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Plattsburgh High goaltender Dean Dashnaw saves the puck from a shot as the Hornets’ Logan Julian (24) looks to help and Beekmantown players crash the net during a Section VII Division II boys hockey championship Tuesday at Stafford Ice Arena.

JESSICA BLONDELL/ P-R Photo

Harvey delivers Section VII title to Beekmantown

BY RICKY ST. CLAIR (press-republican editor)

Plattsburgh High fired pucks from all angles, and Cole Harvey rose to the occasion. The senior goaltender posted a 23-save shutout to preserve Beekmantown’s 1-0 win in the Section VII Division II boys hockey championship in front of 1,483 attendees Tuesday at Stafford Ice Arena. The fourth-seeded Eagles capped an improbable sectional run with their first title in three years. “I never really doubted us,” Harvey said. “I knew we’d eventually come around. We grinded every day, and we knew that if I was going out, I was going to leave everything out there. “And we were able to pull off wins every time out.” Matthew Maggy scored the game’s only goal by redirecting a Kade Collins point shot through the wickets of Hornets goaltender Dean Dashnaw with 46 seconds left in the first period.  Nathan Hebert’s initial shot attempt sailed around the end boards and found Collins at the right point, and Collins delivered a snap shot on net. "Yeah, he just had a phenomenal shot from the point, and I was able to get a tip on it,” Maggy said. “And luckily, it went in the net. But great team effort on that goal to get it in the zone and work it up high.”  Plattsburgh recorded more shots on goal in the third period (12) than it did in the first and second periods combined (11).  Dashnaw was sent to the bench for an extra Hornets attacker shortly after a Plattsburgh timeout with 1:53 remaining. But Harvey stood tall on multiple occasions in the final minute, including a chaotic goalmouth scramble. “Yeah, that was the longest couple minutes I’ve been in in a long time,” Harvey said. “I kind of just took it one shot at a time. Eventually, I made that pad save, and it kind of went out of the zone. “I was able to turn and see the game was over.” Early in the third period, the Hornets whacked at a loose puck in crease, and the puck began trickling toward the goal line. But Collins came to Beekmantown’s rescue by instinctively clearing the puck to the corner. “(Time) definitely did (stand still),” Collins said. “I mean, my hockey senses really kicked in. I’m like, ‘Oh man, I better get this out.’ “And I just got it out of the way as quick as I could and then kind of looked around to see what I had to do next, and it worked out.” Dashnaw was exceptional, accumulating 25 saves in the final game of his high school career. “Hats off to Plattsburgh High School,” Eagles coach Justin Frechette said. “We had our hands full (Tuesday). They’re a good team, and they put a lot of pressure on you offensively.” With the win, Beekmantown advanced to the NYSPHSAA quarterfinals. The Eagles will face Salmon River, the Section X runner-up, Saturday at Stafford Ice Arena. The Shamrocks defeated Beekmantown 1-0 Jan. 14 in Fort Covington.  “I’m good friends with their coach,” Frechette said. “I coached his brother on my (Champlain Valley) Elite team. He went on to be a Hobey Baker finalist actually...Teddy Cook for Niagara. “They’re a very big, physical team. And they always come hard. So it’s going to be another good game here.”—

Beekmantown 1, Plattsburgh High 0

Beekmantown 1 0 0 — 1

Plattsburgh High 0 0 0 — 0

First period- 1, BCS, Maggy (Collins, Hebert), 14:14.

Shots: Beekmantown 26, Plattsburgh High 23.

Saves: Harvey, BCS, 23. Dashnaw, PHS, 25.

