Even with a young roster, and despite adversity it never had to deal with during a 2016-17 undefeated state title run, the Skaneateles girls ice hockey team are Section III champions again.
In a thrilling sectional final Sunday at Ithaca, the Lakers spotted the Little Red two different leads, but rallied behind a hat trick from Megan Teachout and fought to a 4-3 overtime victory as Genevieve Morrow scored the game-winner.
Both sides had got to the final by lighting up the scoreboard, Skaneateles by pulling away from Alexandria Bay 6-3, Ithaca by handling Oswego 7-2.
They had split two regular-season meetings, each side winning at home. The Little Red ended the Lakers’ 27-game win streak 4-1 Dec. 19, but Skaneateles claimed the second meeting 3-1 at Allyn Arena three weeks later.
With the highest stakes in the sectional title game, Ithaca got the jump, scoring midway through the first period and again in the last minute of the period to push Skaneateles to a 2-0 deficit.
That didn’t last, though, thanks to Teachout, who had returned from an ankle injury in the Alex Bay game to notch two goals and two assists.
With five minutes left in the second period, Teachout converted the Lakers’ first goal. Less than four minutes later, Teachout again put it home, and it went to the third period even at 2-2.
Ithaca took advantage of a net scramble less than three minutes into the third period to get back in front, 3-2. Again, Skaneateles rallied as, with 4:30 left in regulation, Teachout netted her third goal.
OT would decide the sectional title, and the Lakers attacked, with a long rush to the net and the puck coming out to the left circle, where Morrow flung a wrist shot into the net for the game-winner.
Already with back-to-back sectional titles, Skaneateles is now seeking back-to-back state titles. The “Frozen Four” will take place at Oswego State’s Marano Campus Center, with the semifinals Saturday and the championship game on Sunday
