Starpoint power play tips the scales in first win over NW

• By Nick Sabato nick.sabato@gnnewspaper.com

NORTH TONAWANDA — Sticks. Skates. Legs. It doesn’t matter what body part — Clayton Wilson just wants traffic in front of the net.

William Mainstone clearly listens to his coach, because he found his way into the gritty area in front of the net to put his stick on the puck and it gave Starpoint a milestone win Wednesday.

The Spartans have tallied their fair share of victories during their brief five-year stint in the Western New York Boys Hockey Federation, including a Section VI championship in 2020. But they had never beaten Niagara Wheatfield.

That is, until Mainstone’s second redirect of the night gave Starpoint a 4-3 overtime win over the Falcons at Hockey Outlet.

Twice the Spartans faced a two-goal deficit, but they continued to claw back, recording three power-play goals in the win.

“It’s tough when you’ve got two teams going against each other right at the beginning (of the season). Tonight we won, thank God,” Wilson said. “I had some alumni here from last year and they’re excited. They had never beat (Niagara Wheatfield) and it was nice to have the guys here to see the win.”

Niagara Wheatfield and Starpoint have all the ingredients for a top-notch rivalry. The schools are 7.2 miles apart and many of the players for both teams have grown up and continue to play travel hockey together, often at Hockey Outlet.

Still the new kids on the block, the Spartans have been chasing a Falcon program that has been to nine sectional title games in 11 seasons and had gone 3-0-1 in the first four meetings between the schools.

All of those factors led to a chippy affair that resulted in nine penalties, while both teams used some gamesmanship between whistles.

“A lot of these guys play travel together, they know each other, they’re probably friends and when you get on the ice, you become competitors,” Wilson said. “Both teams played hard.”

Penalties ultimately influenced the final outcome. Niagara Wheatfield (1-0-0-1) shrugged off two early penalties and turned them into a pair of short-handed goals, but eventually they proved costly.

The Falcons appeared on the verge of taking over the game, but three penalties in the second period allowed Starpoint (2-2) to climb back. At that point, the Spartans also began to control the puck during even-strength periods.

“We were short-handed, I’m guessing, for a little less than a full period, but at even strength they were better than us,” Niagara Wheatfield head coach Rick Wrazin said. “At even strength I think they were better than us most of the time.”

Niagara Wheatfield goaltender Joshua Gleason was forced to keep his team in the game, making five point-blank saves in the third period and overtime, even after Matt Myhalenko tied the game with 10 minutes, 53 seconds left in regulation.

Four days after making 46 saves in a 1-0 win over Kenmore East, Gleason stopped 43 shots against the Spartans, who generated 34 more shots on goal in the game.

“I think he did stand on his head two games in a row, but he just didn’t get the win in this one,” Wrazin said. “I think he was really dialed in two games in a row and played really well. Shots were 47-13 and we had a two-goal lead, so he did his job. It’s just tough killing all those penalties.”

Eventually traffic in front of Gleason and penalties converged to create the game-winning goal. Niagara Wheatfield’s Evan Belter was called for elbowing with 3 minutes, 37 seconds left in overtime when Mainstone drove to the net, hoping to get his redirect of Justin Bull’s shot on net.

“I’m trying to get it on net,” Mainstone said. “A shot’s a shot. It leads to rebounds, it leads to good goals and that’s how we’re scoring.”

Bull finished with three assists, while Owen Kiesman added a goal and Rich Gareau made 10 saves for Starpoint, which travels to West Seneca East at 8:25 p.m. Friday.

Ryan Devald had two goals for Niagara Wheatfield, while Anthony LaGreca added another. Drew Idzik, Robert Wegrzyn, Tyler Brovata and Collin Durandetto all had assists. The Falcons play Vermont’s Rice Memorial at 11:10 a.m. Saturday at Cheektowaga Town Park.

Nick Sabato can be reached via email at nick.sabato@gnnewspaper.com or on Twitter @NickSabatoGNN.