A banged-up Saratoga Springs hockey team had plenty left in the tank to handle a struggling Shaker/Colonie squad.
The Blue Streaks scored in the final 20 seconds of the first period and the first minute of the second period on their way to a 3-1 victory over the Jets last Saturday at the Saratoga Springs City Rink.
The win moved Saratoga (6-1-0 league, 8-4-0 overall) past Shaker/Colonie into first place in the Capital District High School Hockey League’s Division I standings. The Blue Streaks have won their last three league games, while the Jets (4-3-1, 6-4-2) have lost their last three contests.
We had a great weekend, said Saratoga coach Mike Ricupero. `We got full points this weekend [for two wins].`
`I think we’re in a little bit of a slump right now, and we have to find a way out of this as a team,` said Shaker/Colonie coach Steve Hudak. `Everyone’s giving it their all. We just have to rely on each other.`
Saratoga entered the game off a 5-3 victory at Bethlehem last Friday, but it also entered the game without senior forward Cody Nizolek, who was injured in that contest. That plus several more injuries left the Blue Streaks with only enough forwards for three lines.
`We ran with three lines, but I think we held our own,` said Ricupero.
Both teams had scoring chances in the first period, but it took a special effort by Tristan Sperry to get Saratoga on the board first. Sperry was in the middle of a scrum in front of Shaker/Colonie goaltender Jim Lanne when he knocked the puck into the goal before it was dislodged by a pile of players from both teams. The referees conferred for a moment before allowing the goal.
Once the Blue Streaks were on the scoreboard, it didn’t take long for them to strike again. Senior forward Stephen Cash tapped in a hard shot from the blue line less than one minute into the second period to give Saratoga a 2-0 lead.
`I think if you score the first goal, your confidence goes up,` said Ricupero.
Shaker/Colonie continued to put pressure on Saratoga’s defense in the second period, but the defending Section II Division I champions had a hard time connecting their passes to generate quality scoring chances. The shots the Jets did take in the second period were easily stopped by Saratoga goaltender Graeme Bulmer.
`We talked a lot about our defense. We didn’t want to give them too many opportunities,` said Ricupero. `So, we tried to limit our mistakes in our defensive zone.`
Shaker/Colonie had a chance to get back in the game in the third period when it went on a power play, but a steal at mid-ice led to a shorthanded breakaway by Saratoga’s Conor Murphy. The senior waited until he was at point-blank range and wristed a shot past Lanne to give the Blue Streaks a 3-0 lead.
The Jets broke up Bulmer’s shutout bid when Ryan Phillips stuffed a shot home with less than six minutes left, but that was as close as they would get.
Bulmer finished with 20 saves for Saratoga, while Lanne stopped 21 shots for Shaker/Colonie.
The Jets return to the Albany County Hockey Facility Friday to face LaSalle. They then hit the road to play Monroe-Woodbury Saturday.
`I think we have to be very positive, and I think we have to kind of get back to basics,` said Hudak.
Saratoga hosts Glens Falls Friday before venturing to the ACHF Saturday to face Christian Brothers Academy.“