VICTOR SNEAKS BY WEBSTER SCHROEDER IN OVERTIME THRILLER
Dec 13, 2023For the next several weeks, the Rochester Americans will be front and center on the local high school hockey scene as part of a weekly series that features the latest news and notes, scores and stats of select Section V games around the Greater Rochester Area.
Facing a 3-0 deficit with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation, the Victor Blue Devils (1-2-1) stormed back to force overtime before capping a thrilling 4-3 win over the defending Section V Class B champion Webster Schroeder Warriors (3-1-1) in the extra frame Tuesday at Rochester Ice Center.
With the win, the Blue Devils’ first of the 2023-24 campaign, they have posted a 6-2-0 mark against the Warriors since the start of 2017-18. Victor has now won three straight contests versus Webster Schroeder since suffering a 2-1 overtime defeat in February 2021.
Junior Simon Kowal tallied two goals, which included the overtime winner, and an assist to cap a three-point performance while classmate Caleb Clark (1+1) also turned in a multi-point effort in the win. Sophomore Oliver Kowal scored a goal as senior Parker Erwin and junior Dylan Weldon both added an assist.
Junior goaltender Nathan MacBride (1-2-1) drew his fourth start of the season in the crease for Victor, making 22 saves to earn his first victory.
TJ Swinson recorded his fourth multi-point effort in his last five games for Webster Schroeder as he scored a pair of markers in the matchup while Scott Wagner and Aiden Baldwin both chipped in two assists. Nicolas Sellitto (1+0) and Nolan Roughsedge (0+1) logged a point each
Mike Cerone (1-2-0) stopped 32 of the 36 shots he faced but took the overtime defeat in his third appearance of the season.
The Warriors scored twice in the opening period on the strength of back-to-back goals by Swinson, one of which came just 14 seconds into the tilt.
On the game’s first shift, Baldwin and Wagner setup up Swinson before he beat MacBride on the first shot of the contest.
To close the frame, the trio combined to push Webster Schroeder’s lead to 2-0 as Swinson’s shot through traffic pinballed its way behind the Blue Devils’ netminder.
After the intermission break, Webster Schroeder seized a 3-0 lead nearly 10 minutes into the stanza as Sellitto finished off a feed from Roughsedge.
Victor faced a multi-goal deficit to begin the third period, but following a strong save by MacBride, the Blue Devils got on the board.
Erwin provided an outlet pass through the neutral zone to spring Clark and Oliver Kowal on an odd-man rush. As the duo skated towards Cerone, Clark slid a one-time feed for Kowal to bury with 7:39 left to play in regulation.
Less than two minutes later and trailing 3-1, Victor cut the score in half as Weldon won a draw back to Simon Kowal in the face-off circle. The latter then hammered home a shot to bring the score to 3-2.
The third period clock was dwindling down, the Blue Devils used their timeout and pulled MacBride for an extra attacker.
After the stoppage in play, Victor completed the comeback as Clark stuffed in a loose rebound with just 62 seconds remaining in the contest and forcing overtime.
In the extra frame, both teams traded chances early before Simon Kowal sealed the 4-3 victory as he was setup by Weldon at the 2:04 mark.
Victor will look for its second straight win as they travel to Webster Ice Arena to take on Webster Thomas on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 3:00 p.m. whereas Webster Schroeder will face-off with Webster Thomas for a 7:00 p.m. faceoff on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at Webster Ice Arena.