Seven different players scored as West Islip Gold (DV) beat Longwood Green (DV) 7-1 on Wednesday night at The Rinx – South Rink. Joseph Salonia had a goal and an assist, and West Islip led 3-0 after one period before pulling away with three goals in the third.
Salonia, held without a point through his first two games, opened the scoring unassisted with 13:57 left in the first. He showed good speed and puck skills all night, at one point skating backward with the puck still under control. Aiden Buffalino followed with 12:21 left, taking a feed from Dominic Vitale for the eventual game-winner and his first point of the season. Jake Totans made it 3-0 with 3:34 remaining in the period, slipping a quick shot five-hole. Totans was also strong on faceoffs and moved well through traffic at both ends.
Longwood got on the board with West Islip two men down. Andrew Von Thaden and Andrew Knoth were both serving minors when Dominick Cipriani deflected a goal from in front of the net with 7:49 left in the second, cutting the lead to 3-1 and drawing a burst of cheering. It was the fifth point in three games for Cipriani, who entered with two goals and two assists. West Islip answered with 4:40 left in the period on James Walcott’s goal, assisted by Jake Rocco. The goal was initially waved off but was credited after the officials conferred, restoring a three-goal lead.
Longwood’s Scott Siemsen was assessed a checking-from-behind minor, a misconduct and a game misconduct with 12:10 left in the third, which removed him from the game. Because Matthew McCormack was already serving a roughing minor, West Islip briefly had a two-man advantage. Luca Montrony, who entered with three goals in two games, made it 5-1 on a backhand with 4:28 to play, which brought another loud cheer. Knoth stayed persistent around the net and finished a rebound with 2:17 left, with assists to Mason Stack and Salonia. Von Thaden closed the scoring unassisted with 24 seconds remaining.
West Islip kept forechecking and holding the puck in the offensive zone even with a large lead, and its deeper bench kept fresh legs on the ice through all three periods. Longwood pulled Aiden McLaughlin for an extra skater late in the third but did not score again. Liam Louvier started in goal for West Islip and earned the win, and Gabriel Sarocky came on in relief and allowed one goal. McLaughlin was charged with seven goals against in the loss.
West Islip Gold improves to 2-1-0-0, and Longwood Green falls to 1-2-0-0 as both teams look to build on the early part of the season.