• BY JOEY LAFRANCA Press-Republican

Both teams enter the title game following tight semifinal matchups last Thursday. The Hornets edged Northeastern Clinton 4-3, while the Eagles held off top-seeded Lake Placid for a 3-2 victory. Entering today’s game, Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy and Beekmantown coach Justin Frechette both noted how they have tried to stay consistent in their preparation. “Not a lot has changed for us from game to game,” Reidy said. “We try to be consistent in what we do. We are certainly familiar with each other and the magnitude of the game. I really think for both teams it will be about how the younger players react because both teams are on the younger side. We will see how the young kids react and how much they contribute to a game like this.” Frechette said his team is rolling with the mentality it has had for the playoffs this season.  “We have been the underdog in the playoffs here, and we have taken to that role,” Frechette said. “We have beaten some teams that are higher ranked and higher seeded than us, so it just comes down to preparing, playing fast and playing for each other. “The biggest thing for us is to be who we are. We are treating (today) like any other game that has gotten us this far. The kids have to trust in their systems, and they just have to go out and play.” The Hornets had the upper hand on the Eagles during the regular season, defeating their rival, 2-0 and 3-1. “We have had success against them this year, but we know it’s a whole other game,” Reidy said. “Everything is in the past. We hope to pull out positives from those games and hopefully capitalize on some of those things we did well in those two games against them.” During conference play, Paul Fine-Lease, Nate Boule and Brendan Whalen highlighted Plattsburgh’s offense, combining for 37 points. Dean Dashnaw spent the majority of time in net and supported a .922 save percentage. Reidy said his team will look to excel on the man advantage when given the opportunity and also equal Beekmantown’s emotion. “We want to try and capitalize on the power play,” Reidy said. “There’s good special teams both ways, but we do have a pretty effective power play with good shooters. We have been able to take advantage of that in the past. Beekmantown plays with a lot of energy all the time as well, so we have to match that energy and play disciplined hockey.” The Eagles saw a majority of their offense come from the trio of Christian Wawrzynski, Matthew Maggy and Josh McCauley, totaling 37 points together during the regular season. Cole Harvey anchored Beekmantown’s defense between the pipes, owning a .918 save percentage. “We just have to focus on who we are as a team,” Frechette said. “You can’t reinvent yourself this time of year. We have to know this is who we are, and this is our identity. The kids have done a great job playing and perfecting their roles.” Analyzing reasons why his team has reached the championship game, Frechette acknowledged the leadership from the team’s senior class and captains.He also credited the Eagles’ ability to play as a whole.  “Plattsburgh High is a very tough team to play against,” Frechette said. “For us, it’s not about one particular position or player. We talk a lot about how we are a unit of five or a unit of six with the goaltender. It’s not about one individual player. We want to do our best to accomplish our roles with a team-first mentality.” Knowing his team dropped two decisions to the Hornets earlier this season, Frechette said he knows playing Plattsburgh will not be easy but believes in his players. “We know we have a big challenge in front of us in Plattsburgh High,” Frechette said. “They are a higher seed and higher ranked. They have beaten us twice this year, and (today) is a great opportunity to go out and compete against a great team.”

HORNETS RALLY PAST NCCS COUGARS, 4-3 TO ADVANCE TO FINALS

Plattsburgh High’s Tyler Reid (20) and Northeastern Clinton’s Bailey LaBombard jockey for position after a face-off during a Section VII Division II boys hockey semifinal at Ameri-Can North Sports Center. Reid scored the game-winning goal with less than a minute left.

GABE DICKENS/ P-R PHOTO

Freshman Tyler Reid’s last-minute goal supplied the second-seeded Hornets with a championship game berth.

The third-seeded Cougars maintained a 3-2 lead late in the third period after goals from Kyle Vassar and Brady Lafountain.

But Paul Fine-Lease rescued Plattsburgh, tying the game at 3-all with 5:08 left before Reid’s late-game heroics.

“I thought it was a good game, for the most part,” Hornets coach Jamie Reidy said. “We had some horrible turnovers in the third period that cost us two goals and made the game interesting, for sure. Neither team laid down, and there was no quit from both teams, and it showed by the back and forth play in the third.  “NCCS had a very good year and represented well. Games like that are tough to lose. We look forward to the Section VII championship game this upcoming Tuesday.

“I would expect a great game against a very good Beekmantown team, which is playing well at the right time. Should be fun.”

—

Plattsburgh High 4, Northeastern Clinton 3

NortheasternClinton 00 3 — 3 PlattsburghHigh 1 1 2 — 4

First period- 1, PHS, Boule (Atwood, Julian), 10:39.

Second period- 2, PHS, Whalen (Atwood, Julian), 14:44 (PPG).

Third period- 3, NCCS, Arliss (Richards), 2:47 (SHG). 4, NCCS, Vassar (Rowe), 8:56. 5, NCCS, Lafountain (LaBombard), 9:33. 6, PHS, Fine-Lease (Atwood, Whalen), 9:52 (PPG). 7, PHS, Reid (Fine-Lease, Halloran), 14:22.

Shots: Plattsburgh High 24, Northeastern Clinton 22.

Saves: Roberts, NCCS, 20. Dashnaw, PHS, 19.

SECTION 7 - DIVISION 2 CHAMPIONSHIP  AT STAFFORD ARENA - SUNY

No. 4 Beekmantown vs. No. 2 Plattsburgh High

Boys hockey semifinals

No. 3 Northeastern Clinton (3) at No. 2 Plattsburgh High (4)

No. 4 Beekmantown (3) at No. 1 Lake Placid (2)

Boys hockey quarterfinals

No. 6 Saranac (0) at No. 3 Northeastern Clinton (11)

No. 5 Saranac Lake (1) at No. 4 Beekmantown (3)

LAKE PLACID BLUE BOMBERS                             7-2-1   15  32GF 17GA

PLATTSBURGH HORNETS                                    7-3-0   14   28GF 18GA

NORTHEASTERN CLINTON COUGARS           6-3-1   13   31GF 24GA

BEEKMANTOWN EAGLES                                    5-5-0    10   37GF  19GA

SARANAC LAKE RED STORM                             3-5-2   8    34GF 23GA

SARANAC CHIEFS                                                  0-10-0   0    10GF 71GA

Plattsburgh High’s Seth Atwood carries the puck around the net in the offensive zone while Beekmantown’s Hayden King gives chase during Friday’s Champlain Valley Athletic Conference boys hockey game at Stafford Ice Arena.

