Saranac's Nik Hamel (9) and Zach O'Connell (12) comes down on a 2 on 1 attack and hit the back of the net. It would be the start of week three of the shorten Champlain Valey Athletic Conference Boy's Hockey season as the Plattsburgh Hornets would meet up in the first of a three-game series and the offenses would be on display. The game would get off to a real quick start as both teams would score in the first thirty seconds of the game as Saranac's Landon Duprey and Plattsburgh's Bostyn Duquette would score to tie the game at one. Through the rest of the first period, the teams would combine for 5 more goals scoring for the Chiefs would be Hunter Provost, Zach O'Connell, and Nik Hamel (twice) while the Hornets would add one more this time from Hutchinson Ovios as the Chiefs had a 5-2 lead after the first period. In the second period the scoring would slow down and the Chiefs would expand their lead at the 5:29 mark of the period on the Hayden Buckley goal to make it 6-2. Although the Hornets would still have some fight in the cause at the 9:37 mark of the second period Jace Lacey would light the lamp on the powerplay and keep the game at a three-goal gap at the end of the second period. In the third period, the offense would be back as the Chiefs would score thirty seconds into the period for Zach O'Connell's second goal of the night to make it 7-3. Then just about two minutes later the Chiefs would score to make it 8-3 on the Nik Hamel hat trick goal. The scoring wouldn't stop there though as Hunter Provost would add his second of the night to make it 9-3 with just under ten minutes left in the game. Although the Hornets would try and help their cause just about a minute later on the Hayden Colburn goal. In the winning effort, Macen Mero would make 27 saves on the night and improve to 4-3 on the season while the Hornets fall to 0-7on the season. Both teams will return to action Saturday, March 13th at the Amer-can North Arena. Gallery.

Beekmantown's Riley Hansen hugs the post as part of a 39 save night on the shot by Saranac's Zach O'Connell (12). It would finally be the return of Boy's High School Hockey as the start of the season was delayed by about three months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The opening night game of the season would see the Beekmantown Eagles playing the Saranac Chiefs at Ameri-Can North Arena. The game would take some feeling out as there would be no scoring through the first period of the game. The lamp would finally get lit for the first time of the season at the 3:11 mark on the Saranac Chiefs goal by Nik Hamel for the 1-0 lead. The Eagles would keep fighting and at the 8:55 mark of the period, they would get the tying goal from Reid Fessette and would end the period tied at one. When the team hit the ice for the third period the tight contest would continue and the Chiefs would regain the 2-1 lead at the 353 marks on Nik Hamel's second goal of the night. Although the lead would be short-lived as Zach Lapier would tie the game back up at two under a minute later on the first high school goal of his career and the game would head to overtime tied at two. In that overtime frame, the Beekmantown Eagles would get their first lead of the game and it was the most important one as it would be a game-winner by DJ Gonyo to give them the 3-2 victory. In the winning effort, Riley Hansen would make 39 saves on the night as the Eagles start the season 1-0 and the Chiefs fall to 0-1 on a 35 save night by Macen Mero. They are back in action Saturday night for the rematch at Amer-Can North at 630. Gallery.

Saranac captain Grace Reil races Chazy’s Catherine Langlois for the ball in the midfield in the Chiefs’ season-opener Saturday at Saranac Central School. In a game honoring the home team’s seniors and veteran coach, it was one of the youngest players on the field who scored the only goal of the contest as the Saranac girls’ soccer team earned a 1-0 victory at home against Chazy. The Chiefs sought to control the game from the opening whistle, with a strong midfield performance keeping the Eagles at bay. More than 10 minutes had ticked off the clock before Chazy got their first, short-lived, possession in the offensive half. A 23rd-minute corner kick proved to be Chazy’s best offensive effort of the first half. Saranac, on the other hand, was continually challenging the Eagles’ defense. In the 12th minute, Sydney Myers drove to the goal line on the right-hand side of the box and flashed the ball across the face of the goal, but nobody was there to connect. Late in the first half, another fast-developing attack by the Chiefs saw Christon Eden chip a shot toward goal, but goalkeeper Samantha Gonyo was there for the save. The teams entered halftime scoreless despite Saranac’s plethora of opportunities. At halftime, the hosts honored long-time coach mary LoTemplio at the start of what will likely be her final season on the Saranac sideline. After both teams exchanged offensive pressure in the early minutes of the second half, and with the game approaching its second mid-half “mask break,” Saranac finally broke the deadlock in an unusual fashion. Eighth-grader Maddy Wynnik received the ball on the right-wing, just outside of the box, and stepped up just above the goal line. Wynnik sent in what she later admitted was an attempted cross, but the ball found its way on the net. Gonyo got her gloves on it but was unable to cleanly handle it, allowing the ball to slowly roll across the line. Saranac nearly doubled the advantage in the 72nd minute, as Gonyo mishandled a shot from distance and let the ball behind her. Gonyo was able to recover and pounced on the ball to prevent the goal. Down only 1, Chazy continued to push until the very end. The Eagles pushed up in the dying seconds of the game and saw the ball go out for a throw-in just above the corner flag, but the ball had gone too far away from the field. The extra seconds spent chasing down the ball out of play meant the throw came in with only a second left on the clock, which was not enough time to generate any scoring opportunity, sealing the victory for the Chiefs. Gallery

The Saranac Chiefs gather as they receive a there sectional trophy. It would be a showdown of the top two teams in Section VII Class B as the #1 Saranac Chiefs would meet up with the #2 Beekmantown Eagles at the SUNY Plattsburgh Fieldhouse for the right to go to the New York State Class B Tournament. The game would start off good for the #1 Chiefs as they would race out to the 17-7 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Chiefs would keep their foot on the pedal and have a 18-6 quarter and cruise out to a 35-13 lead at the break. When the teams would return for the third quarter the Eagles would do there best to get back into the game as they win the quarter 18-14 but that would only trim into margin as the Chiefs still lead 49-31. In the fourth quarter, the Chiefs would stretch there lead back out with an 18-12 quarter and cruise to the 67-43 victory. In the winning effort, the Saranac Chiefs clinch the Class B Championship and head to the New York State Quarterfinals on March 14th at Beekmantown High School. Gallery.

The dogpile ensues as the Saranac Lake/Lake Placid Lakers as crowd the 2020 Champlain Valley Athletic Conference Champions at the Ronald B Stafford Ice Arena. It would be time for the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference Championship and it would be a battle of the Saranac's as it would be the #1 Saranac Lake/Lake Placid Lakers and the #3 Saranac Chiefs battling for the right to be crowned champions and head to the New York State Tournament. The game would start well for the upset-minded Chiefs as they would get the opening goal of the game from Austin Carpenter at the 7:27 mark of the first period for the 1-0 Chiefs and they would hold that through the period. Although when the second period came the Lakers would waste little time tying the game up at the 45 seconds mark on the Rhett Darrah goal. Then in a two-minute span in the 5th and 7th minute Tyler Hinckley would score to give the Lakers the 3-1 lead. Then in the last 1:10 of the second, the Lakers would strike again for the 4-1 lead on the Bailey Bartholomew goal. Then in the third period, the Lakers would put the game away at the 6:01 mark of the period on the second Rhett Darrah goal this time on the shorthand. In the winning effort, the Lakers go to 15-6-1 on the season as Andres Stanton would make 15 saves and have a date with the Queensbury Spartans in the New York State Division 2 Quarterfinals. Although the season would come to end the Chiefs have nothing to hang there heads on as Eric Frechette would make 55 saves as they end there season at 13-9. Gallery