The 2016-2017 Varsity Steelers team beat rival Iroquois Chiefs 2-1 on Sunday March 5th, 2017 to win their 2nd straight State Title. The Steelers earned a trip to the state championship two weeks earlier by beating the Olean Eagles in a best of three series, 4-1 & 5-3. That series win also earned them a spot in the Western New York Championship. They would face the same Iroquois Chiefs at Keybank Center (home of the Buffalo Sabres) to see who would hold the WNY crown but they couldn't handle the Chiefs offense and lost 6-1 on that day. Five days after that loss the Steelers would face Friends Academy, the #2 ranked team in their bracket. Dunkirk Fredonia prevailed 4-1 Friday and would then move on to the #1 ranked team in their bracket, Syosset. The host team for the State Championship, Syosset Chiefs, won the Long Island Championship against Friends Academy 2 games to none. Syosset had one loss in 17 games before facing our boys. The Steelers played their best team game of the season rolling all four lines in a 6-0 shutout victory. After beating Levittown 6-3 , Dunkirk Fredonia, went in to the semi-final with the #1 ranking of the four remaining teams, They would face the same Friends Academy they played two days earlier. After being tied through 3 periods and short handed the Steelers had an uphill battle. Playing 3 v 4 Mike Meredith drew a penalty on a short handed break away. Once the Steelers killed their penalty and were on the power play they peppered the Opposing goalie. Hitting two post in a few second span. Ryan Thompson put home the puck out of mid air on his own rebound to move the Steelers to the Championship game for the 2nd straight year. Facing the same team that beat them one week earlier and the team the Steelers beat one year earlier for their 1st State Championship in 31 years they knew they were in for a hard fought game. Taking a 2-0 lead on goals by Ryan Thompson and Nick Pchelka, the team knew Iroquois had a skilled offense and were ready for the onslaught coming. After letting in a power play Goal, Nick Novelli, shut the door on the Steelers Goal and the team held off Iroquois for the second straight year. Congratulations Varsity Steelers!

Please read the linked document from the NYSAHA President Joe Baudo.

 Important message.

The 2015-2016 Varsity Steelers Competed in the New York High School Club Hockey State Championship in Jamestown last weekend, March 5th - 7th, after completing a regular season with a 17-1 record. Their only loss came in over time against Wilson/Newfane in the first game of the season November 15th.

The post season started out with a 6-0 win over division rival Williamsville. next up in the WNY semi-finals they faced Iroquios in a best of 3 series and lost the first two games 2-4 and 2-6. Despite the loss the team earned a spot in the State Championship play-in game vs Eden/Lakeshore. They won the final spot in States with a 4-1 win last Monday, Feb 29th.  

With the 3rd seed in the west the Steelers played the #1 state ranked Livettown/Hicksville Friday March 5th and with a late goal tied them 1-1. The next game was vs a Locust Valley/North Shore which the Steelers beat 3-1. Saturday night the Steelers earn the #1 seed in the semi-finals by besting Rockville Center/Malvenre 8-3 with a 3rd period burst of 4 goals.

The semi finals brought back the Locust Valley/North Shore team the Steelers beat 24 hour earlier. LV/NS jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. The Steelers fought back in the second period to tie the game at two. Regulation ended at that same score. Over Time brought 5 minutes of sudden death, 4 on 4 hockey but no one could end the game. The second OT was sudden death, 3 on 3 and looked like it was going to expire until Mike Meredith lost the puck in front of the net and recovered it before the LV/NS player left the offensive zone. Meredith fired a shot that was saved but bounced to Chris Buchanan who buried it with under a minute on the clock. Game over, on to the finals.

After the game the Steelers found out they were facing the same Iroquois team they lost to, twice,  in the WNY Semi-finals. The Steelers controlled the game from the first shift and continued with the second line out when they put the puck past the Iroquois goaltender. Unlike the semi-final where the Steelers never lead until the final whistle, this game they had the lead from early in the first period and never looked back. 

The following are your 2016 New York State High School Club Hockey League State Champion Varsity Steelers.

Sophomores:

Nolan Mages (F), Zach Rybak (SC) & Jackson Taylor (F)

Juniors:

Christopher Buchanan (F), Austin Lewis (D), Alex Majka (D), Taylor Mattoon (D), Michael Meredith (F), Christian Michalski (D), Christopher Michalski (D), Dawson Rafan (F), Ryan Thompson (D) & Cole Tippens (F)

Seniors:

Joseph Caine (F), Joshua Crane (F), Stephen Formanowicz (F), Justin Price (F), Michael Szalkowski (F) & Nick Walter (F)

Coaches:

Head Coach Jay Bishop, Assistants Jeff Meredith, Mike Formanowicz, Mark Taylor, Ron Rybak & Keith Mages

Managers:

Wayne Walter & Shannon Thompson

(SC) Silver Creek High School

(D) Dunkirk High School

(F) Fredonia High School

The NCCYHA would like to take a moment to extend a sincere thanks and recognition to Varsity coach Dr. Jay Bishop for his tremendous accomplishments this year.

Coach Bishop led his rookie-packed Varsity team to a WNY Blue Division title with a record of 13-2-1. The varsity squad, for the first time ever, won the Best of The West tournament championship. Bishop had four All-Stars selected from the ranks of his Steelers squad and was granted the honor to be head coach for the All-Star team  – another first in Steelers history.

Congratulations Doc Bishop! And congratulations to the entire Steeler varsity squad on a great year.