GABE DICKENS/ P-R PHOTO

Hornets fend off Blue Bombers, earn first-round bye

(Press-Republican)   

No. 7 - State Ranked, Plattsburgh High guaranteed itself a first-round bye in the upcoming Section VII Division II playoffs.  With a 3-2 defeat of Lake Placid Friday, the Hornets leapfrogged the Blue Bombers and Northeastern Clinton to first in the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference boys hockey standings.Plattsburgh can’t finish worse than second, but the conference champion won’t be determined until later today. Lake Placid, which trails the Hornets by one point, hosts Beekmantown at 6 p.m., and the Blue Bombers control their own destiny.  Paul Fine-Lease recorded his second goal with 2:07 left in the third period to ice Lake Placid.  “We needed it,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “We battled hard all year, especially after losing some players to injury. The kids just stayed positive and kept on trucking.”

Bjorn Kroes tied the game at 2-all with 2:55 left in the third period before Fine-Lease struck 48 seconds later.  The Hornets outshot the Blue Bombers 34-18, and Kamm Cassidy finished with 31 saves. “We carried a lot of the play, and (Cassidy) gives them a chance to win,” Reidy said. “Certainly a crazy finish to the game, with bounces going both ways. “Lake Placid’s an experienced team, and it will be there down the stretch. We look forward to entering the playoffs on a high note.”

—

Plattsburgh High 3, Lake Placid 2

LakePlacid 0 0 2 — 2 PlattsburghHigh 102 — 3

First period- 1, PHS, Fine-Lease (Boule, Atwood), 9:48. 

Third period- 2, LP, Kroes (Kane, Moore), 8:22. 3, PHS, Colburn (Abellard), 9:40. 4, LP, Kroes, 12:05. 5, PHS, Fine-Lease (Boule), 12:53. 

Shots: Plattsburgh High 34, Lake Placid 18.Saves: Cassidy, LP, 31. Dashnaw, PHS, 16.

HORNETS PICK UP BIG TWO POINTS OVER SARANAC LAKE (PRESS REPUBLICAN)

Paul Fine-Lease struck late in the third period to give the Hornets the lead for keeps.

Brendan Whalen’s firstperiod tally tied the game at 1-all.

“Certainly, we’ll take the two points,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “I don’t think we had our best effort (Tuesday). We played with 12 because of injuries.

“But that does not take away from Saranac Lake one bit. Either team could’ve won.”

Reidy complimented the play of Jalen Abellard.

Brett Dawson opened scoring for the Red Storm with a power-play goal at 7:11 of the first period.

—

Plattsburgh High 2, Saranac Lake 1

SaranacLake 1 0 0 — 1 PlattsburghHigh 1 0 1—2

First period- 1, SLCS, Dawson (C. Sturgeon), 7:11 (PP). 2, PHS, Whalen (Julian, Boule), 11:29.

Third period- 3, PHS, Fine-Lease (Boule, Atwood), 9:49.

Shots: Saranac Lake 20, Plattsburgh High 16.

Saves: Freeman, SLCS, 14. Dashnaw, PHS, 19.

PHS power play excels in 3-1 win over Eagles!

(from the press-republican) CHAMPLAIN — Northeastern Clinton exploded for four goals in the second period and picked up a 6-3 victory against Plattsburgh High in Champlain Valley Athletic Conference boys hockey Wednesday.
Brady Lafountain notched a hat trick for the Cougars, scoring twice in the second stanza and once in the third.
Northeastern Clinton saw the Hornets cut its lead to 4-3 in the third period after goals from Paul Fine-Lease and Nate Boule, but the Cougars held off a Plattsburgh rally.
“It was a very emotional night, celebrating our five exceptional seniors,” Northeastern Clinton coach Scott Lafountain said. “ We had a decent first period, and then in the second, we were able to break the game open with four goals.
“At the start of the second period, we got a huge save from Ryan Roberts, which swung the momentum for us leading to two quick goals within 13 seconds.”
Roberts finished with 25 saves, while Dean Dashnaw stopped 18 shots for Plattsburgh High.
“This was a great win for us,” Lafountain said. “We’ve had a small stretch of games of late that we don’t feel like we’ve been our best. I was pleased with our offensive efforts. We will continue to work on all aspects of our game as we approach sectionals.”
—
Northeastern Clinton 6, Plattsburgh High 3 Plattsburgh 1 0 2 — 3 N.Clinton 0 4 2 — 6
First period- 1, PHS, Fine-Lease (Whalen), 7:24.
Second period- 2, NCCS, Lafountain (LaValley), 2:40. 3, NCCS, Boire (Favreau), 2:53. 4, NCCS, Lafountain (Duffy, Rowe), 7:19. 5, NCCS, LaValley (Rowe), 13:02.
Third period- 6, PHS, Boule (Fine-Lease), 3:17. 7, PHS, Fine-Lease (Halloran, Boule), 8:28. 8, NCCS, Rowe (LaBombard), 13:43. 9, NCCS, Lafountain (LaBombard, Gallucci), 14:44.
Shots: Plattsburgh High 28, Northeastern Clinton 24.

