BOYS HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY: Shen reclaims champ-status with win over Saratoga

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — Shenendehowa senior forward and captain Freddy Hicks has had quite an interesting ride through the Section 2 Division I Championship Tournament. In the quarterfinal round, Hicks dished out four assists, all to sophomore forward Evan Stocker, in a 7-1 drubbing of La Salle. In the Frozen Four, Hicks would not record a point, despite his team notching a 3-1 win over the Adirondack Rivermen to advance to the Championship stage.

On Saturday, at Messa Ice Rink, on the Union College Campus, Hicks, the team’s leading scorer this season, would record two goals, including the eventual game-winner, to help the Plainsmen defeat the Saratoga Springs Blue Streaks, 3-1, for this year’s Sectional Crown.

“I think that really just shows how dedicated and how amazing this team is. When one guy’s down, everyone picks them up,” said Hicks, “I trust every one of these guys. I knew people were gonna do what they had to do. Everyone has their own role, tonight mine just happened to be scoring.”

This journey for Hicks, as well as 10 other Plainsmen, comes as the latest Championship  chapter since winning last in 2021-22, in the same arena.

“Obviously, we have a bunch of guys returning from that ’22 season where we made it so far. But for so many of these guys, this is there first; it’s super special for them. But, let me tell you, the second one doesn’t get any less special,” said Hicks. “It’s still amazing to be out here with your boys, winning; it’s absolutely amazing.”

“They’re just as sweet. They’re just as stressful. You have to prepare just as much. Experience is one thing, but at the same time, I mean, you got to make sure your guys are ready to play and they did a great job,” said Shenendehowa head coach Juan de la Rocha, who won his ninth Sectional Division I Championship with the team, Saturday. “We had some nerves early on in the game and once we settled in, we just played a really good, team-game and it made it hard for (Saratoga) to get into the good ice in front of our goal. So, I think that was that was the biggest difference and then you wait for Freddy Hicks to get free on a two-on-one, or coming into the middle of the ice, and he was able to capitalize for us.”

For some Plainsmen, like sophomore goalie Brenden Westrick, who made 13 saves to hold the Blue Streaks to just the lone score, this was the first taste of a Sectional Championship, but it comes just as sweet.

“It’s pretty amazing. We definitely have a really good team here, now it’s pretty nice we get to have a shot in regionals and maybe States,” the sophomore back-stop said, postgame.

Shenendehowa would score an even, one-goal-per-period, in order to take down its rival for a 10th Sectional Title, all-time. While a championship and State playoff berth is one thing, the win comes as a culmination of two prior meeting for the Plainsmen versus the Blue Streaks, that ended in a loss and a 6-6 tie – each the only ones suffered by the Plainsmen in league play all season.

“We knew that we had a good chance, but we had to show up ready to play. The first couple games that we played them, we didn’t really show up with our A-game and credit to them, they did a great job tonight; it was a hard fought game,” said de la Rocha, “but, our kids hung in there for three, full periods, so that made a difference.”

“We came into this game with a lot of fire because we did not want to lose to Saratoga again,” added Westrick.

While the Plainsmen would get two scores from Hicks and another from Stocker, it came in tandem with the team’s defensive work on their own end of the ice. Shenendehowa would limit Saratoga to just 14 shots and kill all three power-play opportunities faced.

“They were great today,” Westrick said of his defenseman in front of him, “I think that’s probably the best they’ve played all season.”

“It was a team effort for sure. Our defenseman were just clearing space and keeping shots to the outside and making those shots easy for Brandon to save,” said de la Rocha.

Shenendehowa wouldn’t open the scoring until just over five-minutes remained in the first period, when Hicks would get his first, unassisted.

“Once we were able to throw a few body-checks and get a couple shifts out of the way, we were able to just realize that, it’s just a hockey game and to settle-in and enjoy the moment,” de la Rocha said on his team’s start, “they were disciplined with they’re positioning tonight – our guys were – and I thought that made a big difference in our play.”

