CVAC boys hockey all-stars

State final four run yields postseason honors for Lake Placid

April 11, 2015

By LOU REUTER - Senior Sports Writer (lreuter@adirondackdailyenterprise.com) Adirondack Daily Enterprise

LAKE PLACID - A second straight Champlain Valley Athletic Conference crown, a sectional championship, a regional title, a trip to the final four and a final state ranking of third.

What a season it was for the Lake Placid boys hockey team.

Skating on a team that finished with a 21-2-1 record, six Blue Bombers received CVAC postseason honors. In addition, Lake Placid's Keith Clark was named the league's coach of the year.

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Senior Nzoni Thompson led the way after being chosen as the CVAC's co-most valuable player of the year and landing a spot on the league's first team as a defenseman. Thompson, was honored as the league's top player along with Beekmantown's Josh Barriere, who is also a senior.

Thompson, one of quickest and craftiest players in the CVAC, finished with 13 goals, eight assists and 21 points. He was one of Lake's Placid captains.

Junior forward Connor Preston and senior goalie Tucker Angelopoulos joined Thompson as first-team selections. Preston led Lake Placid in goals scored with 18, with his final tally of the season coming in the Blue Bombers' 3-2 loss to Williamsville East in state Division II semifinal action in Utica.

Preston also recorded 19 assists to finish tied for a team-high in points scored with 37.

As one of the top high school goalies in New York and playing on a team that was deep at the position, Angelopoulos finished the campaign with a 13-1-1 record.

Angelopoulos gave up just 18 goals during that run and suffered his lone loss of the season in Utica. He posted four shutouts this past winter and 10 during his past three seasons while anchoring Lake Placid's defense. Angelopoulos was also a first-team CVAC pick at goaltender a season ago and shared the honor this year with Beekmantown's Ben Frederick.

Juniors Chris Williams and Noah Mohr were Blue Bombers named to the CVAC's second team. Williams had a breakout season at forward, and ended the year tied with Preston at the top of the roster in scoring.

Williams netted 16 goals and added 21 assists for 37 points. He played a role in both of Lake Placid's goals in Utica, scoring one on an end-to-end rush and assisting on Preston's goal.

A physical defenseman, Mohr was steady in the Blue Bombers' zone and also had the ability to start rushes out of his team's end of the rink. He scored four goals and added 13 assists.

Lucas Strack was named an honorable mention pick for Lake Placid. The senior defenseman was a team captain and finished with one goal and 11 assists.

In his 13th year behind the bench, Clark finally claimed a Section VII title as the Blue Bombers head coach. Lake Placid captured its last sectional crown in 2002. This season, he had the fortune of leading a team that had a core of players who have been skating together since they were 5 and 6 year olds.

In addition to leading the high school program, Clark has been a dedicated teacher of the game for youth in the Lake Placid community for many years.

Clark was also honored as the CVAC coach of the year a season ago.

Lake Placid School Awards:
Gold Letter - Nzoni Thompson
Most Improved - Dalton Jacques
Coaches' Award - Lucas Strack & Ryan Damp