A third period offensive barrage proved to be the difference for Sweet Home/Depew Tuesday night as they defeated Lockport/Niagara Falls 11-3 at Cornerstone Arena.
The final score shows a lopsided game, but for two periods and change the end result was very much in question.
LNF cut the Predators’ to 5-3 at 1:58 into the 3rd period when Freshman forward Athan Bailor scored his second of the game.
But that may have been just what the visitors needed to get their attention. SH/D Senior Tannar Zilka potted two goals in one shift, then the Predators poured it on scoring six times in total in less than 4 minutes of game time.
SH/D outshot the homeside 22-3 in the 3rd period and 47-20 for the game.
Sweet Home/Depew Head Coach Brian Turner says when they eventually started playing their game, the depth advantage on their roster showed.
“I think we were getting a bit overzealous,” Turner said. “Everyone maybe trying to get their points, playing unstructured, leaving the zone early, and turning the puck over instead of coming out as a team.”
Turner credits his team for getting back to their systems in the 3rd and then taking advantage of some power play chances.
“I was happy we got everyone involved. We had some Freshman out there that had never stepped on the ice in a Varsity game…a good locker room feeling for sure.”
Sweet Home/Depew got out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. The first goal actually came on a Lockport/NF power play halfway through the opening frame.
Joseph Sullivan created a turnover in the defensive zone, then carried the puck up the right wing before letting a pinpoint wrist-shot go into the far corner of the net.
Predators’ defenseman Nick Vacanti capped a strong period making it 2-0 on an end-to-end rush with 2:18 remaining. But LNF only needed 20 seconds to get an answer as Vincent Zak put home a rebound to make the score 2-1 after the opening 17 minutes.
The SHD lead would grow quickly in the 2nd period with two goals in the first two minutes. The first came from a point shot on the power play by Jarred Cole, then 43 seconds later it was Drew Wagner finishing a net-front scramble to make it 4-1.
Athan Bailor cut the lead to 4-2 a couple minutes later, but a Jason Galante power play goal would make it 5-2 thru 2 periods.
After Bailor got LNF to within two goals, the Predators slammed on the gas pedal. Zilka’s first of two came with 12:28 on the clock to make it 6-3. It read 8:41 after August Trifilo scored to push the lead to 11-3
“I thought we had a strong 2nd half of the 2nd period and into the start of the 3rd,” said Lockport/Niagara Falls Head Coach Tom Dockery. “Then a couple goals go in and it kind of got away from us.”
Neither coach seemed to like how his team played early.
“We got off to a slow start and had trouble recovering,” said Dockery. “We weren’t playing our game off the bat and they came at us.”
Sweet Home/Depew is now 1-1 on the year. They are next in action against Lancaster on Saturday. Lockport/Niagara Falls, meanwhile, is now 1-2 and faces Amherst next Tuesday.
Three Stars:
First Star: D Nick Vacanti (SHD) 1g, 2a
Second Star: F Jason Galante (SHD) 2g, 2a
Third Star: F Athan Bailor (LNF) 2g
