AMHERST — One week removed from a Section VII Championship victory over Plattsburgh High, the Saranac Chiefs are back on the ice in Amherst for a Division II state regional game.

Saranac will face off against Section VI's Kenmore East tonight at 8:30 p.m. at the Pepsi Arena for a shot in the Final Four tournament.

Chiefs head coach Trevor Cameron said he looks at the long road trip as an opportunity to stay focused on the task at hand.

"The entire time we're traveling we know we're going there for hockey game — going out there to do our job," he said. "We're going to eat well, rest and prepare every hour to show up for that game."

Kenmore East defeated Williamsville South, 3-1, in the Western New York Varsity Hockey Federation Small Schools Championship.

Alex Silvia led the Bulldogs with two goals and an assist in the game.

Cameron said Kenmore East has three deep lines and are five-players steady at defense. Special teams play will be very important tonight as it has been all season long for Saranac.

"They have a very good power play," Cameron said. "Our penalty kill has got to be on."

He added that the Bulldogs' penalty kill is a bit passive and hopes to expose it by drawing some penalties to get opportunities on the man-advantage.

Saranac took a tough road to the quarterfinals — literally. The Chiefs played away from home in all three Section VII playoff victories.

They won a double-overtime battle in Saranac Lake, netted two shorthanded goals in Kalob Drollette's three-goal win at Northeastern Clinton in overtime and skated to a 5-1 triumph against Plattsburgh in Lake Placid.

Drollette leads the team in scoring with 14 goals and 13 assists. Logan Morris also has 27 points with 13 goals and 14 assists, and Jordan Stephney has netted nine goals and 12 helpers so far this season.

The Chiefs stopped in Syracuse Friday night for a team practice, then continued on its way to Amherst.

Because of Saranac's recent success, Cameron said he will not change anything going into tonight's game.

"Everything we've done all year, the systems we're teaching, will all be same," he said. "We're hoping for strong special teams. Our forecheck will be the same, our neutral zone play will be the same, and our defensive zone coverage will be the same."

He added that he is confident in the strength training and extra work his team has put in during the year.

"We've done all of the little things," Cameron said. "Now we just hope that the little things pay off."

A win in Amherst would put the Chiefs in the state semifinal against the winner of New Hartford and West Thomas' quarterfinal matchup. New Hartford is the No. 1 ranked team in the state, and West Thomas is the defending Division II state champion.

"Our kids will be ready — we're not going all the way out there just for fun," Cameron said. The team that comes and works the hardest will win."

Chiefs scoring leaders

Playergoalsassistspoints

K. Drollette141327

Morris131427

Stephney91221

K. Kurz9918

Hooper4913

Carpenter5712