N.Y. Semifinals: Massena Gains Early Lead, But Falls to Suffern 5-2

 strong third period lifts suffern past massena 5-2

A promising start for the Massena Raiders shifted late in the first period and came to an end in the third period of the New York State Division 1 boys ice hockey semifinals. The Raiders got two goals in the first period, from Connor King and Ryder Sunday, to build a 2-0.  However, in a span of just 38 seconds late in the period, Suffern tied the hockey game. Suffern scored all three goals in the third period, five straight, grabbing a 5-2 victory and ending the Raiders season.

 MASSENA SCORES IN BUNCHES TO WIN STATE QUARTERFINAL

The Massena Raiders scored two goals in the first period and tallied three more goals within one minute and 36 seconds of the third period to score a 5-1 win over Section II’s Shenendehowa Plainsman, and secure a berth in the New York State Final Four next weekend in Buffalo. Aronhaiwaks Rice scored at 13:44 of the first period, after Sal Peretta took the initial shot. Just 1:04 later, J.P. Bouchard scored from the slot with Drew Smutz assisting, upping the lead to 2-0. After the Raiders gave up a goal in the second period on a neutral-zone turnover, Massena rallied for three goals in a 96-second span of the third frame, when Camron Francis dished to Parker O'Neil who scored with 8:35 left. Carter King also assisted. Rice then scored his second goal when outracing the defense on a clearing pass, caught up to the puck and whipped a shot between the goaltender’s pads to make it 4-1. The Raiders iced the victory when Connor King stole the puck off a defense man’s stick and lit the lamp for Massena's final tally. Jake Linstad recorded 31 saves for the Raiders, while Shenendehowa goaltenders combined for 24 saves. Massena advances to face Suffern in next week's New York State boys hockey semifinal on Saturday.

 MASSENA CLAIMS DIVISION I TITLE WITH 2ND PERIOD SURGE

Massena's Parker O'Neil feeds the puck through the crease, but the shot is tucked home by Aronhaiwaks Rice.  The game began as a goalie showcase between Massena's Jake Linstad and Canton's Daniel Creurer who made several sharp saves in a scoreless frame. At 11:20 of the middle frame,  From the point, Massena's Drew Smutz netted the game's first goal.  Just 11 seconds later, Carter King drops a pass to the point and Aronhaiwaks Rice rips the shot for the goal, 2-0 Raiders . On scramble on front of the net, Rice backhanded his shot into the mesh, 3-0 Massena.  The Raiders get two empty net goals in the third period from Carter King and Parker O'Neill to beat Canton 5-0 and win the Section X Division I championship, their first since 2020.  (Cody Jenne photo)

LATE GOAL SINKS LARRIES IN N.Y. STATE QUARTERFINAL 4-2

BYRAM  HILLS 4, ST. LAWRENCE CENTRAL 2
With the game tied 2-2 with 3:23 left in the third period, the St. Lawrence Central Larries surrendered the go-ahead goal, followed by an empty-netter with just over a minute remaining, in falling to Section I's Byram Bills in the New York State Division II quaterfinals.  Short-handed, Byram netted the opening goal with 2:12 left in the first period.  SLC evened the score 1-1 when Tyler Merriman lit the lamp at 3:44 of the middle frame.  Connor Provost's goal at 6:27 of the period gave the Larries the lead 2-1.  But for the second time in the game, host Byram skated with a 5-on-3, and took advantage to tie 2-2.  The Larries were unable to capitalize with their own two-man-up opportunity with 10 minutes left, before Byram closed out the win and a trip to next week's Final Four.

larries' quick start dooms shamrocks for d-2 title

Just four minutes into the game, the Larries' Charlie Dow drops a pass to Michael Donie who lights the lamp, 1-0 SLC.  Just 31 seconds later, Connor Provost used the defenseman for the screen and found the net, 2-0 Larries. The Shamrocks got on the board when Dylan Johnson got behind the defense and beat gpalie Avery Zenger with a shot to make it 2-1. Salmon River then overplayed the puck, allowing Dow to feed John Boyce alone on the opposite wing for the sharp-angle shot, 3-1 Larries.  In the third period, Charlie Clark-Vallance scored from near the blue line, when the Salmon keeper overplayed the puck that shot behind him as he slid across. Provost got a breakaway shot.  Dow slams home the rebound.  5-1 SLC.  Also in the third, Tyler Merriman got the initial shot, rebounded by Michael Donie to close the scoring at  6-1.  St. Lawrence Central won the Section X Division II Championship, its first in six years, and advanced to State play on Saturday against the champions from Section I.  (Bob LaRue photo)

St. Lawrence stuns o.f.a. on merriman's goal in overtime

Overtime game winner: In a classic defensive playoff battle that went scoreless in regulation, the end came quickly in overtime. Scoreless into the third of the Section X Division II semifinal, the Larries’ Connor Provost dished to Camden Coughlin on the backhand, but the shot went off the goalpost. Ogdensburg’s Tyler Sovie went back-hand and flips his shot just wide. In the closing seconds of regulations, Brian Doser’s shot was covered by Larries’ keeper Avery Zenger and it was off to overtime. Just 56 seconds of OT, Tyler Merriman circled the net and fired, off the opposite post and just across the goal line for the sudden-victory game winner. St. Lawrence Central edged Ogdensburg in overtime 1-0, and will face two-time defending champion Salmon River for the Division II championship at Clarkson’s Cheel Arena. (Cody Jenne photo)

ST. LAWRENCE CTL. OUTLASTS TUPPER LAKE 5-3 IN Q-FINALS

Within seconds of the opening faceoff, St. Lawrence Central keeper Avery Zenger dives and snow-cones a tough shot on goal(.  After a scoreless first period, #3-seeded St. Lawrence Central dented the mesh three times in the middle frame, en route to a 5-3 win over sixth-rated Tupper Lake in the Section X Division II quarterfinals. Both teams tickled twine twice in the third period. Charlie Dow scored twice, while Michael Donie and Tyler Merriman provided a goal and an assist, while Damon Olsen netted a goal for the Larries. Shaheen Griffin scored twice and Karter Kenniston scored for the Lumberjacks. Avery Zenger made 28 saves for SLC, while Brayden Shannon turned aside 22 shots for Tupper.  (Cody Jenne photo)