If there is any possible downside to winning a state championship, it’s that the participants who return the following season know that it can only match what it has done before, and not top it.
Still, the Skaneateles boys ice hockey team was all too glad to accept the challenge. After all, the Lakers had waited 26 years, since winning it all in 1989, before finally climbing back to the top last March at Utica Memorial Auditorium, and is in no mood to start another long vigil for the next state crown.
And head coach Mitch Major didn’t ease his players into the next chapter, taking them to Rochester last weekend to the McQuaid Tournament for two games against Section V foes, culminating in Saturday’s clash of state champions in the tournament final as Skaneateles faced the Division I title-holders from McQuaid and beat them by a decisive 5-2 margin.
A night earlier, in its regular-season opener, Skaneateles faced Greece Thunder. Having just scrimmaged against West Genesee, the Lakers managed to quiet the Thunder with a strong all-around performance, prevailing by a score of 6-1.
Already with a 1-0 advantage, Skaneateles took control against Greece Thunder with a trio of unanswered goals in the second period. And it kept going, with Reggie Buell proving unstoppable thanks to a pair of goals and three assists.
Reece Eddy also found the net twice, with linemate Raymond Falso piling up three assists to go with his lone tally. Jacob Patalino earned one goal and one assist as Devin Callahan contributed an assist and Bennett Morse had a solid game in the net, stopping 17 of the 18 shots he faced.
From there, Skaneateles moved on to face McQuaid, who had undergone more roster changes than the Lakers had in the off-season, but still expected to hold its own against the Lakers – but the visitors had other ideas,
The two reigning state champions played to a 1-1 first-period draw, but then Skaneteles took over, blanking the Knights in the second period and moving in front, 3-1, not to get caught as a balanced attack and strong defense worked together quite well.
Falso, named the tournament MVP, notched a goal and assist, part of an attack where five different players had the five Laker goals. Buell, who added a goal, and Eddy, with two assists, joined Falso on the All-Tournament team as Patalino, Sam Clymer and Matt Benson also found the net. Adam Lupo contributed an assist as Kyle Oschner took his turn in goal and was superb, recording 21 saves.
All of this, plus Tuesday’s game at Oswego, sets up the Lakers for this Friday’s home opener, a reunion with CBA/Jamesville-DeWitt, whom it beat last year in the state Division II semifinal after the Brothers topped them in the sectional final on that same Utica Aud ice.
