BHBS Rolls over Niskayuna/Schenectady on Senior Night

The Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa hockey team needed to get a win on Saturday night in order to host a home game in the sectional quarterfinals. They got the win by an easy margin, cruising to a 10-2 decision over the Niskayuna/Schenectady Mohawks. Geordan Buffoline and Sam Swingruber each had hat tricks, and Zack Maddalone recorded his first high school win in net to pace the Spartans in this contest.

It was senior night for BHBS, and seniors Geordan Buffoline, Nick Koszelak, Alec Lind, Gianni Pleminik, Henry Koch, and Vince Miczek were honored in a pregame ceremony. The scoring opened with just over 4 minutes to go in the first period, when Geordan Buffoline buried a puck off a great feed from Nick Koszelak. Henry Koch sniped a wrister from the point that beat Mohawks goalie Tony Cotugno high glove-side just 30 seconds after the Buffoline goal, making it 2-0 at the end of the first.

BHBS continued to dominate play in the second period, and went up 3-0 when freshman Connor Cecala made a great pass that set up junior Sam Swingruber with a wide-open net. Swingruber then returned the favor a few minutes later, setting up Cecala with a great look that he buried to make it 4-0. Nick Koszelak scored 2 minutes after Cecala to make it 5-0, and Swingruber scored again 29 seconds after Koszelak to make it 6-0. Buffoline got his second goal to make it 7-0 with 3:24 to go in the second. Swingruber scored again before the end of the period, making it 8-0 heading into the third.

Buffoline scored again halfway through a monotonous third period to make it 9-0, and the Mohawks finally broke through when Cole Nowak scored on a breakway, going five-hole on BHBS goalie Zack Maddalone to make it 9-1. Jake Dominikoski scored on a wrister 4 minutes later to make it 9-2. With under 2 minutes left in regulation, freshman Jake Koszelak carried the puck into the offensive zone, and ripped a slapshot over the glove of Cotugno for the team’s 10th goal of the game. It was Koszelak’s first career high school goal. Sophomores Kyle Larned and Tommy Anderson each got assists on the goal, giving them both their first high school points. Late in the game, two Mohawks players, Nowak and Dominikoski, were each ejected from the game. Dominikoski was tossed for a hit from behind, and Nowak received a hit to the head. They both received a 1-game suspension, which makes them ineligible to play in the sectional play-in game on Wednesday night against GMS.

For BHBS, the win gives them 12.5 points in the league, and they finish 4th in the final standings. They’ll play host to #5 Saratoga on Saturday night in the first round of sectionals. Niskayuna/Schenectady finishes in 10th place, with 3 points, and will play in the aforementioned play-in game vs GMS on Wednesday night. The Mohawks also finished the regular season on a 13-game losing streak.

GOALS:

1st period

(4:22) BHBS: Geordan Buffoline (16) ASST: Nick Koszelak (13)

(3:52) BHBS: Henry Koch (6) ASST: Alec Lind (20)

2nd period

(12:51) BHBS: Sam Swingruber (9) ASST: Connor Cecala (5)

(8:19) BHBS: Connor Cecala (3) ASST: Sam Swingruber (18)

(6:44) BHBS: Nick Koszelak (12) ASST: Geordan Buffoline (27), Gianni Pleminik (5)

(6:15) BHBS: Sam Swingruber (10) ASST: None

(3:24) BHBS: Geordan Buffoline (17) ASST: Connor Cecala (6)

(2:22) BHBS: Sam Swingruber (11) ASST: Connor Cecala (7)

3rd period

(7:56) BHBS: Geordan Buffoline (18) ASST: Sam Swingruber (19)

(6:11) N/S: Cole Nowak (4) ASST: Will Priest (3)

(2:21) N/S: Jake Dominikoski (6) ASST: Nick Fiore (6)

(1:46) BHBS: Jake Koszelak (1) ASST: Kyle Larned (1), Tommy Anderson (1)

SAVES:

BHBS: Zack Maddalone 16/18, .889%

N/S: Tony Cotugno 39/49, .795%