Nate Boule was responsible for a hat-trick performance for the Hornets. (press-republican)

Plattsburgh’s Ben Champagne and Paul Fine-Lease each tallied twice, while Brendan Whalen finished with four assists.

“It was a tough game as we are down a few guys with injuries, but our guys battled hard against Plattsburgh’s top lines all game long,” Chiefs assistant coach Josh Bechard said.

—

Plattsburgh High 9, Saranac 1

PlattsburghHigh 4 3 2 — 9 Saranac 01 0 — 1 First period-1, PHS, Champagne (Whalen), 1:59. 2, PHS, Atwood (Whalen), 5:40. 3, Halloran (Fine-Lease), 10:29. 4, PHS, Boule (Fine-Lease), 13:50.

Second period- 5, PHS, Fine-Lease (Whalen), 4:27. 6, SCS, Prenoveau, 5:52. 7, PHS, Boule (Whalen), 10:37. 8, PHS, Champagne (Julian), 12:35.

Third period- 9, PHS, Fine-Lease (Clarke), 6:23. 10, PHS, Boule, 11:15.

Shots: Plattsburgh High 57, Saranac 12.

Saves: Side 3-3, LaDue 3-4, Dashnaw 5-5, PHS, 11-12. Shea, SCS, 39.

Champagne, Atwood lead PHS over Hilton (Press-Republican)

LAKE PLACID — Ben Champagne and Seth Atwood have each missed the last three Plattsburgh High boys hockey games. The two returned to the lineup on Saturday and made their presence known. Champagne accounted for a goal and assist, while Atwood scored the game-winning goal in the Hornets’ 3-2 nonleague win over Hilton. Saturday’s game was added to the Hornets’ schedule to give Hilton two games over the weekend in the Lake Placid area. Hilton skated to a 5-3 victory over Saranac Lake the night before. Nate Boule assisted on Atwood’s game-winner, which broke a 2-all tie midway through the third period. Champagne and Paul Fine-Lease tallied earlier power-play goals for the Hornets, with Champagne scoring in the first period and Fine-Lease in the second. Dean Dashnaw had 17 saves in net for Plattsburgh, which held a 26-19 shot advantage.

“We haven’t played in a week and a half and came out a little slow in the first period,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “I thought we gave a good effort in the second and third periods.

“We welcomed back Ben and Seth today. They are both a big part of our team and they both contributed today. It was a good allaround team effort.”

Plattsburgh 3, Hilton 2 Hilton 1 1 0 — 2 Plattsburgh 1 1 1— 3

First period- 1, PHS, Champagne ppg (Fine-Lease), 3:39. 2, Hil, Wisa, 5:21.

Second period- 3, Hil, Mann (Lantz), 12:42. 4, PHS, Fine-Lease ppg (Champagne), 14:35.

Third period- 5, PHS, Atwood (Boule), 6:16.

Shots: Plattsburgh 26, Hilton 19.

Saves: Dashnaw, PHS, 17. Burdick, Hil, 23.

 (Press Republican) Paul Fine-Lease and Tyler Reid scored first- period goals and the Plattsburgh High boys skated to a 3-1 victory over Saranac in Champlain Valley Athletic Conference hockey Thursday.

Casey Halloran’s powerplay goal gave the Hornets a 3-0 lead before the Chiefs got on the board in the third on Michael Prenoveau’s goal.

Dean Dashnaw played the first two periods in net for Plattsburgh and blanked Saranac while making seven saves. Konnor Shea played well in the Saranac nets, stopping 38 of 41 shots.

“I thought we played well the first two periods and then we got way too selfish in the third and tried to do too much on an individual basis,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “We had good puck possession throughout the game, but played a little too much on the perimeter and didn’t get into the high traffic areas we need to in order to score goals.

“We have some down time to heal up a little and get ready for the rest of our league schedule. Give credit to Saranac for playing hard and they had some excellent goaltending (Thursday).”

—

Plattsburgh 3, Saranac 1

Saranac 0 0 1 — 1 Plattsburgh 2 1 0 — 3

First period- 1, PHS, Fine-Lease (Reid, Giroux), 6:23. 2, PHS, Reid (Giroux, Whalen), 11:35.

