Hamburg’s weekend schedule begins at 6 pm tonight against Section III’s Oswego.
Section II’s CBA Albany will play the host team, Section III’s Fayetteville/Manlius. That game is also scheduled for today.
Losers play a consolation game at 10 am tomorrow. The winners play for the championship at 12 pm.
I’ll keep you updated right here as I ride along with the Hamburg Bulldogs to cover the entire tournament!
3:30 pm: We have arrived at the hotel! Just checking in for now. At 4, we’ll head to Cicero Twin Rinks so the team can get ready for on-ice warmups at 5:30 before puck drop at 6!
We watched Miracle on the bus ride here because what else do you watch on a hockey road trip? And when the movie ended, there was plenty of time for singing, including Beastie Boys’ “Girls” in honor of last year’s captain, Jason Lucarelli.
The Bulldogs are hoping to repeat as winners of the Fayetteville/Manlius tournament for the third year in a row!
Keep your eyes on the @IcingTheFed Twitter and snapchat for live updates of tonight’s game!
4:30 pm: The Dogs are at the rink! After some team warmups, they’ll take the ice at 5:30!
How many goals will Jason Delmont score?
In his words, “hopefully enough to win.”
6:25 pm: Hamburg and Oswego are tied at 1 after one period of play. Goalie-turned-forward Neil Dake has the Bulldogs’ goal (assisted by Ethan Cuddihy), his second of the season (not including two in scrimmages last week). The Bucs are outshooting Hamburg 11-8 after one, but goaltender Elliott Szabala is standing tall in net. He’s stopped 10 of those shots with a couple of pretty glove saves, and he’s been helped out by some nice defensive plays as well. He lost sight of the puck when it flew straight up above him, but Jared Milley was there when it came down to clear it away.
6:50 pm: Owen Gonter scored two to give the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead 3:02 into the second. Hamburg gave one back shortly following a Gonter penalty, but the Dogs take a 3-2 lead into the third. Szabala faced 9 shots in the second while Hamburg recorded 7. Final frame starts now!
7:30 pm: It’s a 5-2 final from Cicero Twin Rinks as Hamburg wins the semifinal round over Oswego. Owen Gonter scored twice. Jake O’Donnell scored in his first varsity game, and Neil Dake and Jared Milley each scored one as well. Elliott Szabala finished with 25 saves for his first varsity win. Ethan Cuddihy has only played hockey for a couple years, and he assisted the first goal of the game tonight.
Hamburg will play the winner of CBA Albany/Fayetteville/Manlius tomorrow at 12 pm.
PART TWO (with Bartoo)
9:30 am: Today the Bulldogs go to the finals of the Fayetteville-Manlius tournament. They’ll face CBA Albany at 12 pm, who defeated the host team 3-2 in a shootout last night. Check Twitter, snapchat, and right here for live updates all day!
10:30 am: We’ve arrived at the rink for Part Two (with Bartoo)! The ‘Dogs are watching the consolation game between Oswego and Fayetteville-Manlius before they’re scheduled to take the ice at 11:30 am. After a nice hearty breakfast at the hotel, the defending champs are ready to play for a 3peat.
Colin Bartoo got today’s bus ride pregame interview, with some help from Griffin Coppola, today’s starting goalie. .
Today’s game plan, according to Bartoo: “Come out fast and hard, get pucks on net, and let’s get out of Syracuse with a W.”
Coppola: “Win again. Win the whole thing.”
Neil Dake has referred to this weekend as a family vacation, and that’s a perfect description of the trip so far. Today, that family wants to win.
12:40 pm: Hamburg leads CBA Albany 4-0 after one period of play. Neil Dake has two goals, of course, and Jake Hangen and Nick Ranger each have one. Ranger has an assist as well. Brian Beck has two assists, and Jason Chiodo and Owen Gonter each have one.
Coppola has five saves. The Bulldogs are outshooting CBA Albany 10-5 after one.
“This is nothing but a family vacation!”
1:15 pm: The family vacation is almost complete!
Bulldogs lead 5-1 after two. Owen Gonter scored the Bulldogs’ second period goal, his third of the weekend. Neil Dake had the assist. Hamburg allowed a shorthanded goal with 3.7 seconds left in the second period.
Third starts now!
6:25 pm: The Bulldogs have returned to Buffalo as champions of the Fayetteville-Manlius Pride Tournament for the third year in a row. Neil Dake and Owen Gonter were named to the All-Tournament team. Each of them scored three goals and had one assist over the weekend.
Thanks for following along with the Hamburg Bulldogs’ family vacation!