KOWAL'S HAT TRICK POWERS BLUE DEVILS TO WIN OVER SAINTS
Feb 12, 2026For the next several months, the Rochester Americans were front and center of the local high school hockey scene as part of a weekly series that featured the latest news and notes, scores and stats of select Section V games around the Greater Rochester Area.
With a pair of goals in the second and third, periods the Victor Central Blue Devils (11-6-1) secured a 5-2 victory over the Churchville-Chili Saints (3-16-0) on Tuesday night at The Blue Cross Arena.
With the win, Victor Central has won seven of its first 11 contests to start 2026 while posting an 11-6-1 recover overall on the slate. The Blue Devils has also won five of the last six meetings against Churchville-Chili, which includes a pair of shutouts.
Oliver Kowal, who was named Player of the Game, turned in a hat trick as part of a four-point night (3+1) for the Blue Devils while Jack Abbott (1+2) and Joey Hellinger (1+1) also had multi-point game. Robert Briggs, Eli Weingart, and Brennan Paskins all recorded one assist apiece.
Goaltender Kijo Smith (10-6-1) finished with 25 saves while earning his 10th win of the season for Victor Central.
Evan Girolamo netted a goal and an assist for Churchville-Chilli while Brody Gallagher (1+0), Anthony Indiano (0+1), Grayson Galliford (0+1) rounded out the scoring. Goaltender Liam Magri (2-9-0) stopped 35 of the 40 shots he faced but took the defeat as he drew the starting nod.
Victor Central, who spent much of the first half of the opening frame in the offensive zone, drew the game’s first power play but took one of its own 90 seconds into the infraction. After being turned aside on their first 13 shots of the initial period, Abbott setup Kowal at the 13:39 to make it a 1-0 score.
The Blue Devils took a 1-0 lead into intermission break along with a 19-6 shots on goal advantage.
Immediately after the puck drop into the second stanza, Girolamo finished off Indiano’s feed to even the score, however Hellinger restored Victor Central’s lead 36 seconds later.
Victor Central continued its shooting gallery over the course of the middle period, but the teams traded quick goals by Abbott and Gallagher on a shorthanded and power-play goal less than 40 seconds apart.
Holding a 3-2 lead to start the final period of regulation, Kowal capped off the 5-2 victory by plotting a pair of goals to complete his hat trick.
The Blue Devils take on Aquinas Institute on Friday, Feb. 13 at Rochester Ice Center for a 7:15 p.m. puck drop. The Saints conclude their season at Rochester Ice Center in a rematch with Victor Central on Saturday, Feb. 14 for a 1:00 p.m. showdown.