Knights come up short at hockey nationals

The Amherst Knights' 12 and under and 14 and under hockey teams went a combined 1-5 at the 2007 Tier I and II National Championships held last Wednesday to Sunday at the Amherst Pepsi Center.

Against some of the best teams in the nation, neither Knights team failed to qualify for the semifinals.

The only game won by the Knights came in the Tier I 14 and under team's opener on Wednesday, a 4-3 victory over the Jr. Everblades from Florida.

The host Amherst Knights came out flying and took an early 3-0 lead by the 7:03 mark of the first period on goals by James Nowicki on the power play from Leo Schultz and David Seward, and even strength goals by Seward (Michael Schreck, Nowicki) and Ian Moskal (Alexander Brennan, Nowicki).

Florida scored twice in the second (Michael D'Amico and Brian Ferlin) and once in the third (Ferlin) to tie the game before Nowicki netted the game-winner short-handed from Eric Esposito and Moskal at the 10:31 mark of the third.

Knights goalie Paul Berrafato made 21 saves.

Amherst 14 and under lost its next two games, dropping a 4-1 decision to Shattuck-St. Mary's, Minn. on Thursday and 3-0 to Little Caesars 92 from Detroit, Mich. on Saturday.

Shattuck, a prep powerhouse where NHL players Drew Stafford (Buffalo Sabres), Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), and Zach Parise (New Jersey Devils) formerly played, outlasted the Knights.

Amherst only trailed 2-1 after two periods on a power-play goal by Schultz (Esposito) but St. Mary's Guan Wang and Emerson Etem scored early in the third.

Berrafato played a stellar game in net with 34 saves.

Little Caesars, a tournament favorite, wore down the Knights to emerge victorious. For the second time in two days, the Knights were only down a goal heading into the third period, but could not get the momentum going their way.

Brendan McLeskey scored twice for Little Caesars and Alex Aleardi netted the other goal.

Berrafato made 31 saves.

Mid Fairfield Blues from Connecticut defeated LA Hockey Club from California, 5-3, in the Tier I 14 and under final.

The Tier I 12 and under Knights' team was outscored 26-2 in its three games, losing to South Florida Golden Wolves, 8-0, Alaska All Stars, 7-2, and Compuware Ambassadors from Detroit Michigan, 11-0, and peppered with a combined 127 shots.

South Florida opened a 4-0 first period lead as the Knights could not penetrate the Golden Wolves' defense. Nathan Glass and Austin Cangelosi each scored twice.

Knights' goalie Brandon Mueller made 37 saves.

Amherst fell behind 2-0 against Alaska after two first period power play goals and 5-0 after the second before Patrick Griffin scored from Matthew Mahony at 8:12 of the third. Griffin scored four minutes later from Jonathan Haun and Dimitrios Koutsomitis. Mueller stopped 22 shots.

Amherst fell behind 5-0 after the first period and was unable to hold off Compuware, who went on to beat the Colorado Thunderbirds, 5-3, in the Tier I 12 and under final.

Compuware's Bradley Vail and Joseph Cox each netted hat tricks and Bradley Kolzc netted two goals against the Knights.

Amherst goalie Peter Brooks was bombarded with 42 shots in the loss.

Amherst Youth Hockey and the Amherst Pepsi Center will be hosting the U16 and U18 National Championships in 2008.