Northeastern Clinton's Hayden Schad (3) with the hard hit along the end boards on the Spartans skater to break up the play. It would be the opening game of the 2026 Section VII Division 2 Boys' Hockey tournament, and it would feature the #4 Saranac Spartans hosting the #5 Northeastern Clinton Cougars from the AC North Arena, with the winner playing the #1 Beekmantown Eagles in the semi-finals two days later. The Spartans would get the first two goals of the game, 15 seconds apart at the 9:20 mark of the first period, when Noah Barton and Robbie Squier would score for the 2-0 lead. The Cougars would answer back at the 11:22 mark of the period and cut the deficit to 1 on the Scott Wrye goal to make it 2-1. The game would stay there until the 12:34 mark of the second period, when Killian Baker would score to make it a 3-1 game and regain their two-goal advantage. The Spartans would strike again 16 seconds later when Noah Barton would light the lamp for the second time on the night, giving them a 4-1 lead, and that's where the second period would end. In the third period, the Spartans would add one more at the 8:46 mark from Adrian Barnes as they secured the 5-1 victory. In the Spartans' winning effort, Max Coryer made 31 saves as they improved to 8-13 on the season and head to the semi-finals against the Beekmantown Eagles. As for the Northeastern Clinton Cougars, they would combine for 23 saves as their season ended at 3-17-1. Gallery.

Saranac's Ryan Campbell (71) and Northeastern Clinton's Hayden Schad (3) battle for the loose puck as they look to take control of the game. Gallery.

Saranac Lake/Lake Placid's Ayden McCormick (10) with the deke around Saranac's Brody McComber (4) to gain seperation for the shot on net. It would be the battle of the Saranacs take two this time, with the meeting up in Saranac Lake, as the winner would get the third seed in the upcoming playoffs, and it would be senior night for the Saranac Lake/Lake Placid Lakers. The game would remain scoreless until the 14:54 mark of the first period, when the Lakers would strike from Oren Preston for a 1-0 lead, and that's where the first period would end. The Lakers would waste little time in the 2nd period, scoring just 50 seconds in on the Braden Harvey goal. Then, just under two minutes later, they stretched it to a 3-0 lead when Ayden McCormick scored, taking control of the game. Then, with just ten seconds left in the period, the Spartans would get on the board with the Robbie Squier goal and make it a 3-1 game at the end of the second. Then, as they would start the third, the Lakers would regain their three-goal lead at 4-1 on Eli McCormick as he squeezes it through the pads. The Spartans would once again make it a two-goal game at 4-2 when Ryan Campbell would score at the 8:35 mark of the period. The Lakers would have another just over two minutes later when Eli McCormick would get his second of the night for the 5-2 game. Then, with just over two minutes left in the game, Eli McCormick would get his hat trick on the empty net goal and make it 6-2. Then, with 1:30 left in the game, the Lakers put the finishing touches on it with a power-play goal from Braden Harvey, securing the 7-2 win. In the winning effort, the Lakers clinch the third seed in the playoffs, as Scottie Nicholas made 25 saves, and they go to 8-10-1 on the season. As for the Spartans, they would combine for 25 saves as they fall to the play-in game against Northeastern Clinton next week and 7-12 on the season. Gallery.

Saranac's Brody McComber (4) with the poke check on Saranac Lake/Lake Placid's Braden Harvey (2) to break up the rush. Gallery.

Northeastern Clinton Cobe LaFountain (5) puts it top shelf over Saranac's Cooper Holland (29) for the opening goal of the game. It would be Champlain Valley Athletic Conference action at the American North Arena, with the Saranacs battling for the third seed in the playoffs and avoiding the play-in game. In a very defensive game, the Cougars would break through for the opening goal at the 10:02 mark of the second period when Cobe LaFountain would light the lamp for a 1-0 lead. The Spartans would keep fighting, and Ryan Campbell would tie the game up with 49 seconds left in the second period. The game would stay tied, although both teams had their chances till the 10:30 mark of the second period, when Ryan Campbell would get his second goal of the game to give them the 2-1 lead, and from there, the netminder would do his job as the Spartans got the win. In the Spartans' winning effort, Carson Holland made 23 saves as they went to 7-11 on the season. As for the Northeastern Clinton Cougars, they will finish off the regular season at 3-16-1 behind the 24-save effort of Greyson LaFountain, Gallery

