ESG - Scholastic men's ice hockey
Western not a stranger as the favorite
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Amherst's Derek Mohney will share goaltending duties with Williamsville's Branden Komm for the Western men's scholastic hockey team at the Empire State Games. Western has won gold the last seven years. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

When it comes to the Empire State Games, it's usually a given that the Western region will be playing for a gold medal in scholastic men's ice hockey. This year should be no different.

Western men's hockey, winners of the last seven gold medals and 19 gold medals since it became an ESG sport in 1982, should be the favorite heading into this year's Games in Westchester County.

Western players and coaches know teams from other regions will have their sights set on knocking them off, but they'll be ready.

"It's easier to have a bull's-eye on us than to be an underdog," said Western coach Dave Smith, an East Amherst resident. "It's a good position to be in because it means you have to be on your game all of the time."

"There is a certain amount of pressure, but you don't think about it when you're playing," added Kenmore's Peter Creighton. "You just want to go out and do your job and have fun while you're doing it."

The success of Western hockey over the years stems from great players. Future National Hockey League stars Kevyn Adams and Todd Marchant, who won Stanley Cups with the Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks, respectively, once skated for Western, as did the No. 1 pick of the 2007 NHL draft, Patrick Kane, who had five goals and three assists in last year's ESGs.

"You don't get this opportunity a lot, so it's exciting when you do," said Creighton, a soon-to-be senior at Canisius High School. "You see kids like Pat Kane who have done this, so it's an honor to play."

"It's a big accomplishment," added Williamsville's Branden Komm, one of Western's two goalies. "I'm trying to fill some big shoes."

Western returns only three players - West Seneca's Brandon Broad and Rochester's Ryan Grimshaw, both defensemen, and Niagara Falls' Kevin Ogiba - but the teammates know each other from playing travel hockey as teammates or opponents.

"Everyone knows each other," said Creighton.

Most of the Western roster also knows how to win.

Both Western goalies, Komm and Mohney, helped Williamsville North and Sweet Home to the Section VI Western New York Varsity Hockey Federation small and large school regular season titles, respectively. (Sweet Home lost in the New York State Division II regional; North fell in the Division I final).

Komm had a 1.83 goals against average, 94 percent save percentage and a 17-4-3 record. Komm finished with a 14-4-3 record, 1.98 goals against average and a .931 save percentage.

Lancaster residents Joe Rogalski (defense) and Brian Inman (forward) helped the Lancaster Redskins qualify for the state tournament as the second large school out of the WNY Hockey Federation.

Williamsville's Cole Schneider (18 goals, 22 assists) was a key forward in St. Joe's winning the Western New York Varsity Hockey Federation and New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association titles. He was MVP of the NYS Catholic title game.

Ogiba and Sanborn's Nicholas Melligan were forwards on Niagara Wheatfield's WNY Club large school crown.

Smith doesn't know yet what the starting lineups will look like, but he has paired Broad (6 foot, 205 pounds) with Rogalski (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) at defense and Creighton, West Seneca's Matt Owczarczak and Derby's Patrick Sullivan on a forward line, in practice.

Owczarczak played for West Seneca West in the Southtowns Club Hockey League. Sullivan, along with Kevin Ryan of Eden, played for St. Francis in the Midwest Prep Hockey League.

Other members of the team are West Seneca's Kevin English (Buffalo Junior Sabres), Buffalo's Sam Alfrieri (Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Fairbault, Minn.) and Charlie Mullan (Nichols), Grand Island's Benjamin Certo (Nichols), Spencerport's Ryan Edwards (Aquinas), and Fairport's Jonathan Sucese and Jon Paul Witkop.

"We have a good group of kids," said Smith. "We have a lot of good overall team speed and a real mobile and active defense."

"It's fun to work with the kids and see them improve," he added. "So I'm excited for the games to begin to watch how they do."

Smith is the head men's hockey coach at Canisius College and will be assisted at the ESGs by Williamsville's Nick Carriere (Buffalo State College hockey coach), Terry Miller and Mike Mondoux (Kenmore West assistant).

Western opens against Adirondack at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, July 26 at The Ice Hutch at Mount Vernon. The players want to bring back nothing but gold.

"We're going there expecting to win," said Komm.

"We'd like to keep the streak going," added Rogolski, who at 15 is one of the younger players on the roster.

"It's my last year, so I don't want to be that team that goes and doesn't win the gold and ruin the streak," stated Broad. "If we work harder than everybody, we should win it."

Smith agrees with his players.

"I think it would be a disappointment for everyone if we don't get gold," he said. "We'll do everything we can to win."

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com