SECTION II CHAMPIONSHIP
Bethlehem and Shen faced off Sunday night for the Section II championship at Union College
Bethlehem and Shen competed for the Section II championship Sunday night at Union College in Schenectady.
Due to time constraints, the game final was not available to make it to print, but a full game article can be found at troyrecord.com/sports and saratogian.com/sports.
Bethlehem jumped out to a very quick lead Sunday night thanks to a Michael Bievenue goal just 22 seconds into the period. Bievenue would have a hat trick before the end of the second period.
Scoring has been some- thing Bievenue has been doing all season. Bievenue led Section II in points all season and entered Sunday’s match with 49 goals and 23 assists.
Bievenue scored his second of the game, and Bethlehem’s second goal of the game, minutes later, when Shen goalie
Kent Leighton mishandled a rolling puck, which ensued with a muck around the front of the net. After a few blocked shots and a few more swipes, Bievenue found the puck on his stick, and slammed the puck home.
After an aggressive finish to the period, Bethlehem went into the locker room with a two goal lead to end the first.
In the second, Shen came out flying and physical. Shen did not have the speed to keep up with Bethlehem, but had the physicality to contain the eagles, and slow them down.
Tyler Sullivan finally cracked the scoreboard for Shen at 6:43 into the second period when he picked up a loose puck and slid it under Bethlehem goalie Michael Kurdziolek’s pads before he could seal them across the ice.
Bievenue’s third came with under four minutes remaining in the period off of a Ben LaVigne shot. Bievenue again capitalized on the bouncing puck in front.
The second period would end with Bethlehem holding a 3-1 tie. The Eagles were able to counter the Plainsmen physical attack for another period.
Bethlehem carried all the momentum into the final period at Union.