Second period- 3, PHS, Halloran (Whalen, Fine-Lease), 13:13 (PPG).

Third period- 4, SCS, Prenoveau, 8:15. 

Shots: Plattsburgh 41, Saranac 9. 

Saves: Dashnaw 7-7, Dublanyk 1-2, LaDue 0-0, PHS, 8-9. Shea, SCS, 38.

PLATTSBURGH HIGH 2 SARANAC LAKE 0 (press-republican)

NORFOLK — Paul Fine-Lease, an all-tournament selection, scored goals 15 seconds apart in the third period to give the Hornets a win over the Red Storm in the Norwood- Norfolk Tournament.

Nate Boule picked up assists on both Plattsburgh goals.

Nick Ladue turned aside 19 shots to record the shutout in net, while Jaden Gladd made 27 stops for Saranac Lake.

“Other than the second period, we played a good game top to bottom,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “We had a very short bench this weekend, missing three of our top six forwards, and had a late game Friday night.

“I was happy with the effort and our freshmen got a lot of ice time. Gavin Giroux, Nate Boule and Paul Fine-Lease were horses for us, and Logan Julian, Brendan Whalen and Casey Halloran were strong defensively.”

—

Plattsburgh 2, Saranac Lake 0

Plattsburgh 0 0 2— 2 SaranacLake 0 0 0 — 0

Third period-1, PHS, Fine-Lease (Boule, Laravia), 2:31. 2, PHS, Fine-Lease (Boule), 2:46.

Shots: Plattsburgh 29, Saranac Lake 19. Saves: Ladue, PHS, 19. Gladd, SL, 27.

ST. LAWRENCE 4 PLATTSBURGH HIGH 1 (press-republican)

NORFOLK — St. Lawrence Central jumped in front with two first-period goals and defeated the Hornets in the opening round of the Norwood- Norfolk Tournament.

Plattsburgh, which finished with a 31-20 shot advantage, got on the scoreboard early in the third period when Gavin Giroux scored from Paul Fine-Lease.

“We had a 2-hour ride to the game and then the game got delayed by an hour,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “We didn’t play well at all in the first period and had just one shot on goal.

“We then played very well in the second period, getting 22 shots on goal. But we ran into a hot goaltender. We played real good hockey in the second and third periods, but gave up a couple of weak goals.”

—

St. Lawrence 4, Plattsburgh 1

Plattsburgh 0 0 1— 1 St.Lawrence 2 1 1 — 4 First period-1, SLC, Jenkenson, 2:19. 2, SLC, Kowalchuk (Kocsis), 10:10.

Second period- 3, SLC, Collins (Robertson), :42.

Third period- 4, PHS, Giroux (Fine-Lease), 2:29. 5, SLC, Lantry, 6:00.

Shots: Plattsburgh 31, St. Lawrence 20. Saves: Side, PHS, 16. Kinnear, SLC, 30.

Dashnaw's shutout leads Hornets over Eagles, 2-0 (Press-Republican)

Dean Dashnaw recorded a 19-save shutout, and Logan Julian and Paul Fine-Lease each scored for the Hornets in Champlain Valley Athletic Conference play.Julian struck with a power-play goal with 3:43 left in the third period, while Fine-Lease followed with an empty-net goal with 16 seconds left.

Cole Harvey racked up 30 saves on 31 shots faced for the Eagles.

“l thought we played a good hockey game (Tuesday) and played the game and represented our school with class,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “lt was a great atmosphere, and the game had lots of energy throughout. We stuck to the game plan and stayed the course and were rewarded with a big two points for our effort (Tuesday).

“You have to give credit to Cole Harvey and Kade Collins, who I thought stood out for the Eagles.

“We will take the day off (today) and get ready for the weekend.”

— Plattsburgh High 2, Beekmantown 0 Beekmantown 0 0 0 — 0 Plattsburgh 0 0 2 —2

Third period- 1, PHS, Julian (Giroux, Whalen), 11:17. 2, PHS, Fine-Lease, 14:44 (ENG).

Shots: Plattsburgh High 32, Beekmantown 19.

Saves: Harvey, BCS, 30. Dashnaw, PHS, 19.

PLATTSBURGH HIGH 3, LA SALLE INSTITUTE 3 (Press-Republican)

PLATTSBURGH — Down 3-1, the Cadets scored two third-period goals to salvage a tie against the Hornets.  Paul Fine-Lease opened scoring for Plattsburgh High  6:28 into the game. Just 1:30 later, Nate Boule put the Hornets ahead 2-0.  After a La Salle goal late in the first period, Seth Atwood put Plattsburgh back up by two goals at the 14:13 mark of the second period. Hornets coach Jamie Reidy said Dean Dashnaw, who made 31 stops, gave his team a chance to win. Overall, Reidy said Plattsburgh started strong but was unable to hold of La Salle. “We got of to a good start and had good jump in the first, and then both teams got into penalty trouble, and there was not much flow to the game,” Reidy said. “La Salle is a much improved team this year and played a good game. We have a lot of work to do and get back at it (today).”

