A long time had passed since the boys ice hockey teams at Skaneateles and West Genesee had met head-to-head.
Thus, plenty of anticipation greeted the Lakers’ trip to Shove Park to face the Wildcats last Tuesday night, but what happened in the first period quickly diminished the enthusiasm of the visiting side at it went on to a 7-2 defeat.
Skaneateles still wasn’t at full strength. Three key players – Jimmy Liberatore, Nate Squires and Tyler Schneider – were still recovering from the football Lakers’ run to the state Class C championship and were not yet available to play.
WG was at full strength, though, and after it killed an early Skaneateles power play, started to take charge with a three-on-one breakaway that Dan Colabufo converted into a goal at the 4:54 mark of the first period.
Billy Fisher’s goal made it 2-0 midway through the period and, 47 seconds later, Colabufo again broke clear, scoring off feeds from John Bergan and Ryan Smith. At the 11:11 mark, Colabufo gained the hat trick.
So it was 4-0 through one period, and it got to 6-0 late in the second period, Colabufo and Fisher both converting again, before Owen Van Holtz, off a feed from Bauer Morrissey, got Skaneateles on the board.
Matt Leveroni tacked on a third-period goal, only to have Colabufo pick up his fifth goal just 37 seconds later.
Looking for a quick turnaround, Skaneateles traveled to Ithaca Thursday night, and its two-game skid came to a halt as the Lakers powered past the Little Red 4-3.
All of the scoring came in the first two periods. Skaneateles grabbed a quick 2-1 edge and then matched Ithaca during an active second period as Leveroni, with two goals and one assist, led the way.
Luke Lynn and Colin Weeks scored, too, with Lynn adding an assist. Charlie Russell got two assists as Van Holtz, Charlie Major and Ryan Gick also earned assists.
Despite all this, Skaneateles had to maintain a one-goal lead through a tense third period. It did so as goaltender Chris Falso finished the night with 17 saves.
Another road game would follow, at Whitesboro, on Tuesday before Skaneateles returns to Allyn Arena to take on Cazenovia in Thursday night’s home opener at 7 p.m.
