Niagara-Wheatfield may not have the best record or the highest seed in this year's Section VI Large School tournament, but they do have the players with big game experience.

The Niagara-Wheatfield Falcons started their fourth straight sectional title defense with a 5-1 win over Frontier in the Section VI Large School quarterfinals on Saturday at the Northtown Center. A three-goal third period put the third seeded Falcons into the semifinals.

"It's nice to have kids that have been there," N-W head coach Rick Wrazin said. "It helps because our guys aren't nervous in big games and it helps with the younger guys to see the approach that they take."

N-W will move on to face No. 2 seed Orchard Park on Wednesday at 8:30 at the Northtown Center. OP won both of the team's meetings this season including a narrow 3-2 win on Jan. 29.

"The two games we had with them were both tight," Wrazin said. "I anticipate a good game."

In Saturday's game, Nick Breier opened the scoring late in the first period to put N-W up 1-0. Frontier answered quickly with a goal by Jake Watkins.

In the second period, Joseph Torcasio scored on the power play to put Wheatfield back on top, 2-1. The scored remained for the rest of the second period.

"The game could have gone either way," N-W assistant coach Joe Urban said. "We felt confident that if we kept doing what we were doing, the goals were going to start going in."

Wheatfield started the third period on a power play and despite a lot of pressure, were not able to find the back of the net. It stuck to its guns though and finally broke through when Michael Lotempio fed Garrett Downie from behind the net for N-W's third goal.

"After that third goal, Frontier lost a little bit of their fight and our guys could smell blood in the water," Urban said. 

The Falcons kept their foot on the gas pedal and Chris Tobey and Cameron Ruhland added insurance goals late in the third.

Wheatfield (10-10-1) has been up and down all season long, showing that it can play with good teams but not on a consistent basis.

In its last 10 games of the year, N-W went 5-5. The Falcons beat private schools Canisius and Bishop-Timon and top small school Kenmore East but lost to schools like Hamburg (No. 5 seeded small school) and Clarence (No. 5 seeded large school).

N-W's six seniors have been a part of the section championship teams of the past but the Falcons roster this season is comprised mostly of first-year juniors.

"We've definitely had an up-and-down season. We never like to have that it's been five years since we've had a season like (this)," Urban said. "I would contribute it to that we're very young ... We see glimpses of very good hockey, so we know we can be there. But then again, it falls off. I think that what it's going to take is just these kids and time."

Urban — who was behind the bench Saturday with Wrazin serving a one-game suspension — thinks his team may have turned a corner on Saturday as 10 different players found their way onto the scoresheet.

"I think that's the most we've had all year, as far as getting goals and assists," Urban said. "I can't tell you how happy I am to see 10 different kids on the scoresheet because it just hasn't happened this year."