With what it accomplished in the opening days of 2018, the Skaneateles boys ice hockey team put its early struggles far behind them and also seized command of the Division II American Conference.
First place in the league was on the line last Tuesday night when the state Division II no. 12-ranked Lakers visited no. 3-ranked Whitesboro, but with strong opening and closing statements, Skaneateles defeated the Warriors 4-2.
Whitesboro entered the game 7-1-1 and had won an Albany-area tournament the week before. The Lakers had not played in 14 days since a Dec. 19 win over New Hartford, yet carried a five-game win streak into the contest.
Showing no rust, Skaneateles grabbed a 2-1 lead by the end of the first period. Then its defense took over, keeping Whitesboro off the board in the second period as Chris Falso was on his way to 15 saves for the night.
Never tailing, the Lakers scored twice more in the final period to pull away, having seen four different players – Owen Van Holtz, Luke Lynn, Matt Leveroni and Charlie Russell – find the net in a well-balanced attack.
Van Holtz got two assists, as did Bauer Morrissey. Ryan Gick and Jack Henry also earned assists as Declan Simmons and Andrew Maycock earned Whitesboro’s goals.
Then the Lakers returned home, hoping to play in the annual Duke Schneider Memorial Tournament, but it got wiped out by the winter weather that, among other things, kept Skaneateles from a duel with reigning state Division II champion Pelham.
Instead, there was a Tuesday game with Ontario Bay to get ready for and, of far greater importance, Friday’s visit by rival Auburn to Allyn Arena. The Maroons beat the short-handed Lakers 6-5 in the Nov. 22 season opener at Casey Park.
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