One of the exciting and cruel aspects of ice hockey is the fact that a single play, in a single moment, can put an end to an entire season of work.
Through 45 minutes of regulation and two overtime periods in last Wednesday night’s Section III Division II semifinal, the Cazenovia Lakers battled with Corcoran to see which side would go to the Onondaga County War Memorial to challenge New Hartford for the Section III Division II championship.
Yet after an hour of ice time at Meachem Rink, it was a moment of defensive hesitation that allowed the Cougars to swoop in and get the decisive goal and, by a score of 4-3, snuff out the Lakers’ championship dreams.
Cazenovia was trying to clear the puck out of its own end in the second OT when Corcoran’s James Cathers stole it just inside of the Lakers’ blue line. Cathers went straight to the net and fired a shot past goalie J.R. Vecchiarelli into the net with 3:26 left in that extra session.
Just like that, a night that, at so many times seemed so promising for the Lakers, had ended the wrong way. Three different times Cazenovia had led, and every time Corcoran came back.
It only took 93 seconds for the Lakers to score first, as Brian Gara ripped a wrist shot from the right point into the top left corner of the net.
All through those opening minutes, Cazenovia swarmed on Corcoran’s net, only to see goalie Jason Frier make a series of big stops to keep it 1-0.
Gradually, the Cougars started attacking midway through the period. That paid off when Derek Eccles charged in from the left side and, on a breakway, beat Vecchiarelli in the last minute of the period to make it 1-1.
Each side would convert on the power play in the second period. Sean Cannizzaro’s goal, at the 9:34 mark, again put the Lakers in front 2-1. Less than three minutes later, Andrew Jackson answered with a goal on a Corcoran man advantage.
Half the third period passed without anyone putting a dent in that 2-2 deadlock — but with 7:34 to play, Ben Lewis pounced on the rebound of Brian Gara’s shot and beat Frier to give the Lakers it third lead of the night.
Still up 3-2, Cazenovia watched Corcoran take its time-out with 1:52 left, the Cougars plotting when it would need to pull Frier for an extra attacker.
But it wasn’t needed. Just eight seconds after that time-out, Eccles took a pass from the left and beat Vecchiarelli for the tying goal, and they were headed for overtime.
Through one OT period and part of a second, Cazenovia had a long string of chances to win the game. Every time, Frier denied them, some of the saves spectacular ones, as he would finish with 51 saves on the night.
For his part, Vecchiarelli also had a superb night, earning 45 saves, as defenders like Lewis, Seth Goldacker and Tom Colligan held up well, too. But Cathers changed all that with one big play, and the Cougars were on its way to the sectional finals.
Cazenovia finished with a mark of 19-3-1, the only losses coming to Corcoran and New Hartford. Joey Vechiarelli might succeed his brother in the net, while stars like Lewis, Goldacker, Ben Lewis, Carter Franz and Sean Dougherty depart, too. Cannizzaro, Gara and Sam Lewis lead the returning cast for 2009-10.
