Seyfang Nets Winner

It was a long time coming.

Tim Seyfang scored the game-winner and assisted on the other as the Blue Devils shutout the Bulldogs, 2-0, in the Battle of Kenmore that capped off the four-game WNY Varsity Ice Hockey Federation Rivalry Day that was played at HarborCenter on Jan.16.

The victory marks the first time Kenmore West has beaten Kenmore East in the regular season since 2006.

“It felt awesome to finally get the win over them,” Seyfang said.

It was a moment to savor for Blue Devils past and present as they have been on the wrong end of this final score seemingly forever.

“I’m just happy for the kids,” said Blue Devils assistant coach Corey Lloyd, who was Ken-West’s goalie the last time the Blue Devils beat the ‘Dogs.

“They put in all the work. They’re the ones scoring the goals. They’re the ones back checking. They’re the ones getting in front of shots. The goalies are making the saves. I’m close with a lot of the guys from Kenmore East that I played against 10 years ago that we beat. We still joke about it. Kind of recall those memories of beating them. It’s something that we’re going to have forever and now these kids, we’re a very senior laden team, and we’re just happy to give them the opportunity to have those memories forever.”

Feeling they had the edge in experience this time out the Blue Devils were confident that they could take down their cross-town rivals. That confidence grew when they beat the Bulldogs this past Saturday at their annual Ken-Ton Winter Fest clash. Even though it was an exhibition beating the Bulldogs and taking home the Winter Fest Cup for the first time in eight years made believers out of the Blue Devils.

“Saturday, it felt great to get that win,” Seyfang said. “First time in eight years we got that trophy. Obviously we knew they were mad coming off the loss. The focus was to go out there and get the win. First time in a long time. Too long, obviously.”

Seyfang put Ken-West up 1-0 with 6:06 remaining in the first period when he drove a low shot by Ken-East goalie Chase Ford, who faced 12 shots in the first period.

Fast paced and well played, the first period ended on a very scary note when, with 30.9 seconds to play, Ken-East freshman Alex Ghosen went crashing into the boards with a sickening thud after he and West’s Michael Barker got tied up with each other. Ghosen was still for several seconds, but then was clearly in distress as he began kicking his legs. Play was halted as athletic trainers and personnel from both teams tended to Ghosen until first responders arrived. Both teams were instructed to return to their locker rooms and use that time as the traditional break between the second and third periods.

Ghosen was reportedly said to be ok, but he was carefully immobilize and removed from the ice on a stretcher as a precautionary measure. The process of caring for Ghosen followed by resurfacing the ice took about 35 minutes before the game resumed.

Seeing another player sustain an injury is upsetting for both teams. But throw in the heat of a rivalry game and, even though there wasn’t anything dirty about the play, it would be very easy for players to loose control of their emotions. So both coaching staffs used the medical break to talk to and refocus their teams.

“Obviously we had a lot of concern for Alex’s condition. I tried to address that first with that players. That he was moving his extremities and everything,” said Kenmore East head coach Kyle Pray.

“It just seemed to be a concussion. So we talked about that first then we just talked about the lack of energy we had in the first period.”

That lack of energy and focus was costly as the Bulldogs clearly did not make the most of some early power play chances.

Though he was on the losing end East senior goalie Chase Ford could not have played any better as stopped 34 of the 36 shots the Blue Devils fired at him.

“He’s been our MVP all year,” Pray said. “With the schedule that we play and everything else, he’s just been tremendous all year. There’s been times when he’s faced 45, close to 50 shots a game and he’s just been solid all year. To me he’s definitely one of the best goaltenders in the league.”

Matt Bogacki wasn’t nearly as busy as Ford, as he only faced 15 shots. But he made the game changing saves that needed to be made. Most notably a shot that came his way as soon as the game resumed after the medical time out.

“Holding a team to 15 shots is a testament to everyone in front of him, especially the defense,” Lloyd said.

“But Bogacki made the saves when he had to. All it takes is for one goal to deflate a team and you never know, with change in the momentum, how it might turn out. He made the saves when we needed him to. He kept the momentum in our favor. Our team is extremely confident in him back there and he proved why.”

Senior captain Benny Serrano added the insurance goal for the Blue Devils.

A 50/50 split was held during the game to raise funds for long time Ken-East coach Tom Diehl who is battling cancer and unable to be on the bench with the ‘Dogs this season.