The Shenendehowa hockey team hasn’t lost a Capital District High School Hockey League game since the 2005-06 season. On Saturday night, the Plainsmen visited Shaker/Colonie at the Albany County Hockey Facility, a larger ice surface than the Plainsmen are used to.
After the first period, any advantage S/C might have had was dismissed as the Plainsmen scored six goals in the second on their way to a 9-3 CDHSHL win.
I get a little concerned coming into these games on the bigger ice, it can effect our game sometimes. It takes two or three extra strides to get to loose pucks but we never gave up on them, Shenendehowa coach Juan de la Rocha said.
The Jets, who suffered a tough 2-1 overtime loss to Lasalle Friday night, got on the board at 2:35 of the first period when a D.J. O’Connell pass made it to the front of the net and deflected off the skate of Shen’s Sean Smith and past goaltender Nathan Mellow.
`We got away from all our systems tonight,` S/C coach Steve Hudak said.
The Plainsmen (15-1-3 overall, 9-0-1 league) answered six seconds later when Adam Hitchko scored off the center-ice faceoff. A minute and nine seconds later, Shen got the go- ahead goal. Jesse Elliot sent a pass out to Bryan Hunter from behind the S/C net for an easy goal.
The Plainsmen put it in another gear in the second, scoring 26 seconds into the period, when Hitchko beating freshmen Aaron Hebert with a shot over his shoulder.
The Jets had two breakaway opportunities down 3-1, but attempts by Seth Clickner and Justin Brock were turned aside by Mellow. Coming into the game, the Jets had scored only six goals in their previous six games.
Shen increased its lead to 4-1 at 4:09 of the second when Bryan Hunter had his wrist shot trickle through of Hebert’s pads.
Hebert was pulled after that goal in favor of sophomore Jim Lanne. Lanne was scored on 14 seconds later on a weak shot by Scott Brayden that trickled in, making it 5-1.
`They (the goalies) weren’t focused tonight. It’s almost like they were thinking too much about the game and getting to pumped up about it,` Hudak said.
At 12:05 of the second, Hitchko picked up the hat trick after placing a hard wrist shot on net from just inside the blue line that found its way past Lanne to make it 7-1.
O’Connell scored 30 seconds later for S/C after he put a shot over the glove of Mellow to make it 7-2.
Shen forward Andy Cantiello was called for tripping with 1:47 left in the second and Bryan Hunter completed a hat trick after tallying a short-handed goal on a breakaway, making it 8-2.
The Jets (5-11-3, 4-7-2) went back to Hebert for the third period and he made four saves on five shots. Lanne made four saves on eight shots in one period of work.
Shen made it 9-2 at 9:02 of the third after a slap shot from the point by Brayden made its way through traffic in front of the net past Hebert.
Shen replaced Mellow with Jared Frazer after the goal.
O’Connell completed his hat trick with 3:15 left in the third after firing a slap shot from the blue line past Frazer to make it 9-3.
`We played hard both yesterday (an 8-2 win at Saratoga) and tonight, we’ve got a refreshing attitude about ourselves lately and it’s nice. Their work ethic seems to be right on where we want it to be,` de la Rocha said.
Shen visits CBA on Friday and Shaker/Colonie plays at Bethlehem on Saturday.“