Mite Stars defeat Gray Sabres, tie Sharks

The Mite Stars were running on all cylinders in their game Sunday as they defeated the Gray Sabres, 4-1.

Both teams put out a tremendous effort but the Stars defense and goaltending proved to be the difference.

The story of the game was the battle of the first lines as Cam Carney capitalized on plays made by his linemates to put the puck in the net three times, earning him a hat trick. This, along with solid goaltending from Michael Trossman, frustrated the efforts of the Gray Sabres. Trossman stoned the dangerous Gray Sabres' offense, stopping two Rachel Deperio breakaways and a breakaway by Zachary Perelstein.

The Stars opened the scoring in the first period when Bryce Baker put forth a super effort in the Gray Sabres end, getting several shots on goal that were stopped by goaltender David Balk. Baker kept after the rebounds though and got the puck to Carney who found the back of the net.

The second goal came when Joe Tomczak kept the puck in at his defensive post, passed it to Turner Dirrgl in the corner, Dirrgl fed the puck to Matt Schrlau in the slot and Schrlau blasted the puck into the open side of the net adding to the Stars' lead.

The Gray Sabres came back with a great team effort of their own as Austin Martin fed Adam Higgins in the corner of the Stars' zone. Higgins sent the puck through the crease where Perelstein was waiting to flip the puck just over Trossman's outstretched glove bringing the Gray Sabres back to within one.

Carney and Baker combined again in the third period as Baker fed him the puck from behind the Gray Sabres net. Carney's last goal came when center Jake Siegel won a faceoff in the neutral zone and pushed the puck to Carney, who beat the Gray Sabres defense and skated in alone on Balk to achieve his first career hat trick.

The goals were not the only excitement in the contest though. Strong back checking by Connor Bender, Michael Callesto, Michael Gagliano, Tomczak and Cam Murray stopped many Sabres chances to put points on the board.

Special note should also be made of the effort by Leah Krammer, Nick Kieffer, Max Ferro, and Logan Gare who were all instrumental in keeping the puck in the Gray Saberes' end during their shifts on the ice.

Mite Stars,

Sharks battle to a 1-1 tie

The third time these two teams met this season proved to be as exciting as the first two, however, this time there were very few goals scored.

Both teams have been working hard all year to hone their skills and it was evidenced by the strong defensive and tight plays made throughout the game.

The Sharks got on the board first toward the end of the first period with great defensive plays by Nick Daigler and Dylan Utz and great backchecking by Bennett Levy, Maddy Utz and Reed Bihary allowing Levy to take the puck along the boards from his own end for a breakaway on Stars goalie Jake Siegel to give the Sharks the lead.

However, the Stars came back minutes later when Nick Kieffer, Max Ferro and Logan Gare combined with defensemen Michael Callesto and Michael Gagliano to even the score with Kieffer going top shelf to beat Sharks goaltender Holden Greene.

The period ended with the teams locked at 1-1 and that was all of the scoring for the game. The balance of the contest was very exciting with many players breaking in on goal, but unable to convert.

Sharks' chances were thwarted by good heads up plays from Gare, Callesto, Conner Bender, Turner Dirrigl and Joe Tomczak. These efforts coupled with the solid play of Siegel in net, shut down the Sharks' offensive machine.

At the other end of the ice, Greene played outstanding in net for the Sharks and had outstanding defensive help from Utz, Daigler, Bihary and Michael Woods as they combined to stop the Stars' offensive efforts. This defense, along with strong offensive plays by the Sharks' Dave Mathew, Allison Attea, Michael Krasinski and Sal DiNatle, knotted the game up tight.