Swan song: Buffalo seniors finish high school careers with Bowman Cup

Melissa Brawdy Facing Off

A week and a couple hours ago, some of the Fed’s best seniors took the ice at First Niagara Center. For some of them, they’d never touch the ice again. For others, it was just another hockey game on the way to bigger and better things. But for all of them, it was the last time they’d play in a …

Melissa BrawdySwan song: Buffalo seniors finish high school careers with Bowman Cup

Snowball effect: Niagara Wheatfield gains momentum with breakout win

Melissa Brawdy Facing Off

It was time for a few Niagara Wheatfield players to break out, and each found his way in Wednesday’s semifinal game against Orchard Park. The Falcons came away with a 4-0 win over the Quakers as everything clicked just in time. High-scoring forward Garrett Downie, who scored 14 goals in league play during the regular season, totaled three points, including …

Melissa BrawdySnowball effect: Niagara Wheatfield gains momentum with breakout win

‘That was NW hockey’: Falcons play complete game in win over Kenmore East

Melissa Brawdy Facing Off

It’s no secret that Niagara Wheatfield had an inconsistent start to the 2015-16 season. For a team that finished last season as the Section VI champion, the Falcons were unaccustomed to this season’s difficulties and struggled to find answers. Slowly, the players bought into the systems set in place by the coaches and learned to play as a team. There …

Melissa Brawdy‘That was NW hockey’: Falcons play complete game in win over Kenmore East

Speed vs. speed: Orchard Park bests Niagara Wheatfield

Melissa Brawdy Facing Off

Orchard Park, a team that boasts of its own speed, was well aware of its opponent’s speed on Friday night as Niagara Wheatfield came to play at Leisure Rinks in a Division 1 match up. The Quakers’ game plan was to be ready for the Falcons’ speed, use their own speed, and do whatever they could to stop No. 16, …

Melissa BrawdySpeed vs. speed: Orchard Park bests Niagara Wheatfield

Niagara Wheatfield builds confidence with win streak

Melissa Brawdy Facing Off

Following the systems and focusing on their own game more than on what their opponent was doing led to a Niagara Wheatfield Falcons win on Thursday after a 10-day break. They’d been left with a sour taste in their mouths after losses to Hamburg and St. Joe’s just before the break. During those 10 days, Niagara Wheatfield coach Rick Wrazin …

Melissa BrawdyNiagara Wheatfield builds confidence with win streak

A systematic win: Niagara Wheatfield defeats Timon

Melissa Brawdy Facing Off

Follow the systems. Cycle the puck. Listen to the coach. Niagara Wheatfield implemented these simple practices in Thursday’s game against Timon, and the result was a 4-3 win for the Falcons. Two of those Timon goals came when the Falcons strayed away from following the defensive systems that had worked for them all game long, but they came back strong. …

Melissa BrawdyA systematic win: Niagara Wheatfield defeats Timon

‘David against Goliath’: Hamburg fights for win over Niagara Wheatfield

Melissa Brawdy Facing Off

Hamburg came into the season as the underdog of underdogs. The realignment of the divisions matched the small school against large schools this season. On Sunday night, Hamburg didn’t have a league win yet when the schedule pitted the Bulldogs against Niagara Wheatfield, last year’s large school Section VI champion. The Bulldogs could have looked at Sunday’s game as another …

Melissa Brawdy‘David against Goliath’: Hamburg fights for win over Niagara Wheatfield

Overtime win builds confidence for Niagara Wheatfield

Melissa Brawdy Facing Off

When Niagara Wheatfield and Canisius faced off against each other at the HarborCenter on December 21, the Falcons were just starting to feel like they were doing things right. The game ended in a 2-2 tie. When the Falcons again faced Canisius less than two weeks later, on Jan. 2, they wanted more. “It’s not like we were unhappy with …

Melissa BrawdyOvertime win builds confidence for Niagara Wheatfield

Niagara Wheatfield comes together in win over McQuaid

Melissa Brawdy Facing Off

Niagara Wheatfield was frustrated. Through five league games, the Falcons have two wins, and they feel that in every one of those games, they haven’t been offensive or physical enough, and they haven’t won a third period. On Monday and Tuesday, the Falcons took a break from league play to play in Williamsville East’s Winter Classic. Monday’s game was a …

Melissa BrawdyNiagara Wheatfield comes together in win over McQuaid

Spartans head to holidays on high note with win over Niagara Wheatfield

Melissa Brawdy Facing Off

The rivalry between Niagara Wheatfield and Williamsville North was only fueled by last year’s Section VI championship game, which the Falcons won 5-4. On Saturday night, the Spartans wanted a chance at redemption, and after a 4-1 win, that’s exactly what they had. “We really wanted to get this win because obviously they beat us last year at First Niagara, …

Melissa BrawdySpartans head to holidays on high note with win over Niagara Wheatfield