A season-opening seven-game win streak for the Skaneateles boys ice hockey team ended on Dec. 14 with a 5-3 defeat to Oswego in the rematch of last winter’s Section III Division II final.
It was now imperative for the Lakers to regain its edge before the holiday break, which it started to do in Wednesday night’s game at Clinton, a tough, physical affair that saw the visitors rally to beat the Warriors 2-1.
Even with Clinton reeling from an 0-5-1 start and sporting a roster far smaller than in the program’s glory days, Skaneateles knew that any game at historic Clinton Arena was going to be tough.
Sure enough, the Lakers trailed, 1-0, after one period thanks to Lucas Hameline’s goal, assisted by Caleb Fletcher. Staying patient, Skaneateles pulled even in the second period and got in front in the third period, blanking the Warriors the rest of the way.
Owen Kuhns and Connor Hill earned the Lakers’ goals, while Josh Kuhns and Jake Cooney picked up one assist apiece. Following that lone Clinton goal, the Skaneateles defense further tightened, limiting Clinton’s scoring attempts as goalie Ethan Kupp only had to make 13 saves.
As that went on, the Skaneateles girls ice hockey team hosted Oswego at Austin Park Pavilion and played the Buccaneers to a 1-1 tie.
Neither team scored until the second period. Madison Singler, off a feed from Riley Donahue, got the Lakers on the board, while Allie Rogers nabbed an unassisted goal for Oswego.
And there it would stay, through the third period and overtime, as Skaneateles took nearly twice as many shots but could not get it past Bucs goalie Maddie Whalen, who made 34 saves. Skaneateles netminder Amanda Lupo made 18 saves.
