A mad post-season scramble would determine whether the Skaneateles girls ice hockey team would repeat as Section III and state champions.
But the Lakers were unable to get out of the sectional bracket, beaten 3-2 by top seed Alexandria Bay in a tense title game at Haldane that was not decided until Alex Bay netted the winning goal in the waning seconds of regulation.
With a berth in the regional tournament at stake, the Lakers fell behind early, Alex Bay going out in front 1-0 early in the first period with Emily Rose’s goal. That was the only goal for either side in the frame, as the defenses settled in and controlled things until intermission.
Then, early in the second period, Skaneateles tied it, 1-1, as Abbie Kuhns converted and Allison Weiss picked up the assist. Again, neither side would convert in the rest of the period, meaning that the sectional title would go down to the third period – or later.
Those last 15 minutes proved the most exciting. Kealey Rose’s goal pushed Alex Bay to a 2-1 lead. Determined not to give up its crown, Skaneateles tied it with five minutes to play in regulation, Grace Schnorr getting that goal as Sophie Kush and MaryKate McHale assisted.
Yet just when it looked like this game, like the 2014 state final, would head for overtime, with 17 seconds left Alex Bay’s Sydney Aubertine took a shot from an awkward angle that somehow made it past Johnna Halko into the net, a goal for which the Lakers could not answer as its sectional title reign came to an end.
Skaneateles took more shots, but got thwarted often by Alex Bay goalie Kayla McCabe, who made 24 saves. Miranda Kolb, Hayley Aubertine and Kelsey Bannister got assists on the Alex Bay goals.
Before all this, the sectional tournament got underway with last Wednesday’s semifinals, continuing with a championship game on Saturday. Then, if the Lakers were successful, it would join the Section VII, Section X and Section VI champions in Buffalo for a regional tournament this Friday and Saturday.
As the no. 2 seed in the four-team sectional bracket, Skaneateles hosted no. 3 seed Ithaca in the semifinal at Austin Park Pavilion, and it was a tight game most of the way, but strong defense and timely goals helped the Lakers eliminate the Little Red 3-1.
If Skaneateles felt any post-season nerves, they were erased just 2:22 into the first period, when Schnorr scored the game’s first goal. Ithaca didn’t flinch, though, converting on a wrist shot from distance to tie it, 1-1, late in the period.
Perhaps the Lakers’ lone crisis point came early in the second period, when it took a tripping penalty. But the Little Red could not take advantage, and Skaneateles went back on the attack, converting at the 7:49 mark when Paige Postalwait, from the left side, passed to front of the net where Caroline McGuigan had her shot stopped, but she put in the rebound for the go-ahead goal.
Deep into the third period, it remained 2-1, Skaneateles unable to get away, but Ithaca unable to get even. Then, with 3:50 left, Sophie Kush got stopped on a breakaway, but seconds later Kuhns, off a feed from Schnorr, fired a wrist shot into the net to clinch it.
And it sent the Lakers into Saturday’s sectional final at Haldane against top seed Alexandria Bay, who had topped Oswego 4-2 in the other semifinal – and would conquer Skaneateles, too, with just seconds to spare.