PLATTSBURGH — The Saranac hockey team stayed with the No. 2-ranked Division II team in the state for much of the game Saturday, but fell short on the scoreboard.
Rocco Testani’s goal at 5 38 of the third period gave undefeated Ogdensburg Free Academy (13-0) a 4-2 lead before Laughlin O’Donnell added an empty-net goal with 24 seconds left for a 5-2 Blue Devils win.
“This was a good test for us and I didn’t feel the final score was indicative of how the game played out,” Saranac coach Robby Knowles said. “We were right there with them, but their goalie made some big saves.
“OFA did a good job in the third period with a two-goal lead. They were smart with the puck and kept us in front of them.”
Tegan Frederick gave the Section X team the lead in the first period before Gabe Moore answered for the Spartans (8-4-1).
Nathan Irvine then scored his first of two goals to lift OFA to a 2-1 advantage after two and made it 3-1 with just 2:30 gone in the final period.
But Ryan Campbell tallied a goal shortly after, at 4:11, to bring the Spartans back to within 3-2.
Ty Jacobs made 26 saves in the OFA nets and Shawn McLane stopped 32 shots for the Spartans, who led in shots on goal through two periods.
Saranac is back on the ice tonight when it hosts Plattsburgh High in CVAC play at 7 p.m. at the Ameri-Can North Sports Center.
“This is our annual Aimee McLane Memorial Scholarship Game.” Knowles said. “Over 35 raffle baskets will be up for grabs, along with a new snow blower.
“Each year, three $1,000 scholarships are awarded to one graduating senior from Plattsburgh, Saranac and Peru High Schools. Raffle tickets will go on sale beginning at 6 p.m.”
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OFA 5, Saranac 2
OFA 1 1 3 — 5
Saranac 1 0 1 — 2
First period- 1, OFA, Frederick ppg, 3:43. 2, SCS, Moore (Macomber, Barnes), 7:17.
Second period- 3, OFA, Irvine (Rand, Thornhill), 9:03.
Third period- 4, OFA, Irvine (McDonald), 2:30. 5, SCS, Campbell (Squier), 4:11. 6, OFA, Testani, 5:38. OFA, O’Donnell eng, 16:36.
Shots on goal- OFA, 37-28.
Saves- Jacobs, OFA, 26. McLane, SCS, 32.
FRIDAY
AQUINAS 12
NORTHEASTERN CLINTON 3
LAKE PLACID — Tyler Muir scored three goals, while Stevie Bell and Ryan Carmody added two each in Aquinas’ non-conference win over the Cougars.
Baylon Cronkrite, Karsen Trim and Landon Grabie scored the goals for NCCS.
“We ran into a very good team and, on top of that, we had a bad start,” NCCS coach Scott Lafountain said. “We can’t allow six goals in the first period to a good team like Aquinas.
“These are all growing pains and hopefully we can find ways to become more consistent in the future. On a positive note, Landon Grabie scored his first varsity goal.”
SATURDAY
SALMON RIVER 3
NORTHEASTERN CLINTON 2
LAKE PLACID — The Cougars bounced back from the day before with a solid showing against Salmon River in the non-conference contest.
Cobe Lafountain’s goal gave NCCS the lead in the first before Alec Delormier and Dylan Johnson answered later in the period to give the Section X team a 2-1 edge.
Tyten Wylie then made it 3-1 in the second before Hayden Schad’s goal brought the Cougars back to within one in the third.
The Cougars held a 27-19 advantage in shots on goal in the game, with Greyson Lafountain making 16 saves in the NCCS nets.
“We got off to a good start, going up by a goal in the first,” Scott Lafountain said. “Then we took a couple of penalties late in the period, one resulting in a power-play goal and the other a penalty shot.
“Then we surrendered a short-handed goal in the second period that ended up being the difference in the game. But I give our boys credit — we were down but they never stopped battling. With the way the season has gone thus far, it would have been easy to do.
“Alex Bulriss had a great weekend for us, giving us great effort in both games.”
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Friday
Aquinas 12, NCCS 3
Aquinas 6 3 3 — 12
NCCS 1 1 1 — 3
First period- 1, A, Muir (C. Dossier), 1:47. 2, NCCS, Cronkrite ppg (Schad, Trim), 2:17. 3, A, M. Dossier (Carmody, Miller), 2:29. 4, A, Muir (Bell), 3:42. 5, A, M. Dossier (Whitney, Carmody), 9:07. 6, A, Muir (Conte, Woodd), 10:21. 7, A, Woodd ppg (M. Dossier), 15:59.
Second period- 8, A, Whitney ppg (Williams, Ferrari), 2:19. 9, A, Carmody, 4:38. 10, A, Bell, 5:37. 11, NCCS, Trim (E. Bulriss, Wrye), 12:37.
Third period- 12, A, Davilla (Shannon), :55. 13, A, Bell, 4:33. 14, NCCS, Grabie (G. Lafountain), 6:48. 15, A, Carmody (Cusse), 12:34.
Shots on goal- Aquinas, 47-35.
Saves- Knapp, A, 13. Badger (27), Thompson (8), NCCS, 35.
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Saturday
Salmon River 3, NCCS 2
NCCS 1 0 1 — 2
SR 2 1 0 — 3
First period- 1, NCCS, C. Lafountain (Schad), 8:28. 2, SR, Delormier ppg (Moulton, Johnson), 14:11. 3, SR, Johnson penalty shot, 16:52.
Second period- 4, SR. Wylie shg (Laughing, Delormier), 13:51.
Third period- 5, NCCS, Schad (Trim, Cronkrite), 7:29.
Shots on goal- NCCS, 27-19.
Saves- Durant, SR, 25. G. Lafountain, 16.