BY JONATHAN SKUZA
BATAVIA, N.Y.– Ares Miller continued his strong season with his seventh multi-point performance as he helped Aquinas get back in the win column with a 4-3 victory over Batavia/Notre Dame United Thursday evening.
“I think it’s the way he carries himself,” Aquinas head coach Chuck Dossier stated about Miller’s performance. “He’s only a freshman. He’s 14 years old. He just comes every day to the rink with a purpose and wants to get better, wants to make his teammates better.”
“I think it’s all my teammates, to be honest,” Miller stated about his key to success. ” We’re all each others helping hand. If one of us needs something, the other person s there for us.”
Miller contributed right away with an assist on Aquinas’s opening goal on the powerplay. Connor Mangone put the puck home in front of the net for his 10th goal of the year to the Li’l Irish an early lead. Miller later in the first period found the back of the net to his team a two-goal lead.
Batavia/Notre Dame early in the second period took away the Li’l Irish’s momentum with two goals of its own. Joe DiRisio and Jameson Motkya scored within 53 seconds of each other to tie the game for the United. DiRisio came out from behind the net and tucked it in to cut the lead to one. Motyka took a dump-in pass and put it past the Aquinas goalie to tie the game.
Aquinas was able to snatch back the lead as Miller shot one home as he was driving down the wing with 30 seconds to go in the second. His second goal resulted in his first multi-goal performance of the season.
The momentum of his goal carried over into the final period as Cam Stewart put home his team-leading 18th goal of the season on the powerplay. Stewart put home the goal as an Aquinas penalty expired giving them a shortened powerplay. Stewart currently leads Section V with 30 points with the goal on Thursday.
Batavia/Notre Dame did not go away without a fight. Ronin Hofmaster ripped home a shot within under five minutes to go in the game to bring the United back with one. Batavia/Notre Dame created many chances and came close multiple times to tying the game but fell short.
“Real good,” Dossier stated. “They’re a good team. (Batavia/Notre Dame head coach) Marc Staley is a good friend of mine and does a really nice job. You have to be prepared and be ready to play because they don’t stop. Coming in here is a tough place to play. They got a good crowd always. I think we had a really good couple of days of practice leading into this.”
Both teams had seven powerplay opportunities on Thursday. Multiple powerplay chances were cut short due to penalties being called during the team’s respective powerplays. Aquinas was able to capitalize on two of its opportunities while Batavia/Notre Dame couldn’t find the back of the net with the man advantage.
“I think our coach does a great job planning our special teams,” Miller stated about the powerplay’s success during the game. “We got body bodies in front of the net, so I think it goes pretty well. I think we all merge pretty good together.”
Aquinas (8-4-1) will return home to take on the WFL Panthers on January 14.
Batavia/Notre Dame (9-3-0) will play game two of a three-game home stand as they will face Geneseo/Avon/Livonia on January 17.
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