Though they play in separate sections, the Skaneateles and Pelham boys ice hockey teams have developed quite a rivalry in recent years. Each time they meet, something important is at stake.
In 2015, the Lakers went to Pelham and won a regional game 3-2 en route to the state title. A year later, at Buffalo’s HarborCenter, they met again, and Skaneateles won again, 3-1.
Now, in Saturday’s final of the Duke Schneider Memorial Tournament at Allyn Arena, they reunited, holding the top two spots in the state Division II rankings – and this time, Pelham prevailed, blanking the Lakers 4-0.
To some degree, this result was set up by what took place the night before in the opening round. Playing first, Pelham routed Williamsville South 8-0, but Skaneateles had to go to overtime against John Jay before Patrick Major’s goal won yet another 3-2 decision.
Major had moved into the Lakers’ top line after Reggie Buell was hurt late in December. Buell is hoping to return in early February, and Skaneateles did win its next three games, so he wasn’t missed right away.
Against Pelham, though, the absence of Buell meant that the Pelicans’ quick, physical defenders could challenge the likes of Raymond Falso and Matt Benson the moment they crossed the center line.
That translated into an opening period where the Lakers took just four shots to Pelham’s 12. Lakers goalie Zach Wilhoit stopped 11 of those shots, but at the 8:59 mark Will Case’s shot from the left point got deflected by Nat Heintz into the net, and the Pelicans led 1-0.
The pace picked up in the second period, and Skaneateles got better shots, but got turned back each time, and the physical play sent Falso to the bench for a few minutes before he returned.
Skaneateles nearly left the period clinging to that one-goal deficit, but with 26.9 seconds left Schwartz, from the back of the net, found Gibson Smith, whose one-timer eluded Wilhoit.
Frustration crept in during the third period and the Lakers, penalty-free to that point, started heading to the box. Pelham took full advantage, Smith netting a second goal with 6:34 left and Michael MacInnis adding another power-play tally four minutes later.
Two home games preceded the Pelham showdown. In the first of them, 2-8 Cazenovia came to Allyn Arena and got run over during the first period as Skaneateles had little trouble claiming the Laker showdon 9-2.
The only real concern Skaneateles had was how it would play following a 10-day layoff. The answer was that the hosts were quite ready to go, as evidence by racing to a 5-0 lead on Cazenovia by the end of the first period.
Raymond Falso’s six points came from two goals and four assists. Benson also scored twice, with Adam Lupo enjoying a breakthrough earned by a goal and four assists. Ryan Gick and Nate Squires both had one goal and one assist.
Just behind them, Major and Matt Leveroni came up with single goals. Nick Rottger, Tom Coyne and Dimitris Christou earned one assist apiece. Combined, the goalie trio of Zach Wilhoit, Chris Falso and John Ryan combined to stop 23 of the 26 shots they faced.
Then came the Schneider tournament, and that tough opening-round game with John Jay that took such a toll on the Lakers.
First of all, John Jay managed to pull off what no one else had this season – namely, keep Raymond Falso from scoring a goal. Yet he still got an assist as, in the first period, Squires and Adam Lupo both scored to offset an Indians tally and put Skaneateles in front, 2-1. Lupo, Christou and Benson joined Falso in the assist column.
They stayed that way through a scoreless second period, the Lakers’ defense working hard on its end and goalie Chris Falso making quite an impression, stopping everything from wrist shots to breakaways on his way to 25 saves and, for at least one night, snatching the spotlight from his older brother.
Despite all this, John Jay tied it, 2-2, late in the third period to force OT. In an extra period for the first time all winter, Skaneateles handled it with poise, as in the final minute of OT Major, off a feed from Benson, took the puck from the boards and, from the right circle, ripped a wrist shot home for the game-winner.
Pelham then put an end to the Lakers’ 10-game win streak, and another big game awaits on Tuesday at Division II National Conference leader Whitesboro (7-3-1) before Skaneateles returns home to face New Hartford Friday night.
