CENTRAL NEW YORK – It would not take long for the Cazenovia ice hockey team to both demonstrate its resilience and then show that it could recover from an early setback.
The Lakers, still playing most of its home games at the Morrisville State College IcePlex, was there for its season opener against Whitesboro which featured a massive comeback – but still led to a 4-3 overtime defeat.
Cazenovia still remembered how the 2023-24 season ended – a 2-1 home defeat to Watertown IHC in the Section III Division I playoffs – and had to deal with the departure of Jack Donlin (26 goals) and Rhiley Montoya (19 goals) from its attack.
Thus, it wasn’t that big a surprise to see the Lakers struggle to find offense early as Whitesboro bolted to a 3-0 lead by the end of the first period on goals by Kyle Parent, Gavin Aceto and Jake Hall.
Settling down, though, Cazenovia scored twice in the second to move within one, then tying it 3-3 in the third thanks to relentless pressure that eventually produced 41 shots on Whitesboro’s net, 38 of which were turned back by Luke Balfe.
Vinny Dinatale, Henry Miller and Jake Hightchew produced those goals for the Lakers, with Dylan George, Jack Frazee, Shamus Newcomb, Carson Spraker, Tucker Ives, Lorelei Bock and Henry Frazee each earning an assist.
In goal, Ezra Stahlberg recorded 37 saves, only to surrender an OT goal to Collin Aceto as the visitors, despite having six players still playing football for Whitesboro’s state Class A finalists, pulled it out.
At Utica’s Nexus Center 24 hours later, Cazenovia looked to rebound in its league opener against Mohawk Valley, and would do so defeating the Raiders in another 4-3 decision.
Led by Miller’s pair of goals along with goals from Hightchew and Newcomb, Cazenovia built a 4-2 advantage through two periods, then held on late, needing every one of Brayden Hull’s 21 saves. Henry Frazee earned two assists, with single assists going to Jack Casey and Dylan George.
