Harvey scored four goals and added three assists. Meanwhile, junior Ayden McCormick, who is nearing 100 career points, netted a hat trick and tallied an assist. McCormick is now at 97 career points — the most by an SLP player since the two schools merged in 2019.

Also for SLP, Oren Preston scored twice, while Ryan Bartholomew and Eli McCormick each tallied a goal. Bartholomew and Braeden Foley also had three assists, as Preston, Eli McCormick and Owen Lawrence chipped in one each en route to the win.

SLP is now 3-3-1 overall, and the win snapped a two-game losing skid. Those two losses came against state-ranked teams in Potsdam and Williamsville North, but SLP’s head coach Josh Spanburgh, said facing two high-powered offenses before taking on a rival in Tupper Lake was scheduled on purpose.

“We want to have that kind of barometer of games that can show us what we need to do,” he said. “While looking at what teams do that are at that higher level, so that we can attain that kind of goal and make that something that we want to try and do.

“So I am very happy with today in the sense that for three periods, they all did their jobs,” Spanburgh added. “As the game went on, very few of them started taking on and doing the wrong things … So I was very proud of the whole team in general today.”

SLP jumped out to an early lead, scoring within the first four minutes of the contest, on a shot from Bartholomew. The team then added three more in the first period, and six more in the second to take a 10-0 advantage. Eli McCormick netted the lone goal of the third period, with Foley and his brother, Ayden, assisting.

The line of Bartholomew, Harvey and Preston was strong all evening, combining for six of SLP’s 11 goals. Spanburgh said it’s really nice to see them come together, especially since they just got together in the last week or so.

“That line had a great game,” he said. “I think everybody did generally play really well. Another hat trick for Ayden McCormick. So in general, I liked how the offense played. I liked how well they played in our own zone, which is just as important.”

SLP finished with a 47-19 advantage in shots on goal. Tupper Lake’s biggest opportunity of the night came when Brady Skiff had a breakaway in the second period, but his shot was turned away by SLP’s senior goalie, Scottie Nicholas.

The senior recorded 19 stops en route to his second shutout of the season for SLP. Meanwhile, Nolan Wilson started in net for the Lumberjacks and had 20 saves. Traxon Ellers entered the game in the second period and stopped 16 shots. Tupper Lake dropped to 0-6 overall with the loss.

SLP was down three players from its typical lineup in Carver Bell, Ethan Knight and David Montroy. Spanburgh said all three guys are important to the team.

“Ethan, our captain, obviously, is a major player for us, and he’s a workhorse,” he said. “Carver Bell does the same, and Dave Montroy. Both guys go out there with a lot of heart and they push themselves, they work really hard and they hustle. So not having those three was definitely a factor that we were worried about, but it’s nice to see the rest of the guys picking up from.”

Following this non-league matchup, SLP will return to league play with a handful of “important games” upcoming on the road. The team will travel to Rouses Point today to face the Northeastern Clinton Cougars at 6 p.m., and to the Plattsburgh State Field House in a game at 6 p.m. against the Beekmantown Eagles.

“We have to be ready and we have to push and we have to do our jobs,” Spanburgh said. “(Hopefully) we can do what we did today, but it’ll probably be tougher games and matches against NCCS and Beekmantown.”

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Potsdam 7, SLP 1

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Following a two-week break, the Saranac Lake Placid boys hockey team suffered a 7-1 home loss to the Potsdam Sandstoners on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at the Saranac Lake Civic Center.

The undefeated Sandstoners capitalized on SLP defensive breakdowns and sloppy play, while scoring six unanswered goals in the second and third period to earn the victory.

Brandon Bernard scored twice for Potsdam while Lukas Myers, Tommy Niles, Jacory Johnson, Quinn McGaheran and Kayden McGaheran each scored one. The Sandstoners, which are currently 6-0 overall, sit atop the Section X standings.

Despite the lopsided score, SLP battled with Potsdam for most of the contest as the Sandstoners held only a 31-28 advantage in shots.

SLP was strong in the first period, erasing an early 1-0 deficit, when junior Ayden McCormick connected on a pass from senior Knight on the power play. Harvey also assisted on the score, which came with about four minutes left in the opening frame.

Potsdam essentially took control of the game when Niles and Bernard scored back-to-back goals within five seconds of each other in the second period to give their team a 3-1 advantage.

The Sandstoners scored twice more in the middle period, before connecting on a pair of power play goals in the third to remain unbeaten.

Nicholas made 24 saves for SLP. Potsdam’s goalie, Liam Hubbard, turned away 27 shots.

SLP also suffered a 9-2 loss to the Williamsville North Spartans on Saturday, Jan. 3. Ayden McCormick and Foley each scored one goal and added an assist. Eli McCormick and Gerald Woodruff chipped in with an assist each.