By Janet Schultz, NYHOL; Photos by Janet©
The final week of the WNYGVIH Federation came down to an exciting one, as usual. Each game meant something to one of the teams in the way the standings would shake out. So here’s how it ends and where we go this week.
NICO finished in first in both Sectional/League play with a 13 win-1 loss-0 tie-0 OTW-2 OTL record and 41 points. They will get a bye Tuesday night.
KenGiPort ends in 2nd place with a 12-2-0-1-0 record and 38 points to face off against #7/9 Williamsville (3-13=9 pts) at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at Buffalo State College.
Seed #3 goes to HHEWS (10-4-1-0-1=32.5 pts) and they faceoff at 6 p.m. against #6/8 CASH (3-11-2-0-0=12 pts.)
Finally at #4 FFLOP (8-5-0-3-0=30 pts) takes on #5/6 LIDA (6-9-1-0-0=19.5 pts.) at 8 p.m.
St. Mary’s of Lancaster finished fifth in League play and Monsignor Martin finished seventh. They are not counted in the Sectional play and will only have to play their Private School Championship Game on Monday, February 12 at 6 p.m. at Buffalo State College’s Arena. St. Mary’s finished 6-8-2 and 21 points and MonMar finished with a 4-11-0-0-1 and 13 points.
Section VI Semifinals will be held Thursday, February 8 at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. with NICO facing off against the 4th seed and the 2nd and 3rd seeds following. The winners of these match-ups go on to the Section VI Championship on Monday, February 12, also at Buffalo State College.
One addition this year is that Webster will faceoff against the Section VI Champion for the NYSPHSAA State Tournament. That play-off will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, February 14 at Buffalo State College.
The State Tournament will be held at the Nexus Center in Utica February 16 and 17.
This final week started with NICO celebrating their Senior Night with a game against FFLOP at Dwyer Arena. It was a 4-3 overtime win for FFLOP. FFLOP opened the scoring in the first with a goal by Griffin, she would then add two more that night giving her not only a hattrick but she had the game-winner in over-time. FFLOP was ahead at the end of the second with a 2-1 score when Zimmerman tied it for NICO. Latini added another but FFLOP’s P. Forcucci answered back and we go into overtime. McCarthy stopped 17 of 20 for the W and Ruest stopped 22/26 for NICO. FFLOP is 3-3 in overtime wins.
St. Mary’s visited CASH and they put history in the record books by playing to a Double shutout tie in overtime. Zero Zero was the score, the first one for this League. Celej stopped 28 of 28 shots and Accurso stopped 21 of 21.
KenGiPort headed to HHEWS and comes away with a 4-2 victory. Scoring for KenGiPort was Jayme, Burt, Alberalla (GWG) and Bourgeault. Horne stopped 13/15 for the win. Jayme and Bourgeault moved up the ladder in the All Time Scoring Records with Jayme at 12th with 104 points and Bourgeault at 13th with104 pts after this game. For HHEWS it was Reiford and Phillips scoring with Bucznski stopping 11/15 and Rakoski stopping 5/5. This game moved Kengiport to second place overall.
LIDA beat Monsignor Martin 3-1 with scoring from Lysiak with two and Muff with the Game-winner. Monsignor Martin’s Murphy put in the lone goal for MonMar. Schimenti stopped 17 of 18 for LIDA and Kelley stopped 28 of 31 for MonMar.
KenGiPort looking to secure second took a 1-0 victory over NICO on Tuesday. It looked like the League may have been heading for their second double overtime tie but Bella Jayme dropped in the game winner in overtime and it was 1-0 for KenGiPort. Horne made 17 saves for the shutout win and Ruest stopped 20/21.
Even with the overtime win for KGI, NICO secured their Sectional Championship.
At Holiday Twin it was Williamsville taking a 4-2 win over LIDA. Lombardo scored on the powerplay for Williamsville opening scoring for the team and was followed by Besancon, Wolf (GWG) and Canna. Lookman stopped 40/42 for the W. LIDA’s Miller and Cafferty scored with Schimenti stopping 20/24.
Webster paid a visit to FFLOP over at Brighton Arena and it was FFLOP coming out on top in this non-league game. FFLOP’s scorers including Patton, 2 goals including the game-winner; Sojda, 2 goals including an empty-netter; P. Forcucci. Fix was in for 10 minutes topping none of the three shots; Keaton went in for 35 minutes and stopped 13/13 for the W. For Webster it was Blakley, Nappi and Cullen with Strelick topping 21/15.
Williamsville comes away with their second win of the week, this one 4-3 over Monsignor Martin. Williamsville’s Besancon had two goals including the game-winner and Wolf had two goals for the win. Lookman stopped 24/27. Reese Honadle scored all three of MonMar’s goals giving her a hattrick. Kelley stopped 16/20.
CASH celebrated their Senior Night on Wednesday but it ended with a 3-0 win for visiting KenGiPort. Jayme scored two goals in the first period, Bourgeault with one in the first and KenGiPort takes a 3-0 lead that lasts until the third period when Jayme puts in another for a hattrick and the shutout win. Horne made 15 saves for her SO Win. Celej stopped 21/15 for CASH.
Later that evening St. Mary’s celebrated their Senior Night but once again the home team losses. This time FFLOP took a 4-1 victory with Patton, Sojda and Griffin scoring. Sojda had the game-winner and Griffin had two power-play goals. McCarthy stopped 18/19 for the W. Gall scored on her Senior Celebration Night for St. Mary’s and Hall stopped 32/36.
NICO was at HHEWS and game away with a 6-0 shutout win. Ruest made 17 saves for the SO W and the scoring came from Lawrence, Zimmerman and Mansfield for NICO. Mansfield with a hattrick. For HHEWS it was Buczynski stopping 8/12 with her 20:43 minutes in goal and Rakoski stopping 9/11 with 24:17 minutes between the pipes.
The last night of regular season play, Thursday, Feb. 1, and it was Senior Night at Williamsville with a game against CASH. Both teams calling Northtowns their home ice so it was Home for Williamsville. Another game heading to 0-0 but in the third period Adimey scores for CASH followed by Wild and they are up 2-0 but Williamsville’s Canna drops one in and it ends 2-1 CASH> Celej stopping 15 of 16 and Lookman stopping 27/29.
FFLOP took the ice ten minutes later at North Buffalo against MonMar and the League’s regular season is finally in the books when MonMar takes a 3-1 victory. FFLOP scores first with Griffin on the powerplay and the score remains 1-0 FFLOP until the third when Franke gets a hattrick, two unassisted and the other assisted by Franke and Cherry. Kelley stops 18/19 for the W and Fix stops 17/20.
We congratulate this week’s Seniors from NICO: Faith O’Connor, Marina Mansfield, Madison Mallone, Frankie Williamson and Julia Hoffman.
CASH: Sara Ablove
St. Marys: Reese Gall
Williamsville: Shannon Pogorzala
LIDA didn’t get their Senior Recognition Night in so we congratulate Amelia Homac and Carly Irzycki.
Also congratulations to Webster’s Seniors who just had the opportunity to play one season of Varsity Ice Hockey: Madison Strelick, their goalie from Thomas; Olivia Lucania, defense from Schroeder and Megan Springer, forward and defensive player from Thomas.
On to the Playoffs!
