A chance at the regular-season championship in the Division II National Conference, along with a home game in the Section III playoffs, was completely within the reach of the Cazenovia ice hockey team.
In order to earn it, the Lakers would have to beat the two teams next to them in the standings, New Hartford and Auburn, at the Morrisville State IcePlex during a busy regular-season homestretch that included four games in the span of a week.
But Cazenovia never got that first part, taking a 4-3 defeat to New Hartford Saturday in a game where it staged yet another late-game comeback, only to get toppled just before regulation ended.
Following pre-game Senior Day festivities, the Lakers struck first with Jake Stowell’s goal, but New Hartford countered, finding the net twice before Stowell and Jake Lewis assisted on Collin McGaugh’s power-play tally.
That left it 2-2 going to the second period, but here it quieted down, Cazenovia unable to find the net and the Spartans inching back in front. However, Cazenovia had trailed before in the third period and pulled something out, so no one on the Lakers was worried yet.
Sure enough, less than two minutes into the third period, Stowell again struck, his pass setting up Cole Willard for the tying goal. And it stayed 3-3 for a while, both sides missing on chances to get out in front and drifting toward overtime – or so it seemed.
Late in regulation, a Cazenovia penalty gave the Spartans a man advantage – and it took full advantage. With 15 seconds left, James Holmes, who already had a goal, put one into the net for the game-winner.
The odd part was that both teams had played at Oswego the previous two nights – the Lakers going to Crisafulli Rink on Thursday and playing the Buccaneers to a 2-2 tie, a stark contrast to the Spartans’ 8-1 romp on that same rink 24 hours later.
In the case of Cazenovia’s game at Oswego, it found “The Fort” to be quite inhospitable, despite the Bucs’ season-long struggles, having won just two of 16 games before this contest.
Adam Race scored to put the Lakers in front, 1-0, assisted by Lewis and Stowell. But Oswego countered, scoring twice in the second period to take the lead as Noah Lee and Mark Schuffenecker put shots past Cameron Fry, with Bryce Hourigan and Jamison Simmonds earning assists.
Unfazed by this, Cazenovia staged yet another third-period rally, keyed by Stowell’s tying goal, assisted by Race and Trevor Nourse. Neither side would score in the five minutes of overtime as Fry finished with 22 saves, two less than Bucs counterpart Jarrett Dudley.
Two days later, the Lakers nearly got to OT again, but New Hartford thwarted them, meaning that Cazenovia will most likely finish third in the National Conference and need to go on the road for the opening round of the sectional tournament after it meets Auburn and Clinton this week.
