Armed with the best possible opportunity to reclaim its spot atop the Division II West rankings, the Skaneateles ice hockey team could not hold on to it.
Instead, the Lakers watched as first-place Corcoran, despite missing its top two scorers, prevail by a score of 4-2 last Wednesday night at Meachem Rink.
When the Cougars lost to Cortland/Homer two nights earlier, it gave Skaneateles an opening to shake off the two defeats in its own Jan. 9-10 tournament.
What was more, Corcoran would be without star forwards James Cathers and Derek Eccles, both of whom were away at a club tournament.
None of this mattered, though, when the puck dropped. Dillon Brown scored just 49 seconds into the game to put the Cougars ahead 1-0, and it controlled the flow of play through most of the first period, keeping the Lakers on the defensive.
Skaneateles appeared to pick up a spark when, on a power play, Dylan VanHoltz scored on a rebound just 0.9 seconds before the first period ended to tie it, 1-1. But Corcoran shook that off, as Brown returned to get his second goal 1:58 into the second period.
Again, the Lakers would draw even on Patrick Emmer’s rebound tally late in the period. But just 27.5 seconds before the second intermission, Brown finished off his hat trick and put the Cougars ahead for good.
Still down 3-2, Skaneateles had the best possible chance to draw even or take the lead when it picked up a two-man advantage late in regulation. However, Jason Frier turned away the shots (he finished with 27 saves), and when the Lakers committed a frustration penalty late, Chris Domanski scored to clinch it.
Trevor Diamond, before getting pulled late, had 33 saves. Drake Hill, Packy Jones and Jim Rodgers each had one assist, while Corcoran’s Edmund Cathers picked up three assists.
Skaneateles will get another shot at the Cougars next Friday at Allyn Arena. Before that, though, it needed to break a three-game skid, and will try do so hosting Sweet Home Friday in a non-league game.