CAMILLUS – It took the establishment of the Ice Breaker Tournament for the West Genesee and Skaneateles boys ice hockey teams to go face-to-face at the outset of the 2022-23 season.
This collision between two reigning Section III champions Tuesday night at Shove Park lived up to the billing, tense and tight all the way until the Wildcats were able to convert late and beat the Lakers 2-0.
Both sides had won their season openers with shutouts the week before – WG blanking Oswego 6-0, Skaneateles doing the same to Fayetteville-Manlius 3-0.
Here, that shutout theme would persist through two tense periods. Even though the action went up and down the rink, the Wildcats had more chances to put it in the net.
Chad Lowe turned everything away early on his way to 31 saves overall, but was finally solved 58 seconds into the third period when Will Schneid put in the go-ahead goal.
Right to the end, the Lakers had a chance, only to get constantly thwarted by a stifling WG defense as Luke Beck only had to make 14 saves. Jack Mellen then scored on an empty net just before time ran out.
This put the Wildcats into Wednesday night’s final against Baldwinsville, who had rolled past Syracuse 7-1 in the other half of the opening round. It was the first time these rivals had met since last February’s sectional Division I final.
And quite unlike the first-round game, WG took charge at the outset with a quick scoring outburst and pulling further away to defeat the Bees 6-1.
Just eight seconds were required for the Wildcats to go in front, Jared Jaeger getting the first goal and, on the ensuing face-off, Kyle Evanchak finding the net.
Then Schneid made it 3-0 before the first period was over. Not stopping there, WG tacked on a second-period goal from Liam Burns, the only conversion from either side.
B’ville finally broke the Wildcats’ shutout streak when Keegan Lynch scored early in the third period. But Schneid answered a few minutes later and David Petrus converted, too.
Owen Zoanetti picked up two assists, while Petrus, Schneid, Ryan Considine and Will Shields also earned assists. Beck was superb in the net, stopping 24 of 25 shots as WG and B’ville will meet again Jan. 16 in Lysander.
Before this, Skaneateles edged Syracuse 4-3 in the consolation game, the Cougars nearly able to break its three-game skid.
Henry Major picked up a three-goal hat trick in the first two periods, with Sean Kerwick getting the other goal. Andrew Falkenburg and Carter Corbett had two assists apiece as Alex Whitlock added an assist.
Down 4-2, Syracuse moved within one in the final period, but could not catch up as Alan Victoriano, Jon Massaro nad Nick Rayfield had the goals, with Adam Frye, Will Glass and Pat Sheridan each getting an assist.