LaSalleInstitute 1 0 2 — 3 PlattsburghHigh 2 1 0 — 3

First period- 1, PHS, Fine-Lease (Kneifel), 6:28. 2, PHS, Boule (Julian), 7:48. 3, L, O’Brien (Discano, Mainello), 14:54 (PP).

Second period- 4, PHS, Atwood (Fine-Lease, Champagne), 14:13 (PP).

Third period- 5, L, Discanio (Ryan), 1:38. 6, L, Mainello (Ryan), 8:59 (PP).

Shots: La Salle Institute 34, Plattsburgh High 30.

Saves: Dashnaw, PHS, 31. Rentz, L, 27.

Hornets sweep weekend in Section 2; down Queensbury Spartans 5-1 (Press-Republican)

GLENS FALLS — Alex Kneifel started off the game with a natural hat trick in the first period and added another tally in the second stanza to help lead the Hornets to a victory.

Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said the fast start was beneficial for his team and complimented Kneifel’s performance.

“(It was) a good start to the game. Good jump to get the game going,” Reidy said. “Alex Kneifel had one of those games. A four-goal game at any level is impressive. He was definitely our leader (Saturday).”

Cameron Colburn also found the back of the net for the Hornets.

Dean Dashnaw stopped 14 shots to secure the win in goal for Plattsburgh.

The Hornets will return to the ice when they host Beekmantown Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. at Ameri-Can North Sports Center.

“Our focus has to turn to Tuesday night when we host Beekmantown,” Reidy said. “Any time you play Beekmantown, I think you have to be prepared.

“Justin and his staff are always very well prepared for the game. I think Justin has a real good mind for the game, and he’ll have his guys ready.

“I think they run a lot of complicated systems, and we will have to be able to adjust to that, and we look forward to the challenge.”

—

Plattsburgh High 5, Queensbury 1

Plattsburgh High 4 1 0 — 5

Queensbury 0 0 1 — 1

First period- 1, PHS, Kneifel (Fine-Lease, Halloran), 1:17. 2, PHS, Kneifel (Boule), 6:25. 3, PHS, Kneifel (Keever, Boule), 10:04. 4, PHS, Colburn (Reed, Laravia) 11:45.

Second period- 5, PHS, Kneifel (Champagne, Fine-Lease), 8:08.

Third period- 6, Q, Gordon (Smith, Vogel), 1:17.

Shots: Plattsburgh High 29, Queensbury 18.

Saves: Dashnaw, PHS, 14-15. Dubaynck 3-3. Smith 24-28, Korol 0-1.

Hornets capture Non-League tilt over Tri-Falls Rivermen, 4-3 (Press-Republican)

PLATTSBURGH 4, TRI-FALLS 3

GLENS FALLS — Plattsburgh High jumped out to a 3-0 lead and then held on for a non-conference win.

Alex Kneifel scored in the first period, while Brendan Whalen and Seth Atwood added second-period markers to give the Hornets a 3-goal lead.

Tri-Falls cut its deficit to 3-2 in the third stanza before Nate Boule’s goal at the 13:30 mark sealed it.

Kyle Side was in net for Plattsburgh, which finished with a 32-24 shot advantage.

“Getting off to a quick start was important for us,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “It was important for us to get some momentum.

“I was pretty happy with the overall game. The kids were gripping their sticks late in the game, but we were able to hold on. It was a nice win.

“Brendan Whalen had a really nice effort on the shorthanded play. It was certainly a turning point in the game for us.”

The Hornets play Queensbury at noon today.

—

Plattsburgh 4, Tri-Falls 3

Plattsburgh 1 2 1 — 4 Tri-Falls 0 0 3 — 3 First period- 1, PHS, Kneifel (Fine-Lease), 5:22.

Second period- 2, PHS, Whalen shg, :58. 3, PHS, Atwood (Champagne), 10:17. Third period- 4, TF, Nizolek (Thomas), :24. 5, TF, Cormie ppg (Thomas, Willis), 5:33. 6, PHS, Boule (Kneifel, Fine-Lease), 13:30. 7, TF, Willis ppg (Cormie, Thomas), 14:20.

Shots: Plattsburgh 32, Tri-Falls 24. Saves: Side, PHS, 21. Meehan, TF, 28.

