- Randy DiNatale, Sweet Home, receives a Buffalo Sabres Alumni Association Scholarship from Alumni President Rob Ray. (Photo by Janet Schultz)
The Buffalo Seniors and Buffalo Junior/Prep took home the Bowman Cup and Rochester Juniors took home a championship following the 2013 Bowman Cup.
Each year the top ice hockey players from high schools, prep schools and the junior teams in Buffalo and Rochester are chosen to play in a showcase tournament that draws college and junior hockey scouts.
The Buffalo Seniors took the Rochester Seniors 9-0 for the second time in two years.
Buffalo’s Manny Mannis, Lancaster, had a hat trick in the game. Eric Paradowski, St. Joe’s scored the first goal, shorthanded. Other players dumping the puck in the net were Bob Piotrowicz with two goals, Frontier High High School; Ausitn Bianchi, Williamsville East; Dimitrios Gogos, St. Joes and Tyler McTigue, St. Francis.
Getting assists were Randy Dinatale, Sweethome, 3; Bianchi had two assists, McTigue had two assists and Lockport High School’s Rick Eberhardt had two assists. Brian Ruff, son of former Buffalo Sabres Head Coach Lindy Ruff, also had two assists and Ty Gallagher, Grand Island, and Tom Ryan, Kenmore West, each had a single assist.
In goal for the Buffalo team were Nick George, St. Joe’s; Connor Naughton, Canisius High and Chris Reinhardt, Cheektowaga.
In the first game of the day, the Buffalo Juniors vs the Rochester Juniors, it was Rochester winning 4-1.
Rochester’s Brandon Henshaw, Brockport, put the puck past Buffalo Goaltender Adam Dentico, Williamsville East. The initial shot was saved by Dentico but Henshaw took his own rebound and scored just as he fell to the ground in front of the net. Anthony DePetres, Aquinas High School, and Connor Hoyng, Churchville-Chili, got the assists.
Rochester scored twice in the second period with Andrew Scuncio, Pittsford, scoring on a rebound and then DePetres scored his first goal of the evening.
Buffalo’s only goal was scored by Joe Piegay, Bishop Timon, with a little over one minute left in the game. DePetres then dumped in his second of the game to get the win. Ryan Romeo, Fairport, got the assist.
At the Junior/Prep School game it was Buffalo over Rochester 3-2 to win the Rick Martin Memorial Cup.
The teams scored four goals in the final six minutes of the game.
Buffalo took control in the first half when Cory Swift, Loomis Chaffee, opened the scoring at 6:26 of the first. Eric Benshadle, Buffalo Jr. Sabres 16U, and Ben Sharf, Loomis Chaffee, picked up the assists.
Rochester Goaltender Jake Bymiaski, Maksymum, kept the score to one by making a big save on Buffalo’s Mike Coyne of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres 18U team. Bymiaski snared the puck with his glove as Coyne came across the crease.
Rochester’s Jordan Severo, Belle Tire 16U, came into the net in the second half and stopped Swift from putting in a second goal.
With under six minutes left in the game, Rochester’s Joe Drabin, Buffalo Jr. Sabres 18U, tied the score at 1-1. With two minute left, Buffalo’s Eric Benshadle, Buffalo Jr.Sabres 16U team, scored putting Buffalo in the lead.
Nichol’s Nick Smith added an empty net goal which proved to be the game-winner. Rochester answered back with just 8.5 seconds left when Bryan Carville, Maksyum scored, but no time was left for them to advance further.
Buffalo took the Rick Martin Memorial Cup home.
Buffalo Goaltenders Blaine Brock, Buffalo Jr. Sabres 18U, Bobby Bloomfield, Buffalo Jr. Sabres and Anthony Tirabassi, Nichols, were in net.
Buffalo’s Randy DiNatale of Sweethome High School and Rochester’s Justin Alves, Churchville-Chili, received scholarships from the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Association. The scholarships were presented by Alumni President Rob Ray.
Dropping the puck for the tournament named in his honor, was former Buffalo Sabres Head Coach and winningest coach in the NHL, Scotty Bowman.
