For all the defeats it had picked up outside the Division II West realm, the Skaneateles ice hockey team still had a chance to climb up to the top.

That would require beating Corcoran in last Saturday’s game at Allyn Arena, which came just 10 days after their Jan. 14 clash at Meachem Rink, a 4-2 decision in the Cougars’ favor.

The rematch, as it turned out, proved even more decisive in Corcoran’s favor, a 7-1 defeat for the Lakers where having the whole cast mattered for the visitors.

Back in that first game, Corcoran did not have its top two scorers, James Cathers and Derek Eccles, yet still won behind a hat trick from Dillon Brown.

Both Cathers and Eccles were back now, and while Brown didn’t even get a point, he didn’t have to, either.

For a while, Skaneateles hung close, only trailing 1-0 after one period and getting on the board in the second period when Zach Augustine scored off a feed from Seth Weiss.

However, the Cougars built its margin to 3-1, then put up four unanswered goals in the third period to pull clear.

Casey Eccles led Corcoran’s charge, finishing with three goals and two assists, while Edmund Cathers picked up two goals. Derrick Eccles had one goal and one assist.

At 7-3 in Division II West and lodged in third place, Skaneateles hosts second-place Solvay Wednesday night at Allyn Arena before a Friday trip to Fulton.