Cassidy, Blue Bombers shut out Hornets (Press Republican)

LAKE PLACID — Kamm Cassidy posted a 32-save shutout, while Evan Damp scored twice, in Lake Placid’s 3-0 blanking of Plattsburgh High Tuesday.
Kevin Geesler also tallied in the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference boys hockey game.
“It is great to get a league win against a very good team,” Blue Bombers coach Butch Martin said. “Our guys worked hard. Ryan Kane, Kevin Geesler and our goalie, Kamm Cassidy, had outstanding games.
“We learned a little more (Tuesday), and we will continue to work to get better. After a bunch of one-goal losses, it is nice for the guys to string three wins in a row. We will now prepare for our next game.”
Dean Dashnaw stopped 21-of-24 shots for the Hornets.
Lake Placid 3, Plattsburgh High 0
PlattsburghHigh0 0 0 — 0 LakePlacid 2 0 1 — 3

First period- 1, LP, Geesler (Kane, Moore),
5:23 (PP). 2, LP, Damp (Geesler, Moore), 5:58.
Third period- 3, LP, Damp (Moore, Kroes), 9:46.
Shots: Plattsburgh High 32, Lake Placid 24.
Saves: Dashnaw, PHS, 21. Cassidy, LP, 32.

St. Lawrence downs Plattsburgh High (Press-Republican)

ALEXANDRIA BAY — Rico DiMatteo, a sophomore goaltender, registered a 30-save shutout in St. Lawrence’s 3-0 victory over Plattsburgh High in nonconference boys hockey Wednesday. The Hornets finished runner-up in the Thousand Islands/Alexandria Bay Tournament, and Ben Champagne and Paul Fine-Lease were named to the all-tournament team.

“I am really proud of the effort,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “We played one of the better teams in the state, (which) has one of the best goaltenders in the state. We ran into a red-hot goalie, and we just couldn’t buy a goal.

“I’m really happy with our effort in this tournament. We played two really big, physical teams. We certainly skated with both teams.

“For a young hockey club, we are going in a positive direction which is a real plus.”

St. Lawrence 3, Plattsburgh High 0

PlattsburghHigh 0 0 0— 0 St.Lawrence 1 1 1 — 3

First period- 1, SL, Dow (Lantry, P. Felix), 5:21

Second period- 2, SL, Kowalchuk (Phippen), 11:10.

Third period- 3, SL, Bressett (Rose), 0:35.

Shots: Plattsburgh High 30, St. Lawrence 24.

Saves: Dashnaw, PHS, 21. DiMatteo, SL, 30.

Hornets shut out Section X Flyers (Press-Republican)

ALEXANDRIA BAY — Paul Fine-Lease and Seth Atwood each tallied, while Kyle Side recorded an 18-save shutout, in No. 9 Plattsburgh High’s 2-0 win over Norwood-Norfolk in non-conference boys hockey Tuesday. The Hornets will take on St. Lawrence, a 5-1 winner over Thousand Islands/ Alexandria Bay, in the Thousand Islands/Alexandria Bay Tournament championship today.

After a scoreless first period, Fine-Lease and Atwood each found the back of the net in the second.

“It was a good game,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “We were really flat in first after the three-hour drive. No energy at all.

“In the second period, we were a completely different team. Came out with a lot of energy. Played a good, solid third as well.

“Happy to rebound after the NCCS game, which I thought we made a lot of mental mistakes in that game.

“St. Lawrence is definitely one of the top teams in the state. They beat Alexandria Bay in the opener, and they just knocked off Massena.”

—

Plattsburgh High 2, Norwood-Norfolk 0

Norwood-Norfolk 0 0 0 — 0 PlattsburghHigh 0 2 0 — 2

Second period- 1, PHS, Fine-Lease (Atwood, Halloran), 8:05. 2, PHS, Atwood (Fine-Lease, Champagne) 13:06.

Shots: Plattsburgh High 26, Norwood-Norfolk 18.

Saves: Side, PHS, 18. G. VanBuren, N-N, 24.

GABE DICKENS/ P-R PHOTO

(Press-Republican) Plattsburgh’s Logan Julian skates the puck through the neutral zone while Northeastern Clinton’s Ryley Duffy attempts to slow him down during Thursday’s Champlain Valley Athletic Conference hockey game at the Ameri-Can North Sports Center in Plattsburgh.

LaValley’s third-period goal lifts Cougars past Plattsburgh

 Aidan LaValley’s third-period goal supplied Northeastern Clinton with a 2-1 win over No. 3 Plattsburgh High Thursday at Ameri-Can North Sports Center.

Ian Gordon tied the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference boys hockey game at 1-all late in the first period. “I thought it was a sloppy game but had good energy and a high tempo to it,” Hornets coach Jamie Reidy said. “(Ryan) Roberts played well as he usually does against us. It’s probably a good loss for us as we need to really learn how to close out periods and not give up quality chances at the end of periods. “Mental mistakes cost us big time (Thursday). Hopefully, we learn from it and continue to grow. NCCS has had a good start to the season, and it should be a tight CVAC right to the finish line this season.” Roberts finished with 21 saves for the Cougars, and Alex Kneifel gave Plattsburgh a 1-0 lead with 1:48 gone in the first period.

