When an injury ended Kellen Pulera’s 2017-18 hockey season prematurely, the St. Joe’s forward announced his retirement from the sport he’d been playing almost his entire life. He knew he had a future in lacrosse and didn’t want to hurt his chances by risking another injury. But after committing to Marist College in September 2018, Pulera began to rethink his …
Representing St. Francis: The Andrew Michalski story
The game clock said 6:47 when the St. Francis Fed hockey team took a 3-1 lead against Lew-Port. Andrew Michalski scored the goal to give the Red Raiders that 3-1 lead in the third period of their first game of the 2017-18 season on December 3, 2017. Not everyone at the rink that night knew the context, but Michalski’s burst …
2017-18 Fed Hockey Schedule
*NOTE: All games and times are subject to change. Check back for updates. This schedule contains league games only. Non-league matchups/times will be announced as they become available. MONDAY, NOV. 27 6:00 PM: Timon vs. St. Joe’s (HarborCenter) 6:00 PM: Niagara Falls vs. Lockport (Hyde Park) 8:00 PM: Frontier vs. Williamsville North (HarborCenter) 8:00 PM: St. Mary’s vs. North …
‘Berke-ing overtime’: Nate Berke joins Jr. Sabres
Nate Berke was, in his own words, mad. He’d finished his junior season of Fed hockey at St. Joe’s with just two goals and five assists in 16 league games, and he didn’t get as much playing time as he would have liked. Berke knew he had one more year to show what he could do, and he spent his …
Clarence Mustangs: An ending to remember
It was halfway through the second period and the Clarence Mustangs 18u team trailed 2-1 when 22-year-old coach Tyler Crawford called a timeout. Mark Gilbert won’t soon forget that moment. He took a moment to look at his teammates’ faces, look at the ice, and reminisce on not just his memories with this team, but his hockey career as a …
‘What we’ve been working for’: St. Joe’s repeats as state champion
St. Joe’s hockey is known throughout the state for its success, and with the Marauders’ second consecutive Catholic State Championship Sunday (March 5), it’s no wonder. But although it was their goal from the beginning of the season, coach Rich Crozier and the St. Joe’s team worked hard to get to Sunday and knew they couldn’t quit until the end. …
‘A Gilbert and a Weppner’ come through for St. Joe’s in win
Before St. Joe’s senior night game last season, then junior Mark Gilbert was informed that he’d be rotating on a line with a couple of other players, which would limit his playing time. Gilbert’s response was to work hard and score two goals in his limited ice time. This year, Gilbert is a senior. He still doesn’t get the most …
St. Joe’s, Lancaster play to ‘respectable tie’
There were a couple of frustrated locker rooms at HarborCenter on Monday night. On one side was the defending Catholic state champion St. Joe’s with expectations of another successful season; on the other was a vastly improved Lancaster team with high expectations of its own. The two teams had just played to a 2-2 tie. The shots on goal were …
WEEK 1: Amherst Ale House Weekly Rankings
We’re just over a week into Fed season, and we’ve already had some surprises. These rankings are slightly different from what I might have put if you’d asked me a week ago. But here they are, with Divisions 1 and 2 ranked together, and Divisions 3 and 4 ranked together. Thank you to Amherst Ale House for sponsoring this season’s …
‘One at a time’: St. Joe’s hoping for a repeat
Last year at this time, St. Joe’s coach Rich Crozier was trying to figure out what went wrong. The year before, his Marauders had lost to Canisius in the Monsignor Martin finals, who went on to win the state championship. Crozier thought about it often during the following offseason, and he wasn’t sure what a new season held for his …