Foxes Beat Briarcliff, 4-1

Despite two tough losses last week, the Fox Lane Ice Hockey team came out faster and more aggressive Friday night, against Briarcliff High School. Fox Lane Coach Charles Berger wouldn't have it any other way. He and his team have been working the whole season towards building a squad tough enough and fast enough to deliver a full-length, full-throttle game; and mid-season it seems to be paying off.

"We're ready to rock," said Berger before the game. "We watched film from last weeks games and broke down plays. We want to bring the intensity through all three periods."

During the first period it was hard to determine which team was skating harder. Both Briarcliff and Fox Lane came out hungry to play, pushing into each other's zone while trying to get within striking distance. The Foxes kept the heat on Briarcliff but throughout the first both teams' offenses were thwarted by an overwhelming defense and quick goalies.

In the second all that changed. The Foxes used the momentum they were building at the end of the first to strain Briarcliff's defense, getting the puck in its zone while making great shots at the net. Nine minutes into the second, the Foxes broke through Briarcliff's defensive wall with the help of freshman Blaze Vogliano, who scored with a wrist shot with 6:30 left in the period.

One minute after Vogliano's goal, junior Joe Corsi came back with another, boosting the Foxes to a 2-0 lead. Briarcliff didn't let the two goals deter them though. They came back with added strength, blitzing the Foxes' defense for two full minutes and getting off a barrage of clean shots at goalie Cody Williams, who managed to make a half-dozen key saves, but with three minutes left in the second missed a bobbled, point blank shot by a Briarcliff player.

In past games the Foxes went out hard for the first two periods of play, pushing hard, playing physical and getting deep into the other teams zone, only to slowly peter off in the third. This was not true for this game. The Foxes came out onto the ice with just as much energy as they did in the first.

When the puck dropped, the Foxes went back to work on the Briarcliff defense, applying the pressure and holding it during five minutes of play. With ten minutes left in the period, Corsi dropped the puck back to Matt Swanko after crossing Briarcliff's blue line, giving Swanko room to rocket a shot past the goalie and put the Foxes two goals ahead.

The Foxes didn't look back after Swanko's goal. They relentlessly pushed back into Briarcliff's zone, scoring again after Corsi made a jumping play to score off a rebounded shot from Swanko with two minutes left to play.

The Foxes ended the game with the same energy they started it with, skating aggressively all the way until the buzzer. For Berger this was what he's been looking for from the team.

"We played three full periods of hockey," said an excited Berger after the Foxes' victory. "I feel like this is the first time we came out and played a complete game."

As for the goals, Berger said it's the recent change in his first line, putting Corsi and Swanko together that made a big difference.

"This is the first time they [Joe Corsi and Matt Swanko] got to play together on the same line tonight, and it's almost scary," said Berger.

Together, Corsi and Swanko made three of the four goals scored against Briarcliff, letting one wonder what is to come from this new line in the future.

Berger added that this game was a big moment for the team.

"I'm really proud of them [the team]," said Berger. "They brought high-tempo play throughout 80 percent of the game, which is a big step."