When there is a puck in the corner, a scrum of bodies in front of the net or the game is on the line, that’s when Anthony Lagreca shows up.

The Niagara Wheatfield senior is quiet by nature, but he was made a captain because everyone on the team knows that Lagreca will pursue any loose puck and they can count on him during the biggest moments.

Lagreca scores a lot. He notched his 100th career point in Niagara Wheatfield’s 15-1 sectional opener against North Tonawanda on Friday, but that’s not his most impressive statistic. Nor are his 20 goals or 30 assists this season.

What stands out most are Lagreca’s six game-winning or -tying goals and his four shorthanded tallies. As the second-seeded Falcons get set to face No. 7 Grand Island in a Section VI small schools semifinal at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Northtown Center, Lagreca will once again be counted on to show he’s not just a big-time player, but a primetime performer.

“It’s something that you have to take pride in,” Lagreca said. “It’s always being the hard worker, being willing to go to the dirty areas of the ice and good things come from that.”

Niagara Wheatfield has a long list of talented players and coach Rick Wrazin believes Lagreca belongs in the conversation with any of them, but not necessarily because of his talent. The Falcons have won sectional championships because they always seem to have a player who can ignite at the right moment.

Lagreca can be trusted to excel at even strength, on the power play and on the penalty kill. He understands those moments and knows when to pick his spots. When shorthanded, Lagreca knows his defensive principles, but still has a knack for hopping into passing lanes and taking calculated risks. It’s why he has as many shorthanded goals (five) as power play goals in his three-year varsity career.

There is no thought process other than coming up with the puck when Lagreca enters an area on the ice that is going to require taking a hit. and that’s also how he manages to produce in the most critical moments of the game. Lagreca doesn’t offer much emotion — unusual for someone so willing to accept contact — but that’s how he manages to stay composed late in games.

“He doesn’t get off his game and he stays focused and he’s good at getting caught up in the moment,” Wrazin said. “... Hard to have that kind of focus to where a kid can be completely immersed in the moment and not be worrying about anything else at that time. and I think you need to do that to be a guy that can be consistent and can produce in big times.”

Part of Lagreca’s late-game production comes from a game-long relentless pursuit of the puck. By the time the game reaches the critical point, Lagreca is fresh and defenders are sick of dealing with him.

Lagreca and linemate Robert Wegrzyn are a handful for defensemen. Both rank in the top-10 in Section VI in scoring, combining for 45 goals and 96 points this season. The duo have played together since their youth hockey days and have produced more than 80 goals and nearly 200 points for the Falcons the last three seasons.

“You dump a puck and you’re on their defense,” Lagreca said. “Like they’re, they’re going to cough it up eventually. We’re kind of a run ‘N’ gun team. Take the puck in the corners and just get it out in front to somebody. Just bury them.”

So how does a coach reward a player who is willing to play whatever style is needed to win? Well, the easiest way is to win a championship. Niagara Wheatfield hasn’t won a title since 2018 and Wrazin says Lagreca is the type of player you want to have a chance to hoist a trophy.

“You really feel, as a coach, he really deserves it,” Wrazin said. “But, the way our team is, everybody wants it for each other. But the younger guys see that with Anthony and our seniors and so they want to play for them and help them to achieve it, as well. But as a coach, he’s a kid who deserves to get that and you certainly hope he does.”

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