When someone plays at a level as consistently high as the Skaneateles boys ice hockey team does, what sticks out are those occasions when it doesn’t happen.
It was the memory of those situations that drove the Lakers to go to Casey Rink last Wednesday night and offer the most lopsided result in the history of its “Route 20” rivalry with the Auburn Maroons.
The 10-0 margin was, by a good portion, the most lopsided victory of the winter for Skaneateles and its first double-digit outing in four years (since a 2016 game against Whitesboro), and had its roots in two previous games – one against Auburn, one not.
Of course, the first meeting with the Maroons Dec. 17 at Allyn Arena ended in a 1-1 tie, still the only blemish for the state no. 1-ranked Lakers.
That game, along with its last outing Jan. 23 where it trailed in the third period before rallying past Fayetteville-Manlius 5-3, educated Skaneateles and made it realize that it couldn’t just assume any result.
So at Auburn, the Lakers took only half a period to top its total from the first meeting as Cam Lowe converted and Charlie Major put home a rebound of Jack Henry’s shot.
And that was just the start.
Colin Weeks’ rebound goal made it 3-0 and, before the first period ended, the Lakers endured Auburn’s two-man advantage without surrendering a goal.
That done, Skaneateles broke it open with Major assisting on Garrett Krieger’s goal and then scoring himself seconds later early in the second period. When Russell made it 6-0, it was three goals in less than two minutes.
It got to 8-0 by the end of the period and Skaneateles added two more, Krieger getting a three-goal hat trick plus an assist as Major had two goals and four assists, with Lowe getting two goals and three assists.
Russell also had three assists, Henry getting two assists as single assists went to Drew Henderson, Ben Clymer and Michael Blowers. The game also had 23 penalties, a near-brawl in the third period and Henry ejected in the third period along with Auburn’s Ross Burgmaster for various infractions.
So Henry didn’t play when the Lakers hosted New Hartford Friday at Allyn Arena, but he wasn’t needed as the Lakers rolled again, topping the Spartans 6-1.
There wouldn’t be a shutout this time thanks to Caden Kramer’s first-period goal for New Hartford, but even with that Skaneateles led 2-1 at intermission.
Four unanswered goals in the second period settled matters as Russell, with two goals and one assist, and Major, with a goal and three assists, led a well-balanced attack.
Cole Heintz had one goal and one assist, with Lowe and Krieger also finding the net. Henderson got two assists, single assists going to Jacob French and Colin Weeks.
It will be Clinton taking on Skaneateles Tuesday night before Whitesboro visits Allyn Arena on Friday.
