It is now the post-season for the Skaneateles girls ice hockey team, where the Lakers assume a far different role than in seasons past.
Instead of carrying the burden of expectations for sectional and state titles, Skaneateles would start out as a no. 3 seed in the four-team bracket.
That meant facing no. 2 seed Ithaca at Cass Rink on Tuesday night, with the winner getting to the finals on Thursday at 7:15 at Cicero Twin Rinks against top seed Clinton or no. 4 seed Oswego.
The Skaneateles boys icc hockey Lakers are still a few weeks away from its post-season run, but it will go there as an overwhelming favorite, having stayed undefeated and atop the state Division II rankings all season.
All was going well for Skaneateles heading into Thursday’s non-league game against Fayetteville-Manlius at Allyn Arena, but it turned into a tense affair where the Lakers had to rally late to beat the Hornets 5-3.
F-M was tough from the outset, keeping the potent Skaneateles attack quiet for most of the first period until Charlie Major scored at the 11:31 mark.
Then the Hornets erased that deficit early in the second period on Spencer Sasenbury’s goal, assisted by Mike Hockenberger. Less than two minutes later, Jackson Denton converted and F-M had a 2-1 lead.
That held up until the third period when Skaneateles, who hadn’t trailed much in games all season, found its prime form.
Cole Heintz tied it early in the period and, with 9:49 left, Heintz struck again to give the Lakers a 3-2 edge. Barely two minutes later, Drew Henderson found the net to make it 4-2.
Hanging in there, Sasenbury returned for the Hornets to hit on his second goal with 5:35 left, but Garrett Krieger tallied a late goal to clinch if for the Lakers.
Charile Russell finished with three assists, with single assists going to Henderson, Cam Lowe, Luke Renaud and Jacob French. Goaltender Chad Lowe also had an assist to go with his 14 saves.
Against Cortland-Homer last Tuesday night at the J.M. McDonald Sports Complex, the Lakers used a big first period to do most of the damage in a 5-1 win over the Golden Eagles.
Skaneateles had prevailed by that exact same score against Cortland-Homer when the two met Nov. 29 at Allyn Arena, but in that game the attack was spread out.
Here, it was 4-0 after one period and the Lakers maintained the shutout until Ben McGrath got the Golden Eagles on the board in the third period.
Heintz and Cam Lowe led that early charge, each scoring twice as Lowe added an assist. Krieger had one goal and one assist as Major got two assists. Russell, Jack Henry and Colin Weeks earned single assists.
The lone Skaneateles blemish remains its 1-1 tie with Auburn on Dec. 17, but the Lakers meet the Maroons again next Wednesday at Casey Park, two nights before hosting New Hartford.
