Geary scores game-winner over East, breaks school record
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Ryan Geary's game-winning goal not only beat Williamsville East but he also became the all-time career points leader at Williamsville North.

Geary scored with 12:52 left in the third period to lift the Spartans to a 2-1 win Saturday over the Flames on the Amherst Pepsi Center Feature Rink.

The Williamsville North senior took a pass from Nick Fronczak in the middle of the ice, beat an East defender, and scored low to the stick side of Matt Bradley (19 saves).

The goal gave Geary 40 career goals and 84 career points, breaking Vincent Amigone's mark of 83 set in 2004. Geary knew he was close to breaking Amigone's record but didn't find out until North coach Bob Rosen told him.

"To take it away from a guy like Vinny is a big honor because he was such a great player and did so much for North hockey," said Geary.

"He's scored many important goals for us throughout his career," added Rosen. "He's a special kind of kid. He always comes to the rink ready to work."

Geary's goal highlighted a strong third period for the Spartans. Rosen said North outshot East, 11-5, and had several good scoring chances.

"We've been in a funk the last two weeks," said Rosen. "Hopefully, the third period against East was an awakening. We dominated play."

Nick Angelo gave North a 1-0 lead from Dan Conover and Mike Cusenz at 10:17 of the first period. East's Justin Floss tied it up from Kyle Smith at 12:58 of the second.

"I thought the kids played very well," said East coach Mike Torillo. "Our power play played really well. We had good chances. We hit a cross bar with the score tied at 1-1. Defensively, we played good. Hopefully the bounces will go our way and we will win one of these close games."

Taylor Gahagen made 20 saves for North.

The Spartans didn't fare as well against Lancaster on Thursday. Rosen said his team showed little emotion against the Redskins in a 2-1 loss on the Olympic Rink.

All three goals came on the power play. Lancaster scored the first two. Joe Karl tallied from Brian Inman and Nick Ferrentino at 8:01 of the first period. Inman later scored at 14:11 of the third from Ferrentino and Karl. Justin Kochan scored North's only goal from Geary and Mark Kadish with 4:18 left.

"Lancaster played with a lot more emotion than the first time we played them," said Rosen. "I think that was the big difference. We did not play with a lot of desperation."

Brandon Komm made 25 saves as North outshot Lancaster 31-27.

North (16-2-2, 8-2-2) plays Timon at 9 p.m. on Thursday on the Feature Rink, Amherst at 3 p.m. Saturday on the Olympic Rink, and Kenmore West at 6:30 p.m., Monday, on NHL Rink No. 2.

If the Spartans defeat Kenmore West, they will have the top seed from Section VI for the New York State Division I playoffs. If North loses or ties, they will be the No. 2 seed.

East plays Lancaster at 5 p.m. Saturday on the Olympic Rink.

Williamsville South

The Billies will be having nightmares thinking about its 7-3 loss to Canisius on Sunday at Buffalo State College.

The Crusaders scored on six of eight power-play opportunities, including the game's last four goals.

"Their puck movement caught some of our guys out of position and our aggressive style of penalty killing didn't work well for us," said South coach Sean Green.

Canisius had a 3-0 lead before back-to-back goals by Joel Zangara (Mike Anders) and Greg Potter (Greg Reed) cut the deficit to one.

Jon Sherman scored his first Federation goal from Anders for the Billies' other tally.

"Anders broke down the far side on a rush, threw the puck at the net and Sherman one-timed in a nice shot in after fighting off a check in the high slot," said Green.

Thomas Tysowsky made 25 saves for the Billies. South had 25 shots on Canisius goalie Andy Olson.

South's other two games last week were a 1-0 loss to Kenmore East last Thursday on the Amherst Pepsi Center Feature Rink and a 4-2 defeat to Division I powerhouse Lancaster on Saturday on the Feature Rink.

Brett Rogers scored the game-winner for Kenmore East from Justin Gardner and Brett Marcotte with 12:34 left in the third.

South lost despite outshooting the Bulldogs, 29-22.

"The way the game was being played we knew one goal would win it," said Green.

Joe Sparacino picked up the shutout for Kenmore East.

Green said his team played Lancaster tough. Unassisted goals from Potter and Reed tied the game at 2-2.

Matt Green played in net for the Billies.

South (2-10-1) plays Kenmore West at 1 p.m. Saturday on the Feature Rink.

"I'm proud of the effort we're putting forth," said Green. "We're not showing it in the win column but we're trying to fine tune everything for our (Federation) playoff run."

Sweet Home

Ever since defeating Williamsville East on Jan. 18, the Panthers have skated to ties in three out of its last four games, including two last week.

Sweet Home (11-0-2, 14-2-3) tied Section V's Churchville-Chili, 4-4, Friday on the Amherst Pepsi Center's Feature Rink then battled Orchard Park to a 1-1 tie on Saturday on the Olympic Rink.

Sweet Home built a 4-1 lead before Churchvilli-Chili scored a power-play goal (Garrett Mc- Mullen from Chris Rossignolo) in the second period and a short-handed (E.J. Coyne from Rossignolo) and unassisted goals (Coyne) in the third.

"We played really well," said Sweet Home coach Dave Gerspach. "We moved the puck well. But we got some bad breaks. On their short-handed goal, (Ryan) Marko dumped the puck in, it hit the glass, and bounced out to their player on a breakaway. On their fourth goal, it got caught in one of their player's shirts and he skated through everybody then had a breakaway."

Marko scored two goals and assisted on another. Mike Campise had a goal and assist. Paul Campise scored the Panthers' fourth goal. Dan Martino (two assists) and Anthony Manzella (assist) also contributed on offense for Sweet Home.

Rob Castiglia made 18 saves as Sweet Home outshot Churchville-Chili, 29-22.

The OP game was scoreless until Martino scored a power-play goal in the third from Paul Campise and Alex Esposito.

Gerspach said OP eighth grader Adrean Copeland tied it up with 20 seconds left in controversial fashion.

"Derek (Mohney) came out and made a save then all of a sudden, one of their players sort of got in the way of Derek and knocked him down," said Gerspach. "There was a scramble in front of the net and one of their players tackled one of ours and they knocked it in the net."

It shouldn't have come down to the Quakers' end of the game scramble. Gerspach said his team controlled play in the third period, had lots of scoring chances, but couldn't put the puck into the net.

Mohney made 21 saves.

Marko left three minutes into the game with an injury.

Sweet Home will find what its' made of when they face Division I powerhouse St. Joe's at 7 p.m. Thursday on the Feature Rink. The Panthers face Frontier in Hamburg at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com