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Central hockey pounds Maryvale, approaches league unbeaten streak
 | | HARD HIT...A Maryvale skater lays the lumber on Cheektowaga Central forward Jared Fischer during the second period of Saturday's game. The Warriors won, 7-2. (Times photo) |
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The Cheektowaga Central boys varsity club hockey team has a few things it's looking to take care of heading into the postseason- winning another Super Sunday title and capturing the Western New York record for consecutive league wins.
On Saturday, the Warriors scored four second-period goals to break open a rivalry game against league foe Maryvale, en route to a 7-2 win.
Seniors Jared Fischer (center) and Ryan Klein (defenseman) each contributed two goals and two assists for Central, while fellow fourth-year forwards Rob Szymkowiak, Steve Noworyta and Brandon Hammer also hit the back of the net.
The Warriors' speed and depth was too much for the Flyers, as Central outshot its Maroon Madness rival, 40-10. Goaltender Jordan Kasprzak earned the win between the pipes for Central.
Andrew Gmerek and Kyle Gmerek scored for Maryvale, while senior center Joe Bodkin added one assist.
The Warriors' only non-win in league play this season was a tie against City Honors. Central (34-4- 3 overall, 15-0-1 in the Small Schools East Division) has a league unbeaten streak of 70 games, one short of Orchard Park's record set earlier in the 2000s.
Noworyta said breaking the league record would be nice, but added that playing solid hockey heading into the postseason is Central's No. 1 objective.
"We played a solid all-around game against Maryvale," said Noworyta, who played on the Warriors' squad that has made three consecutive Super Sunday appearances and captured two state titles in three years. "Every game that we play, we want to get fired up and play the music really loud in the locker room before games. Maryvale's a big rival, so we had the music up extra loud before this game. Everything just flows really well when we play together as a team."
Warriors head coach Steve Ferrentino said his team has tried to avoid complacency after it clinched its division two weeks ago.
"This is the best game we've played in about two weeks," said Ferrentino, whose team also defeated league foe Lewiston-Porter last Thursday. "It's Maryvale, so the guys were fired up and the fans came out. The guys have to stay hungry."
Despite getting outshot in the first period 20-3, Maryvale hung close with Central and tied the game at 1 six minutes in when Andrew Gmerek buried a shot from the slot after a scramble in front.
However, Central scored with just under three minutes to go in the opening frame and exploded for four goals in the middle period. Two power play markers, a shorthanded tally and an even-strength goal highlighted the outbreak.
Fischer had opened the scoring less than a minute into the game when he directed a shot past Maryvale goaltender Kyle Worley after a nice feed from a Warriors teammate behind the net.
Central opens the postseason Wednesday against St. Joe's "B" at Depew Ice Rink, with face-off scheduled for 8:30 p.m.
Maryvale, which has secured the No. 2 spot in the Small Schools East Division with a 10-5-2 mark (14-8- 2 overall) opens the postseason Tuesday at Riverside Ice Rink for an 8:15 p.m. face-off against the No. 3 team in the East, who is yet to be decided.
Central also defeated Lewiston- Porter, 5-3, as Szymkowiak tallied a hat trick with three goals, as well as assisting on two others. Noworyta and Fisher added one goal and one assist apiece.
Goaltender Chris Rinaldi earned the win between the pipes.
In a 10-2 win over league opponent Tonawanda on Tuesday, Szymkowiak led the way with three goals and one assist. Sophomore forwards Ryan Jaracz and Tom Leone, as well as Klein and Noworyta, each added one goal and two helpers. Senior Jeff Filipski, sophomore Tom Mahoney and freshman Matt Budzynski also hit the back of the net.
Kasprzak earned the win in goal.
The Warriors end their regular season against local foe Depew Saturday on the road at 9 p.m.
Highlanders hope to end regular season on high note
The Cleveland Hill/John F. Kennedy varsity hockey team is in need of a "W" tomorrow night in order to wrap up third place in the Southtowns "B" League.
The Highlanders (18-9-2 overall, 8-6-2 in league play) dropped an 8- 2 decision to Southtowns crossover opponent Clarence on Monday at Leisure Rinks.
Missing two starters with illness, Cleve Hill/JFK fell behind 4-0 and was unable to mount a comeback. Senior forward and co-captain Sean Olejniczak, the leading scorer in Southtowns "B," contributed one goal and one assist, while fellow senior and co-captain Nick Torgalski also hit the back of the net.
The Highlanders will square off against second-place Iroquois/Alden tomorrow at 7:15 p.m., also at Leisure Rinks. The Southtowns playoffs take place from February 16-18.
Depew earns 3 of 4 points
against non-league teams
Depew came back to tie nonleague opponent North Tonawanda, 6-6, on January 31. Trailing 6-2 in the third period, the Wildcats scored four straight goals to earn a point. Senior forward Joey Paradowski recorded two goals and two assists, while sophomore Alfredo Scarpone added one goal and two helpers. Senior forwards Dave Graves, Chris Kendall and T.J. Pilarz added one goal and one assist apiece.
The Wildcats (13-14-1 overall, 5- 8 in the Small Schools West Division) defeated McDowell of Pennsylvania on Friday, 6-4, as Kendall recorded a hat trick. Senior forward John Leistner added two goals, while Paradowski contributed four assists. Alfredo Scarpone continued his solid play with one goal and one helper.
Depew will play host to Central on Saturday at 9 p.m., then faces another league foe- Lew-Port- Sunday at Niagara University at 9 p.m.
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