Four-Goal First Lifts Bulldogs Past Port Washington

The Bellmore-Merrick Bulldogs are peaking at just the right time.

Allen West, Brett Capilupi, Michael Ferrette and James Karp scored in the first period and James Bobb added a goal and three assists as Bellmore-Merrick pushed its winning streak to four games with an 8-4 romp of Port Washington Monday night at the Newbridge Ice Rink.

The Bulldogs had all but clinched a playoff spot heading into the contest after learning that league officials recently decided to send six teams into the playoffs this year instead of four. Any doubt was erased by Monday night's win, which came on the second-to-last game of the season.

Bellmore-Merrick buzzed around Port Washington right from the start, but was thwarted by a couple of early spectacular saves by Vikings goalie Brian Burchman and a quick whistle from the referee that nullified a goal by Karp. But the luck would soon change.

With just over six minutes gone in the game, West was skating down the left side on a 2-on-1 break when his centering pass deflected off Port Washington defenseman Nicky Catrone and past Burchman. Capilupi doubled the lead 3:17 later by converting a nice feed from Andrew Connel.

Ferrette's innocent wrist shot from the left circle found its way past Burchman with just over four minutes left in the opening stanza before Karp made it 4-0 with his tap-in from just above the crease.

"The first period was solid play," Bellmore-Merrick Coach Chris Patten said. "Whenever you can run four lines like that, it's easy (and) it's fun."

Matthew Hackett had the Bulldogs' only goal of the second period with a beautiful backhand flip over Burchman that made it 5-1. Bobb and captain Michael Mascaro scored in the first 2:16 of the third period to push the advantage to 7-2.

But the big lead could have made Bellmore-Merrick complacent as Port Washington cut it to 7-4 on goals by Cody Lehrer and Owen Caruso, but Zach Schneider iced the game by wristing the puck past Burchman from the left point with 4:17 left.

"I think as the game went on, we got a little sloppy," Patten said. "They might look up at the scoreboard real quick, see they're up by a couple, start goofing around and do things that they normally wouldn't do."

Bellmore-Merrick had not played a game in exactly two weeks. It won last Monday night's matchup by forfeit after Long Beach failed to show up because of scheduling confusion. Rust was never a concern for Patten and it certainly didn't show in the first period.

"We stay on these boys really hard," Patten said. "We practice on ice two days a week, we have off-ice training one day a week and we have weight room training one day a week. These boys are conditioned."

Mascaro also had two assists for the Bulldogs, who will host the 4-5 matchup in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday, Feb. 21, against either Cold Spring Harbor or Lynbrook.

"We want to go deep (in the playoffs)," Mascaro said. "We don't want to lose in the first round like we did last year to Wantagh-Seaford. We obviously want to go to the finals and hopefully, if the school allows us, go to states."

Owen Caruso finished with two goals and Derek Caruso had the other tally for the Vikings.

The team celebrated the final regular-season home contest by honoring the five seniors and their parents in a brief pre-game ceremony. Among the honorees were Jimmy Hernon, Joe Gavin, Paul Grubb, Mascaro and Steven Azzara.

"This is like my second family," Hernon said. "These guys are like my brothers. I love these kids."