But Saratoga Springs would seem to stand pat from there, as trailing by the same margin going into the second period, the team’s senior goaltender Xander Clarke would stop the first 12 shots he faced in the frame and allow his own offense to even things up. With 5:14 remaining in the second period, Blue Streaks’ junior forward Daniel Klochaney scored on a breakaway down the left side to tie the Plainsmen, 1-1.

However, with just 22-seconds before the second intermission, Hicks would score his second goal in dramatic fashion, to retake a 2-1 advantage.

“I was kind of just in the right place at the right time. My teammates, Steven Anslow had a great wrap, Evan stocker did a great job of setting me up and shifting up the boards, I got it right about there (blue-line), cut to the middle and then just let on loose,” Hicks said on the sequence. “So, right place, right time, it just happened to go.”

That goal would prove to be the game-winner – a moment Hicks understandably relished in, postgame.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s something that you dream about for a while,” he said. “I mean, you look around, there’s so many young kids here, this is something that they hope that they can do and I’m just lucky enough to have achieved that.”

Shenendehowa would keep the puck-control up and the Blue Streaks, in turn, at bay in the third period, and would get a chance for the dagger, with six minutes remaining, after Stocker was awarded a penalty shot for being hooked on a breakaway opportunity.

Initially, it would be Hicks at center-ice, awaiting the chance for the penalty shot and a chance at a Championship hat trick, however, thanks to some help from the alertful Saratoga bench, it would be Stocker skating towards the puck to attempt for a late, two-goal lead. Before he would get the chance, Hicks would pull his junior line-mate aside for some words of reassurance.

“I just reassured him that he’s got this. In the last couple of practices, we’ve been working on this situation where we know it’s going to be a big goal, but also, it’s not a big deal if he misses. He has trust in his teammates and we have trust in him; if he misses it, it’s not the biggest thing in the world,” Hicks shared on the pep-talk.

Evan Stocker off the penalty for Shen and the Plainsmen now lead Saratoga 3-1.

5:30 remaining and the Plainsmen have their sights set on a Sectional Championship @shenhockey @SaratogaSports pic.twitter.com/g4ittuwsWC

— Drew Wemple (@DrewWemple) February 26, 2024

Whatever was said, worked, as Stocker would deliver a laser to the top-right corner of the net and subsequently, give the Plainsmen a 3-1 lead. Although, they weren’t celebrating quite yet.

“We don’t even look at the scoreboard. We know that we’re up by two, but it doesn’t make a difference. We’re still trying to play our best game, still trying to lock them down, still trying to get goals. Nothing really changes,” said Hicks.

After six more minutes of skating and even some missed, empty-net opportunities, the Plainsmen would get to finally storm the ice and raise the Sectional Title plaque.

Now, the Plainsmen will advance for their second, NYSPHSAA Division I Championship Tournament appearance in three years, with the last seeing a run to the Final Four, at the Harbor Center in Buffalo. Like Saturday, the Plainsmen aren’t looking quite that far ahead.

“We got a little meat left on the chicken-bone, so, we’ll see. Next week we’re gonna play either Massena or Canton; their Sectional (X) Final is tomorrow night,” said de la Rocha. “We were able to play both of them already, both tight games, one goal games, so we know we’re right there. We just got to come ready to play and being here, on this ice, this week, I think is going to help get the nerves out because we’re going to be back here again for that game.”

“Job’s not finished,” added Westrick. “We probably won’t have practice (Monday), but we’ll probably have practice Tuesday and we’re gonna get back to work.”

—

Shenendehowa 3, Saratoga Springs 1

TOGA;0;1;0;— ;1

SHEN;1;1;1;— ;3

SCORING

First Period- 1, SHEN, F. Hicks, 11:38.

Second Period- 2, TOGA, Klochaney, 11:46. 3, SHEN, F. Hicks, 16:38.

Third Period- 4, SHEN, Stocker, 10:58, PENALTY.

Shots- SHEN, 32-14.

Saves- Clarke, TOGA, 29. B. Westrick, SHEN, 12.