Squirt Minor 'AAA' Knights defeats Hawks, Regals

The Amherst Knights Squirt Minor "AAA" hockey team gained its second victory in a row by defeating the Hamburg Hawks, 6-1, on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at the Amherst Pepsi Center.

The Knights struck early when Bradley Truel put one past a surprised Hawks goalie to give his team a 1-0 lead.

Just a minute later, Dylan Lock blasted one in to increase the advantage to 2-0. The Knights were on fire and continued to pepper the Hawks goaltender throughout the first period. On a 3 on 2 rush, the Dante Todaro-Alex Dimitroff-Matthew Steffan line pushed to the front of the Hawks' net. Steffan made a slick pass to the low slot that Todaro swiped at and ultimately bounced over the crossbar. This line continued to apply incessant pressure. Dimitroff and Todaro crashed the net and were on their backs when Steffan picked up a loose puck and let go a back-handed shot that the Hawks goaltender somehow managed to keep out of the net.

The second period was much the same as Owen Green lit the light early to give his team a commanding 3-0 lead. Shortly after Green's goal, Hamburg managed to catch the Knights pressing and took advantage with a nice breakaway goal. However, the Knights did not let up as Green used a quick wrist shot to silence the Hawks' bench and score his second goal of the game.

The Knights were not finished. In an odd occurrence and for an unexplainable reason, the Hawks pulled their goaltender and put a skater in his place. Mitchell Spring took full advantage of the situation when he picked up a loose pick on his back hand and drove down the middle of the ice. Spring had a lot of net to work with and scored to give the Knights a 5-1 lead.

The second period offensive onslaught continued with Dimitroff taking charge in the Hawks' zone. Dimitroff's corner work was unstoppable as he worked his way out of the corner and behind the net for a wrap-around attempt. Steffan picked up the rebound and took it around to the other side where he fed Todaro in the slot. Todaro rifled a post-banger at the Hawks net as the buzzer sounded to mercifully end the period.

It was more of the same in the third period. Defenseman Danny Tyczynski broke out of his zone along the right boards. Earlier in the year, Tyczynski scored an entertaining goal when he went left to right across the crease. The Pepsi Center crowd was entertained again, as this time, Tyczynski went right to left, pulling the goaltender out of position and scoring the Knights' sixth goal of the game.

Danny Brodzik, working with linemates Chris Winiecki and Truel, did not let up and finished the period hard. The Hawks never challenged when this line was on the ice. Ellie Smith and John Hazelet solidified the blue line and gave late-game workman like efforts to squash a number of offensive thrusts by the Hawks.

Squirt Minor 'AAA' 3,

Buffalo Regals 1

The Amherst Knights Squirt Minor "AAA" hockey team defeated the Buffalo Regals, 3-1 at the Holiday Hockey Rink on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

Knights goalie Max Battistoni was an early star in the game as he made a sprawling save to the far right post and hung on to force a faceoff.

Later in the first, the Knights picked up a penalty and Battistoni was asked to make a number of pouncing saves while short-handed. His best save came off a rising wrist shot from a Regals winger. Battistoni trapped the shot, elbow high, with his glove and blocker, then kept a composed balance while surrounded by an aggressive pack of hockey players until the referee's whistle ended the play.

The Owen Green-Matthew Ruggiero Dylan Lock line began to apply some pressure in the Regals zone and got the Knights on the score sheet first.

Green found a little open ice to the right of the Regals net and scored with a quick wrist shot to give the Knights a 1-0 lead. Lock assisted on the goal.

Early in the second period, the Regals took a penalty. The Knights power play was controlled with some outstanding teamwork by the Dante Todaro-Alex Dimitroff-Matthew Steffan line. This line circled the Regals' net using quick movements and crisp passing. Pucks were released from their sticks as soon as they arrived, keeping the Regals goaltender moving and off balance.

Later in the second, Chris Winiecki executed the play of the game that ended up delivering the winning goal. Winiecki worked a board battle in the neutral zone with linemate Bradley Truel.

Using good body position to ward off an incoming Regals player, Winiecki managed to box out his competitor, move off the wall and pick up the puck on his backhand. As Winiecki crossed the blue line and entered the offensive zone, Truel followed and broke to the opposite side for a 2 on 1 break. Winiecki sensed the oncoming back-checker but kept his poise and took a real good look at what the Regals goaltender was offering.

Using Truel as a decoy to keep separation from the Regals defenseman, Winiecki delivered a sure-fire quick-handed dart that found the Regal goaltender's five-hole.

Three minutes later, the Regals' Dominic Dockery scored to end the period with the Knights leading 2-1.

The third period saw the Knights take a 3-1 lead when Mitchell Spring wove in over the blue line and broke in on goal. Spring moved in as close as possible and found the back of the net with a hard wrist shot.

Steffan and Ellie Smith assisted on the goal. Finally, late in the third period, the Knights gained a two man advantage. John Hazelet made two sensational offensive rushes that put great pressure on the Regals' penalty killers and effectively ended the game.