Squirt Minor ‘AAA’ earns double-digit victory

The Amherst Knights Squirt Minor “AAA” hockey team defeated the Clarence Mustangs on Dec. 4 at the Amherst Pepsi Center.

The Knights exploded for 10 goals in a decisive 10-0 victory.

The score sheet was full as the number of Knights involved in scoring plays ended up in double digits. Leading the way was Matthew Ruggiero with three goals followed by MJ Bronsky (two goals), Mitchell Spring (two goals, two assists), and playmaker Matthew Steffan (three assists).

The Knights scored three times in the first period and were fired up early as Ellis Smith quickly pushed the puck up ice. Steffan, on his first shift of the game, beat the Clarence defense to the puck and fed Alex Dimitroff in front. Dimitroff made no mistake and buried it to get his team on the board.

Following that, Ruggiero scored the next two goals within a four-minute span. The first was a hard shot off a rebound to give the Knights a two-goal lead. Ruggiero’s second goal was scored after Spring fed Dylan Lock just inside the blue line. Lock found Ruggiero, who beat the Clarence goaltender to give the Knights a comfortable three-goal lead.

The offensive charge continued in the second period. MJ Bronsky found himself on a break down the right side after a nice pass from Smith. Bronsky had some time to wind

up and let go a rocket wrist shot that beat the goaltender on the glove side. With Clarence forcing the play in the Knights zone, defenseman John Hazelet picked up the puck and went end-to-end on a courageous solo rush. Hazelet ended the rush when he rifled in the Knights’ fifth goal just past the far post.

Chris Winiecki made his presence felt when he picked up a pass, circled around the Clarence net and scored while seated slightly off the left post. Danny Brodzik and Steffan assisted on the goal.

With just one minute remaining in the second period, the hot stick of Ruggiero struck again after he found himself with a clear breakaway off a center ice scrum. Ruggiero ended the period by scoring his third goal of the game, giving the Knights a commanding 7-0 lead.

The third period was a bookend to the first as the Knights scored three more times. Spring found Steffan down the right side and Steffan forwarded it up to Bronsky. Bronsky scored his second goal of the game from a tough angle off the right boards. Mitchell Spring scored the next goal on a slick crisscross passing play. Steffan rushed the puck deep into the Clarence zone. Spring followed and the two teammates crisscrossed at the top of the circle. Steffan placed a pass deep to the far post. Spring dove and deflected the pass into

the net while completely stretched out and horizontal to the ice. Spring scored his second goal on a clean breakaway when he went short side with a nice wrist shot from the right side. Spring passed the puck up to Danny Tyczynski. Tyczynski did some nice work when he challenged the Clarence defense just outside their blue line. Tyczynski won the battle and returned the puck to Spring to gain the clean break on goal.

Knights goaltender Mark O’Malley kept his focus throughout the game and, when called upon, made the critical saves to preserve the shutout.

Squirt Minor ‘AAA’ play

strong in loss to Bisons

The Amherst Knights Squirt Minor “AAA” hockey team played a strong game but fell to the Buffalo Bisons, 4-3, at the Tacoma Ice Rink on Sunday afternoon.

The Knights were off and running, enjoying a two-minute two-man advantage early in the first period. Despite remarkable pressure, the Knights were stoned by Bisons goaltender Aaron Fanti.

The Knights’ puck movement was quick and accurate as the power play point men, Spring and Tyczynski, stretched the box of the Bison penalty killers as much as they could. Owen Green found some free ice and moved in close to fire a bullet that created multiple rebound opportunities. Tyczynski moved in from the blue

line to start a corner forecheck while Green smartly backed him up at the point. The puck found its way out to the opposite side where Mitchell Spring gained control. Spring moved in and placed a pass on the stick of Matthew Steffan, who had moved quietly behind the Bisons’ defense. Steffan immediately deflected the puck just inside the corner post.

However, Bison goaltender Fanti made an incredible skate tip save to keep the Knights off the board.

Knights goaltender Mark O’Malley answered Fanti’s play with a nice save of his own. The Bisons’ David Grabenstatter was floating through the slot and quickly one-timed a wrist shot that tested O’Malley’s reflexes. O’Malley passed the test as the first period ended in a scoreless tie.

The second period started with some good pressure by the Knights as Dylan Lock broke down the right side and let go a strong wrist shot. Green found some working room again as he picked up the rebound and rifled in the game’s first goal.

With the period winding down, the Bisons began to apply some late period pressure. Knights defensemen Danny Brodzik, Ellis Smith, Luke Eberhard and John Hazelet worked the corners hard to keep the Bisons scoring chances to a minimum. However, with three minutes left in the period, the Bisons’ Matt Fritz

powered his way toward the Knights net and scored to tie the game at 1-1.

The start of the third period went the Bisons way as Nick Passifiume scored to give the Bisons their first lead of the game at 2-1. As the Bisons began to gain some momentum, Knights forward Bradley Truel, wearing the captain “C” for the game, worked hard to gain back some team focus.

Truel barged his way into the Bisons zone and created some good chances with some solid forechecking. Later, Truel went right through the heart of the Bisons defense to drill their goaltender with a hard wrist shot.

Truel made an impression on his teammates as the Knights began to pick up their play. With just under six minutes to play, Alex Dimitroff used some hard work of his own to score the Knights’ second goal and tie the game at 2-2. Dante Todaro assisted.

The Bisons struck back quickly and scored two goals within a two minute span to take a 4-2 lead with just four minutes left in the game. Todaro and Dmitroff went right back to work. Skating with a strong determination, the two linemates teamed up again. Todaro assisted on Dimitroff’s second goal to get the Knights within one.

With two minutes left and the Knights down 4-3, the Knights pulled their goaltender but could not get the game-tying goal.