Just 12 months ago, the ice hockey battles between Skaneateles and CBA/Jamesville-DeWitt largely defined the local Division II scene, with the Brothers getting the best of it in the Section III final, but the Lakers, as an at-large team, getting revenge at Utica Memorial Auditorium two weeks later en route to its first state championship in 26 years.
Things are different now, as indicated by Skaneateles going to Onondaga Nation Arena last Tuesday night and recording its second 4-0 shutout of the season over CBA/J-D, a victory that clinched the Division II American Conference regular-season title for the visitors.
Arriving with a 13-2-2 mark and no. 2 state ranking, Skaneateles also carried confidence from its previous encounter with the Brothers, having won by that same 4-0 margin on Dec. 11 at Allyn Arena.
Nearly two months later, CBA/J-D had just ripped past state-ranked New Hartford 5-1 and was playing its best hockey of the season – and none of that mattered against a Skaneateles side that forced the issue early and got well-timed goals from its top line all night.
Late in the first period, it was still 0-0, CBA/J-D having taken four shot to the Lakers’ six. But then Skaneateles struck with 3:37 left in that period as Raymond Falso, the team’s leading scorer, found the net, assisted by line mates Reggie Buell and Reece Eddy.
Then it was Eddy’s turn with 1:15 left in the period, Buell again earning the assist, making it 2-0 going into intermission, but the Lakers weren’t done with late-period heroics.
Much of the second period was quiet, too, CBA/J-D unable to convert on an early power play. But just when it looked like that two-goal margin would hold, Eddy returned and, with 29 seconds left, got his second goal, again with Buell assisting, along with Falso.
Fittingly, the last Skaneateles goal didn’t come until the last minute of the third period, Falso scoring a second time. In defeat, Peyton Bowler made 28 saves, but none of the Brothers’ 16 shots got past Lakers goalie Kyle Oschner, who also had the shutout the first time the two teams played.
Back home at Allyn Arena Friday night, Skaneateles welcomed Clinton, who had stunned the Lakers 4-2 in December, only to face major struggles in recent weeks, including last Tuesday’s 6-5 home defeat to Oswego.
Remembering that earlier loss to the Warriors, the Lakers got even with a 5-2 victory, largely built on scoring three times in the first period, giving the hosts enough of a cushion to withstand Clinton’s game-long pushes as Oschner and Bennett Morse combined for 22 saves between them.
The line of Buell, Falso and Eddy did all of the scoring damage on the Lakers’ part, Buell and Eddy each producing two goals and two assists, and Falso tacking on the other goal to go with a trio of assists.
All that is now left for the Lakers is Tuesday’s regular-season finale at Cortland-Homer before it finds out Sunday whom it would face at home in the opening round of the sectional tournament, though it’s likely that Skaneateles will face Whitesboro in that playoff opener at Allyn Arena.
