The Canton boys varsity hockey team has returned to winning form over the last week, doling out a pair of 5-2 victories over Ogdensburg Free Academy and St. Lawrence Central.
Wednesday, Feb. 12 – Canton 5, OFA 2
The Ogdensburg Free Academy Blue Devils arrived at the Canton Recreational Pavilion on Wednesday with an unblemished record of 16-0-0. The Golden Bears met the challenge, and handed the Devils their first loss of the season.
Sophomore forward Owen Logan opened the scoring about seven minutes into the first period. Logan picked up the puck from junior defenseman Caleb Premo before skating the length of the ice before firing a shot over the shoulder of OFA goaltender Ty Jacobs from a wide angle. Logan’s was the sole marker of the first period as the Bears maintained their lead into intermission.
In the second, sophomore forward Robert Palmer doubled the lead. After Logan acquired the puck behind the net, it was again Premo who offered the primary assist on a shot from the point, allowing Palmer to bury the rebound for the Golden Bears. This goal stood as the lone tally of the second, and the Bears took a 2-0 lead into what would be a much more goal friendly third period.
After the break, Ogdensburg would strike first on an exceptionally unlikely bounce. Blue Devil forward Laughlin O’Donnell carried the puck into his offensive zone before firing a wrist shot well over the head of Canton’s junior goaltender Gavin Schryver. The puck deflected high off the glass behind, bounced onto the top of the net, and eventually dribbled onto Schryver’s back and into the Bears’ goal.
While frustrating for the Golden Bears, the team responded well, playing responsible hockey for the remainder of the period. With about three minutes left in the contest, Canton would respond to the unfortunate bounce.
It was Logan again who found the back of the net, this time on the powerplay. A pass, again from Premo, found Logan at the point, and he threaded a wrist shot through several bodies and past the OFA goaltender.
Logan would score once more less than a minute later, this time on the penalty kill, to secure the hat trick. Palmer tracked down a loose puck deep in OFA territory. Swarmed by Blue Devil defenders, he was able to find Logan alone in the slot, who retrieved the pass on a spin-o-rama before depositing it between the legs of Jacobs to make it a 4-1 contest.
OFA would shrink the lead to two when Brooks Garvey snuck one past the glove of Schryver off a pass from Brody Barrett after a zone entry aided by Rocco Testani. But Canton’s senior captain, defenseman JJ Ahlfeld would have the last laugh, as he scored an empty-netter from inside his own blue line to seal the Blue Devils fate.
Photos of this game, courtesy of Shelly Pike, can be found here.
Photos of this game, courtesy of Jay Berkman, can be found here.
Saturday, Feb. 15 – Canton 5, St. Lawrence Central 2
The Golden Bears secured a second 5-2 victory on Saturday, defeating the St. Lawrence Central Larries. This was Canton’s senior game, and the seven seniors in the brown and gold were honored before puck drop.
The Golden Bears got on the board early in this game, when junior defenseman Caleb Premo deposited the first goal for Canton just 59 seconds into the game off an assist from freshman forward Thomas Creurer. Though they were able to secure the lead early, Premo’s tally was the only goal of the first period.
Things opened up for the Bears in the second period, as three different goal scorers registered a contribution in the middle frame. Creurer added a goal to his stat line, with assists coming from both his linemates, junior forward Caleb Briggs and senior forward Josh Ayrassian.
Sophomore forward Owen Palmer was next to get it on the action, with helpers from sophomore forward Robert Palmer and sophomore defenseman Grady Nee.
Premo once again found the back of the net with assists attributed to senior defenseman JJ Ahlfeld and junior forward David Seymour.
The Bears would score once more early in the third period, when Briggs tucked home a tap-in with assists from Premo and Creurer.
St. Lawrence Central managed two late goals but ultimately fell short on the come back.
Nearing the end of the regular season, the Golden Bears will play Massena on Wednesday in a pivotal matchup that will decide who earns the No. 1 seed in Section X Division I. That game is set for 7:15 p.m. at the Canton Pavilion.
Photos of this game, courtesy of Shelly Pike, can be found here.
Photos of Senior Day ceremonies, courtesy of Jay Berkman, can be found here.
Photos of this game, courtesy of Jay Berkman, can be found here.
