Saturday, January 21, 2017

High School Hockey: Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa @ LaSalle, 1/21/17

Having absorbed their first loss of the season three nights ago at Shenendehowa, the skating Cadets of LaSalle Institute were back home at Conway Arena on the campus of Hudson Valley Community College tonight, hosting the Spartan Scotties of Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa. The one question that anyone had was how the Cadets would respond after the loss.

Less than a minute into the game, we got our answer.

It took just 27 seconds for sophomore defenseman Jack O'Bryan to find the net and give the hosts a 1-0 lead. Half a minute later, junior forward Christian Rudd dribbled one past goaltender Trevin Tidmarsh to make it 2-0. Before the frame was completed, however, Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa senior Geordan Buffoline one timed a shot past Kyle Rentz to cut the lead in half at 2-1.

In the second, LaSalle upped its lead back to two goals as senior forward Kevin Mainello beat Tidmarsh with a one-timer of his own. Back came Buffoline and the pesky Spartan Scotties. Buffoline netted his 2nd goal of the game to make it 3-2 going into the second intermission. However, LaSalle slammed the door shut in the third period, as junior forward Ryan Murray lasered two insurance goals, one an empty netter, to make the final margin 5-2.

Four of LaSalle's final six regular season games are on the road, starting next Friday at Saratoga, the only time in the regular season that the Cadets and Blue Streaks will meet. Likewise, Bethlehem will play the Cadets just once, a rare Tuesday night game at HVCC on January 31. LaSalle would have to win out to ensure home ice for the playoffs, which begin next month.

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