York Hockey Club’s junior varsity team continued its winning ways as the squad registered a pair of impressive league wins over the weekend. The victories improved the team’s IHSHL West Division record to 10-1-1 and over-all season record to 15-3-1.

On Friday November 14th the Dukes played host to the Lincolnway Hockey Club. York jumped out to an early lead when sophomore Anthony Trankina put a shot on net that was deflected by Freshman Josef Calzante for the opening tally. Two minutes later team captain Zach Johnson scored when he took a pass from sophomore Scott Blair and beat the visitor’s goalie with a strong wrist shot. Just before the end of the opening period Trankina and Calzante effectively cycled the puck in the offensive zone and found defenseman Liam Gardner, freshman, all alone at the point.  Gardner took the pass and delivered a rocket shot that found the back of the net to give the Dukes a commanding three goal lead before the first intermission.

After allowing the visiting team to score a goal in the second frame, York took control in the third period scoring six more goals. The first came when freshman Ethan Horne assisted on a goal by Trankina.  Then freshman AJ Orlando took a pass from sophomore Anders Caster and scored from the top of the circle. Next sophomore Jack Redick found Jake McCreadie with a pass before the freshman put a shot on net and Blair put back the rebound for a goal.

McCreadie then scored one of his own when he intercepted a Lincolnway pass in the York defensive zone and took off on a breakaway. The freshman beat the goalie with a backhand shot for the goal. Fourteen seconds later freshman Matthew Shepherd put a shot on goal and sophomore Matt Davis was camped out by the crease and popped the rebound in the net for the goal. Trankina registered the final York goal on an assist by freshman Mark Feilen.

Goalie Nolan Knupp, freshman, made 17 saves in the 9-3 York victory.

On Saturday York traveled to Aurora for a late night affair against the Naperville Central Red Hawks. This game started out very different than the Friday contest. York surrendered a three goal lead to the Red Hawks before the first break despite out playing the Naperville club for most of the opening period.

In the second period York came storming back.  Calzante scored on an assist by freshman Jack Foley to give the Dukes life. Ethan Horne then earned an assist on Calzante’s second goal and things got very interesting. Before the second period expired, Davis won a puck battle in the corner and took a shot from a poor angle that bounced off the Red Hawks defenseman into the back of the net and the game was tied going into the final period.

In the third the two teams played a very tight defensive game and the score remained even with less than a minute left to play. That is when Calzante completed the hat trick with a wicked wrist shot from the top of the circle that went bar down for the lead and the 4-3 win.

Freshman goalie Dylan Reynolds registered 25 saves to earn the victory.