forward.
Canton’s season opens October 19 at home against the Utica College Pioneers at 4 p.m. They play at Plattsburgh October 20 and then host Buffalo State College on October 26 and 27.
Central news…
There’s double the hockey news from Oswego as the Lakers club team has joined the ACHA this season.
On the varsity side the Lakers open with a home exhibition game against the London Jr. Devilettes and then head out on the road for the month of October. Two NY ladies join the team with Potsdam Jordon Emerson coming from the Neapan Wildcats on Defense and Leah Czerwinski coming from Williamsville as a Forward. Cazerwinski was a member of the Williamsville Varsity High School team in the WNYGVIH League and also the Buffalo Bisons. Czerwinski was named All WNY First Team in 2017 and All WNY Second Team in 2016.
Also from New York is Natalie Giglio of Ogdensburg a sophomore who plays both forward and defene and Mikaela DiTonto of Orchard Park, a junior goaltender. DiTonto also played in the WNYGVIH League with Orchard Park High School.
Cortland opens Octobr 26 and 27 against Neumann and Elmira opens at home against Norwich on October 27.
Syracuse has named Julie Kerr as an assistant coach. She graduated in 2015 and has coached at various levels since that time. The Orange lost an exhibition game, 6-3, against the University of Montreal. They open at Boston College October 6 and then host Mercyhurst October 12 at 7 p.m. and October 13 at 3 p.m.
In a preview Coach Paul Flanagan discussed the Orange’s Goaltending situtation with just two goaltenders on this year’s roster – senior Maddi Welch and junior Ady Cohen. Both look to replace recent Syracuse graduate and former goaltender Abbey Miller, whose career 2.02 goals against average ranks best in program history. Her .913 save percentage is second-best in the Syracuse record book.
Welch, originally from East Amherst, N.Y., has played nine game in her career. She has 167 career saves (.893 save percentage) and two shutouts to her name.
Cohen, meanwhile, has played just four games in her two years at Syracuse. Originally from Boynton Beach, Fla., she owns an .886 career save percentage.
While neither Welch nor Cohen have much ice time, Flanagan doesn’t believe inexperience prevents either one of them from emerging as a reliable force in goal.
“Abbey went into her junior year in the same exact scenario that Maddi and Ady are in,” Flanagan said. “She had played sparingly, but she went out and took the job.”
“She’s proof that hard work and perseverance can really pay off. Abbey showed it’s what you do, both on and off the ice. You get what you earn, and I’d like to think Maddi and Ady have learned from Abbey’s experiences here. One – or both – of them can emerge as real, bona fide goalies because we’re going to need it.”
In addition to Welch, the Orange have New Yorker Marielle McHale, Clifton Park, joining the team as a freshman/Forward. She played at Williston Northhampton School with 42 goals/35 assists in four years, taking the NEPSCA championship last season.
Ryann Stripp of Holland Patent returns as the sophomore Goaltender. She played for the Clinton Warriors.
The Pioneers open at Canton on October 19 and then play the balance of October on the road.
Colgate has the pleasure of hosting the Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays in an exhibition game in their arena and played to a 4-4 OT tie. Following a doublehead home opener vs Penn State and splitting the series, 3-1W/2-4L, the team heads out for the entire month of October.
Olivia Zafuto of Niagara Falls is in her senior year on Defense and teammate Caroline Ross of Rochester is a junior Defender.
The Cornell Big Red have been ranked sixth in the National USA Today/USA Hockey preseason poll and third in the ECAC. They open October 13 in an exhibition game against the Toronto Junior Aeros and then will play an exhibition game against the National Women’s Hockey League Buffalo Beauts on October 14 at home. Their traditional Red/White game will be October 20 at 7 p.m. with their official season opener against Syracuse at home on October 23 at 7 p.m.
New to this season’s roster is Orchard Park native Taylor Pietrowski. Pietrowski played for Nichols High School where she served as captain last season. Returning are Jamestown’s Pippy Grace and Penfield’s Lindsay Browning.
At William Smith the Herons take to the ice against Salve Regina October 26 and 27 and then open at home against Stevenson on November 9.
No news from Hamilton College.
NWHL
The Beauts held their Black and Blue Scrimmage after a week of training camp. The roster is full of women who have New York as their home.
The Beauts beat the Connecticut Whale 7-2 in an exhibition game at Colgate University. Taylor Accursi and Corinne Buie had power-play goals; Julianna iafallo and Emily Janiga shot in short-handed goals while Dani Cameranesi, Jacquie Greco and Hayley Scummura got goals at even strength.
Randy Velischek was named Head Coach for the Metropolitan Riveters. Velischek played for the New Jersey Devils, Minnesota North Stars and Quebec Nordique in the NHL. He replaces Chad Wiseman.
The Beauts open their regular season at Terry Connors Arena against the Connecticut Whale on October 7 and then host the Whale on October 13 in their home opener at HarborCenter.
WNYGVIH
The question is out there, when does the WNY Girls Varsity Ice Hockey League open? Well the answer is Monday, November 19 when the newly formed Niagara County Girls team hosts Williamsville at Hockey Outlet at 5:30 p.m.
The Niagara County Girls team is comprised of players from Starpoint Central, Niagara-Wheatfield Central and North Tonawanda High Schools. They will be coached by Greg Grosskopf.
The WNYGVIH, now in its ninth season, now involves 18 public schools plus catholic schools that make up the Monsignor Martin team.
Frontier/Lakeshore/Orchard Park will be defending their 2018 championships, including the Section VI, the WNYGVIH League and WNY’s first New York State.
Once the schedule is finalized it will be posted at www.wnygirlshockey.com and on www.nyhockeyonline.com
