BHBS and Queensbury split in battle of the Spartans

Glens Falls, NY — In a rematch of the game two weeks ago, it was an absolute thriller at the Glens Falls Rec Center on Friday night, as BHBS and Queensbury battled to a tie, 4-4.

In the first period, it was all Spartans. BHBS Spartans, that is. Nick Koszelak, in his first game back after serving a 2-game suspension for a hit on, incidentally, Queensbury’s Austin Gordon, scored just 38 seconds into the game to give BHBS an early 1-0 lead. They would double that lead 9 minutes later when Sam Swingruber skated in on a 2-on-1 rush and buried a wrister past the glove of Queensbury goalie Owen Smith, making it 2-0.

If the first period was all BHBS Spartans, then the second period was all Queensbury Spartans. They came out with a fire after a lacidasical first frame, and struck back on an Austin Gordon goal just 2 minutes into the period. Gordon scored again with 4:50 to go in the period, tying the game at 2. Brendan Murphy scored another goal for Queensbury late in the period, giving them a 3-2 lead. However, with BHBS looking out of it, goalie Trevin Tidmarsh came up huge. Gordon was awarded a penalty shot after being tripped up by Sam Swingruber while driving to the net, but the shot was stopped as Tidmarsh denied Gordon’s forehand-backhand attempt. The period ended with Queensbury ahead, but BHBS had some momentum.

They carried that momentum into the third period, and Geordan Buffoline scored a powerplay goal just over a minute into the period to tie the game 3-3. They picked up the pace a little bit, playing more like they did in the first than the second, and Nick Koszelak scored again after jamming a puck in that was stuck between Owen Smith’s skate and the post, giving BHBS a 4-3 lead with 10 minutes to play. They played pretty well for a majority of the final 10 minutes, and Queensbury went with the empty net with 2 minutes left. Swingruber and fellow defenseman Henry Koch had a couple heaves the entire length of the ice that came really close to hitting the empty net, but none went in. After the puck was dropped for a faceoff’s in the BHBS zone with 25 seconds left, Queensbury got the puck to the net and a scrum in front ensued, and Tyler Merkosky forced the puck home with 18 seconds left to tie the game. Nobody really had any great looks in overtime, but Smith madea few nice saves, and the game went to a tie.

For Queensbury, it finishes off a strong week, as they defeated Saratoga 5-3 on Wednesday to go along with this game. They move to 4-9-2 overall (1-6-2 in Section 2), and stay in 9th place in the league. For BHBS, they go to 8-6-1 (6-5-1 Section 2), and move into third place in the league by earning half a point in this one. BHBS will next play against Saratoga on Saturday at home, a rematch of their earlier meeting this year, which the Spartans won 4-2. Queensbury will next face off against Tri-Falls on Wednesday.

GOALS:

1st period

(14:22) BHBS: Nick Koszelak (2) ASST: Alec Lind (15)

(9:09) BHBS: Sam Swingruber (8) ASST: Evan Loveland (3)

2nd period

(13:17) QB: Austin Gordon (9) ASST: Mason Wildermuth (9)

(4:50) QB: Austin Gordon (10) ASST: Mason Wildermuth (10), Ryan Mosher (13)

(2:25) QB: Brendan Murphy (2) ASST: Liam Smith (3), Tyler Vogel (12)

3rd period

(13:49) BHBS: Geordan Buffoline (13) ASST: Alec Lind (16)

(10:21) BHBS: Nick Koszelak (3) ASST: None

(00:18) QB: Jack Merkosky (11) ASST: Austin Gordon (4)

 

SAVES

QB: Owen Smith 30-34, .882%

BHBS: Trevin Tidmarsh 23-27, .851%