CORTLAND – Strong performances by the Cazenovia ice hockey team in the Cortland-Homer Holiday Tournament meant that it would go into 2023 with plenty of momentum, and it did reach the finals before running into Section III’s lone remaining unbeaten side.
The Lakers took on Ontario Bay in Wednesday’s opening round, and the fact that it kept up with the Storm in a wild second period proved crucial in a 7-5 victory.
A quiet start meant that Cazenovia led 1-0 going into the second, where Ontario Bay, led by Zach Blevins (two goals), Jake Amidon and Owen Newton (two assists apiece), would find the net four times.
Yet the Lakers also got four goals in that frame, maintaining a 5-4 advantage, and would convert twice more in the third to double its eventual winning margin.
Leading Cazenovia again, Forrest Ives had a three-goal hat trick, while Jack Donlin amassed a season-best four assists to go with his lone tally.
Other goals went to Logan Hull, Finn Hagen and James Dapson, with Bryson Weaver, Jacob Grevelding, Nat Gale and Braden Carnahan getting one assist apiece as the Lakers took 40 shots to the Storm’s 14.
Unbeaten Cortland-Homer awaited in Thursday’s finals, the Golden Eagles having topped Fayetteville-Manlius 4-2 in the other opening-round game.
For most of the first period, it remained scoreless, Cazenovia killing off two penalties and Ezra Stahlberg making 15 saves.
But when Ryan Spaulding converted just before the period ended, it put the Golden Eagles in control and it carried over into the second, when Cortland-Homer scored four times, negating a lone Lakers tally by Shamus Newcomb.
Eventually Cazenovia lost 8-2, with Jack Casey getting his first career goal in the third to double the Lakers’ total. Ives and Donlin were both named to the All-Tournament team as Stahlberg and Tucker Ives combined for 31 saves. Mitchell Riter led the Golden Eagles with four goals and one assist.
The first week of the new year will see Cazenovia on the road, going to Meachem Rink to face Syracuse Tuesday before visiting Whitesboro two nights later.
