Sweet Home wins first Federation title, Castiglia named game MVP
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

the Panthers' 3-2 overtime win in the Section VI Western New York Varsity Hockey Federation small school semifinals last Thursday on the Amherst Pepsi Center Feature Rink. Sweet Home beat Bishop Timon-St. Jude, 2-0, in the finals on Sunday at Buffalo State Ice Arena for the school's first Federation championship.

The Sweet Home Federation hockey team knew its backs were against the wall heading into the Section VI Western New York Varsity Hockey small school tournament.

The Panthers had lost out on the small school bid in the regular season to Kenmore East and needed to win three straight games in the small school tournament to head back to the Division II New York State Tournament. No problem.

Third-seeded Sweet Home beat second-seed Kenmore East, 3-2, in overtime in the semifinals on Thursday on the Amherst Pepsi Center Feature Rink and blanked top-seed Bishop Timon-St. Jude, 2-0, in the inaugural small school final on Sunday at Buffalo State Ice Arena to win the Federation title for the first time in school history.

Sweet Home (15-8-4) will play at Burke-Catholic of Section IX at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Newburgh.

"We had some goals this year and one of them was trying to be the best team at the end of the year, which included winning the Federation title," said Sweet Home coach Dave Gerspach. "Last year, we had one loss and got out of the state tournament real quick (lost to Monroe-Woodbury 2-1 in regionals). This year, we have played phenomenal hockey since early January."

"After losing to Kenmore East earlier in the season and they got the state bid, we thought our senior was over," said junior forward Ryan Gutt, who scored both Sweet Home goals. "It felt great to win out and finally do it."

Sweet Home qualified for states last year after having the best small school record in the Federation. A new rule was instituted this year where Federation large and small school champions would be crowned. If a public school team won, they would go to states.

Sweet Home goalie Rob Castiglia earned game MVP honors and deservedly so. The senior netminder stopped all 28 of Timon's shots, including an unbelievable right pad save on Timon's Michael Cassidy with 2:14 remaining in the third period.

"I went to poke check it and I missed the puck," said Castiglia. "He got it by me so I stuck my pad it. I got fortunate on it."

"It was looking like overtime and he robbed the guy," said Gerspach.

It was Castiglia's sixth shutout since early January. The only team he has not shut out in Division II has been Kenmore East.

"I thought he was the difference," said Timon coach Pat Fisher. "He made big saves when he needed to and that is how you win championships."

Gutt's first goal came with 9:59 left in the second period. Ryan Marko, who had many great scoring chances throughout the game, was stopped on a breakaway by Timon's Tim Egloff and Gutt flipped in the rebound.

Gutt's second goal was an empty net tally from Colin Cardinale with 25 seconds remaining in the game.

"It feels good to finally get on the scoreboard and help the team out," said Gutt.

Sweet Home's penalty killing unit was awesome, killing off six penalties in the first two periods, including a four-minute major, and eight in the game. Marko, Gutt and Rich Beaudet spearheaded the penalty killing unit.

"If they have let in two (power play) goals in the last 15 games, that is a lot," said Gerspach.

Sweet Home tied Timon, 5-5, and lost, 4-1, during the regular season.

The Panthers scored twice in the last 4:05 of the third period to defeat Kenmore East. Colin Cardinale scored from Chris Covel and Marko at 4:05. James Cardinale tied the game with 33 seconds remaining from Dominic Puntillo and Marko.

Covel scored the overtime winner at 2:04 from Marko and James Cardinale.

Sweet Home outshot Kenmore East, 5-0, in overtime, and, 37-26, in the game.

"It was real easy to give up when it was 2-0 but everyone stayed positive and kept working," said Gerspach.

Prior to the third period, Kenmore East goalie P.J. Bluff had blanked Sweet Home, 3-0, in two regular season games.

Because of the flu, Sweet Home was playing short-handed with seven forwards and four defensemen. They usually play nine forwards and six defensemen.

Brett Rogers (James Schultz) and Alex Silvia (Frank Briandi, Sean Walsh) scored in the first and third periods, respectively, for Kenmore East.