EARLY SEASON TEST
Saratoga hosts Mamaroneck, Williamsville North in annual Kauth Touranment
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The Saratoga Springs ice hockey teams faces its second round of non-league opponents this weekend and couldn’t have planned any stiffer competition — or have a better backdrop on the series than by hosting the 2017 Don Kauth Memorial Tournament at the Saratoga Springs Ice Rink.
Saratoga will open the weekend event by hosting 2016 New York State Public High School Athletic Association champion, Section I’s Mamaroneck 6:45 p.m. Friday and then facing the defending NYSPHSAA champion, Section VI’s Williamsville North 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
“It’s a statement weekend,” Blue Streak hockey Coach Dave Torres said. “If you come out 2-0 you’re the talk of the state, if you come out 1-1 you still are, if you come out 0-2 ‘Well, Saratoga is not as good as they used to be.’ They know they can make a mark on their season.”
The weekend is dedicated to Don Kauth who was killed in the 9/11 Attack on the Twin Towers, leaving behind four children, including his daughter, Kathleen, who went on to win a bronze medal with the USA Women’s
Hockey team in 2006.
She returns to the Spa City and will be speaking inside the lobby of the Saratoga Springs Ice Rink at 10 a.m. Saturday to discuss perseverance, have photos taken with participants before joining a one-hour free skate prior to Saturday’s opening contest between Shenendehowa vs. Mamaroneck at 12:30 p.m.
Heading into the weekend, Torres talked about responsibility and resiliency regarding the Blue Streaks 3-1 win over CBASyracuse/Jamesville-DeWitt last Saturday.
“In the first and second period we really didn’t play our game, kids might have been nervous, a lot of rookies on the team and I think that there was a little bit of complacency as well,” Torres said. “They wore those colored (practice line identifying) jerseys for three weeks and we didn’t make any changes and in the past we’ve made some changes early on.
“We did it for a reason and we wanted to see how they would respond to developing chemistry among their line mates. They showed in the game that maybe that wasn’t the case and we had to shake a few things up.”
Torres moved players around looking to find a spark and better gameplay and some players shined.
“A kid like Devin Wormley got his opportunity and he might have had five shifts in the game and scores a goal,” Torres said. “Before that in the second period we threw him out there for some experience and he had a great shift, one of the best shifts in the game, so he was rewarded for it.
“Since then we’ve made a few different line changes, you’ll see a different line-up on Friday. The kids have been working really hard the last three days with that lineup; we’re excited to watch them play together.”
Another pleasant surprise out of Saturday’s win was a goaltending dilemma for Torres as sophomore Brad Blake earned the win in senior Brad Hipsley’s excused absence.
“Brad Hipsley was on his college visit to Stony Brook University, Brad Blake stepped in admirably and did a great job; he stopped all the pucks he was supposed to stop,” Torres said. “The one was a bad giveaway and I’m sure he would have liked that one back. He played well, 14 saves, he played well.”
While his line-ups may be cemented in for the start of the weekend, on Wednesday afternoon his goaltending choice and plan were not.
“I’m not sure who will get the nod on Friday, they both work really hard, right now I have two goaltenders,” Torres said. “The jury is still out. The starter on Friday could play Saturday, not will play, could play Saturday, the jury’s out on that and we haven’t named a starter yet.”
The goalie decision and the end of the Blue Streaks statement after the two games, whether it ends with an exclamation point or a question mark will be answered late Saturday afternoon.