North hockey beats Ken West, qualifies for states
Spartans will host regional game on March 3
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

It wasn't easy but Williamsville North will have a chance to defend its New York State Division I hockey title in March.

The Spartans (19-2-3, 11-2-3) qualified after defeating Kenmore West, 3-2, Friday on the Amherst Pepsi Center's Rink No. 2.

North, who is seven for seven in qualifying for states, will host Section VII's Seton Catholic in a regional game on March 3 at the Pepsi Center.

"We wanted to go back and defend our state title and this gives us the best path for doing it," said North coach Bob Rosen. "That was our whole focus. When you lose two hockey games all year, you think you would have a bigger cushion but the league is pretty tight. I think that helps prepare us."

Rosen said the play of the game came with seconds remaining. Ryan Geary took a hooking penalty with 46 seconds left and with 16 seconds to play, Tom Goehrig blocked a slap shot from the point.

"We always talk about the little things that make the difference in winning a hockey game and that was one of them," said Rosen. "Every kid on our team after the game acknowledged that play. As a coach, it made me feel good to know that everybody else realized how important of a play that was."

North took a 2-0 first period lead from goals by Nick Angelo (Geary) and Jake Newton. Newton's goal came with seven seconds remaining. The junior defenseman pinched in and backhanded a shot that hit a defenseman's stick and lofted like a rainbow over the goalie's head.

Kenmore West's Chris Povinelli (Nick Panepinto) sliced the Spartans' lead in half with a second period power-play goal but Geary answered 1:18 later, also on the power play, from Pat Mulvihill. Scott Moser rounded out the Ken West scoring with 2:14 remaining on the power play from Mike Vasquez and Panepinto.

Branden Komm made 26 saves for North. The Spartans had 34 shots on net.

North's other league game last week was a 4-4 tie with Williamsville South last Thursday on the Feature Rink.

North blew a 4-2 lead in the last 1:46 of regulation. South's Dustin Jones scored on the power play from Greg Reed with 1:46 remaining. Short-handed with 30 seconds to play, Reed shook off a North defenseman, took a shot from the ground that hit goalie Taylor Gahagen and bounced off Reed's chest into the net.

Reed opened the scoring at 12:12 of the first short-handed. Geary and Komm ran into each other behind the North net and Reed forechecked in front of the empty net and put home the puck. Reed tied it at 2-2 at the 12-minute mark of the second unassisted.

Angelo and Mulvihill scored first period goals for the Spartans. Mulvihill came off a rebound from a Mark Smith shot. Goehrig also assisted.

Geary (Justin Kochan, Angelo) scored at 1:50 of the second on the power play. Jamie VonHendy, short-handed, picked the puck from a South defenseman and beat Thomas Tysowsky (36 saves) on the glove side to make it 4-2 at 13:57 of the third.

"What an emotional lift for us," said South coach Sean Green. "It's a game we've been looking forward to. I think being close with them the whole game and getting a lead early helped our confidence as the game went on."

Komm made nine saves in the first period. Gahagen had 12 stops between the second and third.

North and South both played in first round games in the Section VI Western New York Varsity Hockey Federation playoffs on Tuesday at the Pepsi Center. North faced Amherst while South battled Lancaster, but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. The finals are at 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 22 at Buffalo State College.

South closed out the season with a 3-2 win over St. Francis on Saturday. Matt Kwarta scored from Jon Sherman and Adam Baker. Reed assisted Leo Schultz and Jones on power-play goals.

Tysowsky made 24 saves. South had 29 shots on goal.

"It was a game where we fed off the emotion of the North game and played a sound game," Green said. "Thomas kept us in it and we buried our chances we when got them."

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com