Had the Cazenovia ice hockey team tried to match itself against the well-established Division I powerhouses earlier this season, it may not have proved encouraging.

But with all the improvement the Lakers had shown going 4-1-1 in its previous games, it entered back-to-back contests against West Genesee and Baldwinsville with a real belief that it could stay right with them.

Cazenovia and WG met last Tuesday at the Morrisville State IcePlex, and it never got away from the Lakers as it made a spirited late push before taking a 3-2 defeat to the Wildcats.

Trailing 2-0 through two periods due to goals by Joe McLaughlin and Andrew Schneid, Cazenovia got on the board with John Dudrick’s goal with 11 minutes to play, only to have the Wildcats answer it when Patrick Quinn converted, the first goal of his varsity career.

Jake Owens kept things alive when he found the net with 1:30 left, but WG held on, despite Cy McCrink’s 24 saves as Jack Donlin and Forrest Ives earned assists on the Lakers’ goals.

Cazenovia then made its way to Lysander Arena to face Baldwinsville last Friday, and it proved a far different game, the Lakers overwhelmed as it lost to the Bees 8-1.

Then, back at the IcePlex on Saturday, the Lakers hosted New Hartford, and those struggles on the defensive end continued during an 8-3 defeat to the Spartans.

Two road games take place this week for the Lakers, including a Tuesday trip to Fulton and a Thursday visit to Cicero Twin Rinks to face Fayetteville-Manlius.