Eagles Soar--Sweep Section 9 & D2 Championships

Jay Healey and company skated to their final Section 9 victory of the season with an impressive 6-0 over D2 rivals O'Neill. With the win, the Burke varsity secured a state regional birth somewhere near Potsdam ( TBA) March 7th vs the winner of section 10. The win also ensured an undefeated season within league play (9-0-1) and the first Burke Catholic team to repeat as section champions. All in all quite a season.



As he has done all season, Junior Jason Healey lifted the offense on his shoulders with a four goal game. With 36 goals and 20 assist Jason has put together a terrific offensive campaign. Jason along with senior linemate Chris Reinfried have formed a tandem that might be hard to top in the eight year history of the program.


Senior goaltender Dane Wakefield was as good as he had to be with the shutout win while Danny Kelly and the defense of Mahoney, Dolanski , Keating and Gabriele allowed only 13 shots on net.

Sophomores Josh Koerner and Mark McAteer completed the scoring for the Eagles. A total team effort secured the victory.

The varsity will now attempt to get to the final four in Utica on March 14th and a possible state championship.

A regional win stands in its way.


Weekly Schedule:
Monday 02/23--regular practice
Tuesday 02/24--Cycling with Laura--YMCA
Friday 02/26--practice 4:15pm
Monday 03/02-- practice 5pm
Tuesday 03/03--Cycling with Laura--YMCA
Wednesday03/04 --Practice 4:15
Thursday 03/05 off ice
Friday 03/06 Practice in Potsdam (tba)
Saturday 03/07 Regional playoff vs Section 10

WINNING WEEKEND--SECTION 9 CHAMPIONS

After five months of hard work the Burke Catholic Varsity stormed through the Weekend in dramatic fashion to clinch their second consecutive Section title. Victories over league opponents NFA( 4-1), Monroe 5-4, O'Neill ( 8-1) left no doubt about their championship status

The winning weekend kicked off with a 4-1 victory over NFA. With the Goldbacks clinging to 1-0 lead late in the second period, the Eagles leading scorer Jayson Healey wristed a shot into the upper corner of the net to get things even; the Eagles never looked back.

Sophomore Josh Koerner (2g) and Chris Reinfried(2a) teamed up to score two shorthanded goals while Tommy Mahoney added a power play goal to seal the contest. Senior goaltender Dane Wakefield steered aside all but one shot as the defense allowed only 11 shots on net. The offense blasted 48 shots on their opponents.

On Saturday , with the opportunity to clinch the section title, the Eagles responded with a gritty winning effort . Two seniors , Andrew Keating and Taylor Stuart, teamed up with what would be the most exciting play of their Eagle careers.

With just over a minute remaining in a classic 4-4 Burke/Monroe battle , defensman Keating pinched along the offensive blue line- fighting his way to the corner with the puck. A quick pass to the front of the net found a scrum of players and Taylor Stuart waiting to finish off the Knights.

Taylor's first goal of the season secured the win and the Championship; Final Burke Catholic 5 Monroe 4.

Jayson Healey, Josh Koerner, Mark Woinicki, Chris Reinfried accounted for the balance of the scoring. Senior Goaltender Dane Wakefielded stopped 22 of 26 shots.

With title in hand, Sunday's contest vs O'Neill was an exclamation point to the regular season. Seven different players found the net with Jayson Healey again leading the charge with two goals and an assist. Josh Koerner completed his terrific weekend ( 4 goals) with a third period tally. Final score Varsity 8 O'Neill 1.

Sunday's game also featured ' Senior Night' as seniors and their parents received recognition for their participation in the Burke program.

Senior Dane Wakefield (our resident quote master) summed it up best. " I think we really came together as a team".

With the victories, the Eagles improve to 16-4-2. A February 22nd meeting with O'Neill at Icetime will decide which team will represent Section 9 in the Div 2 State regional in Potsdham March 7th.

Notes: Thanks to Tim Hluchan for the Photos--No Thanks to the Th-Record for no coverage of the team's accomplishments. Two years running they have provided no coverage on our Section wins.

Weekend Schedule:

Monday--Regular practice

Tuesday--Cycling fitness at YMCA-4:30pm

Wednesday--Varsity game vs ST.Joes at Sport-O-Rama--3pm

Wednesday-- All players -JV/VARSITY- friends - family- invited to open skate 7-8pm. No Hockey equipment.

Friday--Varsity practice 4:15pm

Sunday -- Div 2 Championship--Burke vs O'Neill 6pm

Varsity Looks To Repeat-- Advance - Senior Night

02/10/2009

Heading into the final weekend of the season, the Burke varsity sitting on top of the standings, looks to repeat as Section 9 Champions.

The task will not be easy as all three league opponents will be waiting to knock off the Eagles; NFA on Friday 9:30pm-Monroe 6:30 on Saturday-O'Neill 4:30 on Sunday.

If the Eagles can repeat, they will be the first Burke Hockey team to win back to back league championships.

Following the tough weekend encounters, the varsity will play O'Neill on February 22nd to decide the D2 league championship. The winner heads to Potstown for the state regional final and a chance to compete in Utica for the state title.

Notes:

Sunday's Game vs O'Neill will also be Senior Night. We will recognize our seniors (Chris Reinfried, Tommy Mahoney, Dane Wakefield, Danny Kelly, Chuck Gabriele, Andrew Musco, Taylor Stuart, Brendan Menkens, Andrew Keating, Colton McGovern, and their parents) for their participation and loyalty to the Burke Hockey program.

The JV game on February 16th has been cancelled.

Weekly Schedule:

Monday : Regular Practice

Tuesday : off Ice -Ymca

Wednesday: Regular Practice

Friday: JV final Practice -4:15 Ice Time

Friday: Varsity vs NFA-9:30pm Ice Time

Saturday: Varsity vs Monroe-6:30pm Ice Time

Sunday : Varsity vs O'Neill - 4:30pm Ice Time

The Battle Continues....

01/31/2009

Two goals by Eagle sharpshooter Jason Healey were not enough to clinch a victory over fierce rivals Monroe Wooodbury on Saturday , as the Knights answered with two goals in the final period to get the contest even at 2-2. The five minute overtime period proved to be as exciting as the first 45 minutes with end to end rushes by both teams ending in futility.

Senior Goaltender Dane Wakefield was up to the challenge, turning away 30 of the 32 shots while the Eagles tested the Monroe goaltender with 29 shots on net.

With Chuck Gabriele filling in very nicely at the center position, the defensive four of Tommy Mahoney, Danny Kelley, Andrew Keating, Dillon Dolanski, worked very hard on defense.

With the tie, the Eagles improve to 13-4-2 . They continue to sit on top of the Section 9 standings entering the final days of the season. With three league games remaining, including Monroe, the varsity will have to play their best hockey of the season to repeat as section champions.

Weekly Schedule:

Monday --regular practice

Wednesday--regular practice

Thursday --Off Ice

Friday --JV practice 4:15pm

Friday--Varsity vs Beekmantown 9:30 pm Ice Time.

Saturday--JV Game vs Lakeland Panas--7pm Ice Time

Sunday -- Varsity vs Stepinac--4:30 pm Ice Time