Northeastern Clinton 2, Plattsburgh High 1

NortheasternClinton 0 1 1 — 2 PlattsburghHigh 010 — 1

First period- 1, PHS, Kniefel (Julian, Champagne), 1:48. 2, NCCS, Gordon (Sample), 13:09.

Third period- 3, PHS, LaValley, 3:34.

Shots: Plattsburgh High 23, Northeastern Clinton 14.

Saves: Roberts, NCCS, 21. Dashnaw, PHS, 12.

Nate Boule scores game-winner in third period as Hornets ice Red Storm 2-1 (Press-Republican)

SARANAC LAKE — Nate Boule’s second goal of the game, with 7:57 gone in the third period, broke a 1-all tie and sent Plattsburgh High to a 2-1 victory over Saranac Lake in Champlain Valley Athletic Conference hockey Tuesday night. Following a scoreless first period, Boule gave the Hornets the lead at the 10:44 mark of the second stanza. But, a little later at 12:54, Brett Dawson tied it for the Red Storm. Dean Dashnaw made the lead stand in the Plattsburgh nets with 31 saves. Bruno Freeman stopped 15 shots in the Saranac Lake goal. “We didn’t start the game with much fire as Plattsburgh was very consistent with its forecheck,” Saranac Lake coach Will Ellsworth said. “As the game progressed, we had some quality scoring chances and missed the net way too often. Dashnaw came up with some big saves. “Freeman, our goalie, gave us a chance to win. The third period was over in the blink of an eye and it was a great high school hockey game.”

Whalen helps PHS gather win over Secondary School, 4-2 (Press-Republican)

Brendan Whalen scored a pair of goals in Plattsburgh High’s 4-2 win over Colonel By Secondary School in non-conference boys hockey Thursday. The Hornets (3-0-1), tabbed No. 4 in the latest NYSSWADivision II rankings, scored three unanswered goals to take a commanding 4-1 lead. The Cougars, who traveled from Gloucester, Ontario, scored right before the horn sounded to end the contest.

“I thought we played a good game (Thursday) and had good energy from start to finish,” Plattsburgh coach Jamie Reidy said. “We controlled a lot of the play, and I was happy with our puck movement in the offensive zone. We have a lot of work to do, but with only three seniors on our team, the younger players are gaining valuable playing time.“The line of (Josh) Laravia, (Jalen) Abellard and (Cameron) Colburn did a solid job (Thursday) and are eating up some good minutes for the Hornets. Colonel By Secondary School played a good game and certainly had a size advantage against us. We look forward to Northeastern Clinton next Thursday.”

Plattsburgh High 4, Colonel By Secondary School 2

ColonelBySecondarySchool 1 0 1 — 2

PlattsburghHigh 2 2 0 — 4

First period- 1, PHS, Whalen (Fine-Lease), 3:38. 2, CBSS, Vonschoenberg, 7:16. 3, PHS, Champagne (Kneifel), 10:16. 

Second period- 4, PHS, Whalen (Fine-Lease, Champagne), 2:14. 5, PHS, Fine-Lease (Champagne, Clarke), 14:39. 

Third period- 6, CBSS, Bailey (Rue), 15:00. Shots:Plattsburgh High 36, Colonel By Secondary School 12.

Saves: Side 4-5, Dublanyk 2-3, LaDue 4-4, PHS, 10-12.

Julian’s OT goal carries Plattsburgh over Grand Island

(Press-Republican)

PLATTSBURGH — Logan Julian’s goal at 4:37 of overtime supplied Plattsburgh High with a 3-2 win over Grand Island in nonconference boys hockey Saturday.

The Hornets faced a 2-1 deficit early in the third period before Nathan Boule knotted the score at 2-all with a powerplay goal.

Plattsburgh’s Dean Dashnaw racked up 20 saves.

“I thought we played a pretty good hockey game (Saturday) considering we played late (Friday) night,” Hornets coach Jamie Reidy said. “The line of Boule, (Alex) Kniefel and Julian were outstanding (Saturday). All of our freshman players — (Tyler) Reid, (Ben) Keever, (Josh) Laravia and (Jalen) Abellard — made nice contributions (Saturday) and are settling into the high school game.

“We have 10 days off now to get rested and heal some bumps and bruises.”

—

Plattsburgh High 3, Grand Isle 2 (OT)

GrandIsland 0 0 2 0 — 2 PlattsburghHigh 0 1 1 1 — 3 Second period- 1, PHS, Reid (Kneifel, Boule), 5:35. Third period- 2, GI, Cecere, 0:31. 3, GI, Snyder (Cecere), 3:09. 4, PHS, Boule (Reid, Julian), 4:04 (PP).

Overtime- 5, PHS, Julian (Kniefel), 4:37. Shots: Plattsburgh High 28, Grand Isle 22. Saves: Samplanski, GI, 25. Dashnaw, PHS, 20.