The Skaneateles girls ice hockey team had to deal with its second defeat of the season when Potsdam came to Allyn Arena last Monday afternoon and beat the Lakers 5-1.
In its previous outing Jan. 9, Skaneateles had avenged its only other loss this winter, topping Ithaca 3-1, but it had not yet faced Potsdam this winter, and the Sandstoners proved that its perfect 9-0 start was far from a fluke.
Through the first two periods, Potsdam built a 3-0 advantage, shutting down the Skaneateles attack and peppering goalie Jessica Smith, who would finish the game with 20 saves.
And even when Rebecca Cain scored in the third period for the Lakers, assisted by Ioanna Christou and Campbell Torrey, the Sandstoners kept pulling away, scoring twice more.
On Friday night, Skaneateles would take on Clinton, a team it was supposed to face Jan. 12 before it got snowed out. When it happened here, the Lakers, at less than full strength, still managed to pull out a 3-2 victory over the Warriors.
Led by a pair of goals from Cecily Kawesjza, the Lakers gained its margin in the first two periods as Christou also scored. Rachelle Cain and Rebecca Cain were both credited with assists.
Clinton hung close thanks to goals by Mia Lopata in each of the first two periods, yet in the homestretch the Lakers’ defense protected its slim margin, limiting the Warriors to just nine shots overall.
A rematch with Clinton came less than 24 hours later at Allyn Arena, and it proved more lopsided as the Skaneateles attack roared back to life in the first period of a 7-2 romp.
Before the Warriors’ defense could get any chance to settle into the game, the Lakers struck for four unanswered goals in those initial 15 minutes, benefiting from a variety of front-line threats.
By game’s end, Sophia Burns, Genevieve Morrow and Katrina Harter had each got two goals and one assist. Rebecca Cain had one goal and one assist, with Torrey earning two assists. Christou and Kawesjza earned one assist apiece.
Now with a 12-2 overall record, Skaneateles could gear up for its Section III and state title defenses.