Saranac's Gabe Moore (3) with the open ice hit on Northeastern Clinton's Ian Hemingway (13) that takes him off his feet. Gallery

Saranac Lake Lake Placid's Owen Lawrence with the hard hit on the boards to break up the play. It would be the first of two battles of Saranac, as the Saranac Lake Lake Placid Lakers would meet the Saranac Spartans at the Ameri-Can North Sports Arena, as we near the end of the regular season. The upset-minded Spartans would get the opening goal of the game just 4:29 in from Ryan Campbell for the 1-0 lead. The Spartans would stay hot as they would add another from Brody Macomber to make it a 2-0 game nine minutes in. Then, at the 12:20 mark of the period, the Spartans took control of the game with an Elliott Batty goal, making it 3-0. The Lakers would answer right back 15 seconds later, breaking up the shutout with Braden Harvey's goal to make it 3-1, and that's where the first period would end. The game would stay there till the 6:44 mark of the second period when Ayden McCormick would score and make it a 3-2 game. The Spartans would answer back 90 seconds later on the Gabe Moore goal as they regained their two-goal lead at 4-2. Then, with just under 3:30 left in the period, Ryan Campbell would score on the power play and take control of the game again at 5-2. The Lakers would get the game back to two when Carver Bell would score with 1:26 left in the period and be 5-3 at the end of the second. Then at the 5:14 mark of the third period, the Spartans would regain their three-goal lead at 6-3 when Ryan Campbell would complete the hat trick. Although the Lakers would come back with two goals 44 seconds apart in the 6th minute of the third, Eli McCormick and Braden Harvey (second of the night) scored to make it a 6-5 game. Although the Spartans would keep coming, Killian Baker would score at the 10:45 mark of the period to make it 7-5. The Lakers would keep coming, and Ayden McCormick would get his second of the night to make it a 7-6 game with 3:39 left. The Lakers would keep firing on the night, but the comeback bid would come up just a bit short as the Spartans would get the 7-6 victory. In the winning effort, the Spartans would go to 6-11 on the season, while the Lakers fall to 7-10-1 Gallery.

Saranac's Killian Baker (2) drops to a knee as he rifles the shot past the goalie for the score. Gallery

Saranac's Elliot Batty (12) scored the goal that he slides through the pads of Plattsburgh's Owen Chapple (72) as he would make it a 3-2 game. It would be the second meeting of the season between the pair that share the Ameri-can North Arena, the Plattsburgh Hornets and the Saranac Spartans in Champlain Valley Athletic Conference action. The Hornets would get the game going at the 4:31 mark of the first period on the Sam Bezio goal for the lone goal of the opening period. The game would stay there until the 5:29 mark of the second period, when Jacob Wheelin would extend their lead to 2-0, and that's where the second period would end. The Spartans would get on the board just 37 seconds into the third when Ryan Campbell would cut the deficit in half and make it a 2-1 game. Then, at the 10:52 mark of the third period, the Hornets would regain their two-goal lead at 3-1 on Colby Chase's power-play tally. The Spartans would have a quick answer just 53 seconds later when Elliot Batty would slip it by Hornets Owen Chapple and make it a one-goal game again at 3-2. Then just 90 seconds after, the Hornets would make it 2 goals again at 4-2 on the Cooper Hollad. Then, in the closing time of the game, the Hornets would add the empty netter from Alex Hanshaw to secure the 5-2 victory. In the Hornets' winning effort, Owen Chapple made 30 saves as they went to 10-5-2 on the season. As for the Spartans, Tegan VanValkenburg made 24 saves as they fell to 5-11 on the season. Gallery.

Plattsburgh's Owen Chapple (72) with the glove save on the breakaway attempt, as he would have 30 saves on the evening. Gallery.