Buffalo Stars Rebound
2009-12-02
Reilly Struthers with a hat trick on Saturday
The Buffalo Stars Empire Junior B team completed a grueling 5 week period in which they played 11 games against teams even with or ahead of them in the standings.After having split with the NJ Hitmen and Brewster and defeating Maksymum, the Stars had a 2 weekend, 4 game set against Syracuse. Buffalo, coming off a 4 game losing streak including a pair of losses against league leading Applecore, got back in the swing of things with a pair of resounding victories over the Syracuse Stars this past weekend at Holiday Twin Rinks.
Having their backs against the wall seems to be the cure for these Buffalo Stars as they hosted Syracuse in Empire Junior B league action. On Saturday the Stars came out flying on all cylinders as Josh Smith, Danny Potter and TJ Gieczkowski quickly put Buffalo ahead. The always tough Syracuse team had other plan as they fought back with 2 late first period goals of their own and came to within one to end the period.
Period 2 was all Buffalo and all Reilly Struthers as the big man from Vermont slammed home 2 goals to put Buffalo up 5-2. Michael Deppler put Buffalo ahead by 4 early in the 3rd period and Anthony Russell slammed another one home just seconds later as Buffalo went up by 5. Syracuse did manage another goal midway into the period but Reilly Struthers closed out the scoring on a breakaway at 17:15 and the Stars skated off with a well deserved 8-3 victory.
On Sunday, the Stars came out flying once again and took a 2-0 first period lead with goals from David Dvorak and Danny Potter. Syracuse did come back a bit in the second and scored the lone goal of the period. The third period was all Buffalo however as TJ Gieczkowski and Joey Johnson added 3rd period goals en-route to a 4-1 Buffalo victory.
With the win the Stars move into 4th place in Conference with a league record of 12-8. The Stars Empire team is 14-9-1 overall.
The Stars Empire team looks forward to a long awaited weekend off.
In Continental Junior C action the Buffalo Stars traveled downstate to take on first place Suffolk PAL. The Stars have struggled this young season with only 2 league wins. The Stars however are a gritty young team and are in every single game they play. This weekend was no different as the Stars lost each game by a single goal.
On Saturday, Suffolk dominated early scoring 3 times in the first period to take a convincing lead. Suffolk went up by 4 early in the period before Anthony DiChristopher brought the Stars back to within 2 after scoring a pair midway into the period. Suffolk added another late in the period and skated off with a 5-2 second period lead. Suffolk took a 4 goal lead early in the 3rd but then the Stars woke up. Three unanswered goals by Ryan Carroll, Travis Densmore and Ashton Laird put the Stars back into the game. They fought hard to the end but could not sink the final goal and fell 6-5 in a hard fought battle.
On Sunday, it was Buffalo’s turn to come out flying as Anthony DiChristopher put up a pair within 33 seconds early in the period. Suffolk came back with a pair of their own and the teams skated off to end the first tied at 2 each. Suffolk controlled the 2nd period as they went up 4-2. Buffalo came out hard again as DiChristopher added another for his hat trick to come to within one. Suffolk came right back but Brandon Conley countered for Buffalo and it would remain a one goal game from that point on as Suffolk skated off with a 5-4 victory.
With the loss, the Stars fall to 2-9-1 in league play. They are 6-11-2 overall.
The Stars Continental B team had the weekend off. This coming weekend, both Stars Continental teams are at home as they face off against the Frederick Freeze from Maryland.
For more information about the Buffalo Stars, visit us on line at: www.buffalostars.com
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