ESG - Men's hockey
Win gives team second-longest golden streak

Western's scholastic men's hockey team remained its dominant self at last week's 30th installment of the Empire State Games, and with the scholastic boy's volleyball squad's upset loss, took over as the team with the second-longest gold medal streak.

Western secured its eight consecutive gold medal with its 5-2 win over Hudson Valley Sunday at The Ice Hutch in Mount Vernon, finishing the tournament 5-0 and outscoring its opponents 36-10.

Western took a 4-0 lead as time was winding down in the second period, and goalie Derek Mohney of Amherst didn't relent despite allowing both Hudson Valley goals down the stretch. Mohney finished the game with 25 saves, while West Seneca's Kevin English scored one of the goals for Western.

Western piled on the offense in its two games on Saturday, first dominating New York City in shutout fashion, 11-0, before battling to a 6-4 win over Long Island in the afternoon.

Williamsville resident Branden Komm had a slow day in the net, needing to turn aside just 11 shots - the same number that found the back of NYC's net - to earn the win. Western. meanwhile, ripped 64 shots on New York City's goalie, six of which went in for goals in the first period, and four more of which went by in the second.

English and Kenmore resident Peter Creighton each had two goals to spark Western's effort, while West Seneca resident Brandon Broad added a goal as well. English and Williamsville resident Cole Schneider each tallied two assists, while single assists went to Broad, Lancaster resident Joe Rogalski and West Seneca resident Matt Owczarczak.

The afternoon tilt was obviously much closer, with the outcome not really decided until Western took the lead for good with 7:42 to play in the third period on Buffalo resident Daniel Mullan's goal. Western led 2-0 early thanks in part to one of Lancaster resident Brian Inman's two goals for the game. Inman's second goal, at the 6:24 mark of the second period, broke a 2-2 tie. English assisted on that goal.

English then scored an unassisted goal at the 15:50 mark of the third period to break a 3-3 tie. Creighton added an assist on an earlier goal.

Western opened the tournament Thursday with an 8-1 thrashing of Adirondack. Mohney was again on his game, allowing the only goal of the 24 shots he faced a little more than halfway through the third period.

Western jumped out to a commanding 6-0 lead on back-to-back natural hat tricks from Nicholas Melligan and Schneider, with Schneider's final goal coming halfway through the third period. Creighton had two assists for the game, while English, Broad and Rogalski each added one.

Western then defeated Central on Friday, 6-3. Western trailed for the first time in the tournament when Central scored four minutes into the second period to take a 2-1 lead, but Western answered with five consecutive goals to take a 6-2 lead.

Mohney finished the game with 29 saves on 32 shots, while Schneider had two assists. English, Broad and even Mohney chipped in with an assist each.