Everything was lined up for the Cazenovia ice hockey team to leap to the top of the list of Division II regular-season and sectional title contenders if it could turn back its fellow Lakers from Skaneateles Saturday at the Morrisville State IcePlex.
Cazenovia had not played on home ice since Dec. 9. But in the five games that followed, the Lakers tied Fayetteville-Manlius 1-1 and then rattled off a four-game win streak, including that riotous late-third period comeback to stun then-unbeaten Auburn 5-4 on Dec. 18 at Casey Park.
Following that, the Lakers rested for a week until going to Cortland-Homer’s tournament, which began Dec. 26 at the J.M. McDonald Sports Complex with Cazenovia putting together another quick outburst to beat the host Cortland-Homer Golden Eagles 4-2.
Through one period, the Lakers trailed, 1-0. But then it took charge by netting four unanswered goals, all in the second period, and then preserving that lead thanks to 19 saves by goaltender Trip Clarke, who was making his first start of the season.
Colin McGaugh had two of those goals, with Nate Morgan and Graham Demo also finding the net. Jake Stowell, Adam Race and Brenden Whalen each earned an assist as Trevor Andrews and Ben Gravel had the Golden Eagles’ goals.
A day later, Cazenovia met Frontier (Section VI) in the finals and, for the third consecutive game, came from behind, waiting until the third period to make its big move and beat the Falcons 6-4 for the first-place trophy.
Frontier inched in front, 2-1, during the opening period, and an exchange of goals followed. As the final period got underway, the Lakers still trailed, 4-3, but pulled even two minutes into the frame.
Then it saw McGaugh, later named the tournament MVP, assist Whalen on a short-handed goal with 8:48 left. That proved the game-winner as, less than three minutes later, McGaugh assisted on a goal by Jake Lewis.
And this led to the game against Skaneateles, which saw Cazenovia unable to get on the board by the second period, by which point the visitors had already gained control and would keep it, leading to a 5-1 defeat.
Going into that second period, Skaneateles already was up 1-0, but it tacked on two more goals, one of them short-handed, before Alex Marshall broke up the shutout on a goal assisted by Graham Demo.
Even that didn’t last long, though, as Skaneateles made it 4-1 by the end of the second period and cruised from there, led by Reggie Buell, who had a three-goal hat trick plus an assist, and Raymond Falso, who had a goal and three assists. Between them, goalies Cameron Fry and Trip Clarke made 18 total saves.
So at the midway point of its regular season, Cazenovia stood at 6-3-1, just ahead of Cazenovia and New Hartord in the Division II National Conference, having just one game this week against Thousand Islands Friday night at the IcePlex.
