SKANEATLES – Few high school programs of any sort in Central New York can compare to the way the Skaneateles boys ice hockey team has, at times, simply outclassed whoever it faced on the ice.
This happened again in 2022-23, the Lakers earning the fifth state championship in program history with a 22-3 record that included plenty of goals and 12 shutouts from sophomore goaltender Chad Lowe.
Lowe is now in junior hockey, and Skaneateles would need to replace him along with several other standouts as a new season got underway Friday against Fayetteville-Manlius at Allyn Arena.
As it turned out, at least for this night the defense was just fine, and needed to be so in order for the Lakers to turn back the Hornets in a 2-1 decision.
They traded first-period goals, Brady Moore converting for F-M as Connor McDonald assisted. But Skaneateles inched in front in the second and then spent the rest of the game controlling the flow of play, though it was kept from getting away thanks to Hornets goalie Chris Finger’s 41 saves.
Sean Kerwick and Andrew Gaglione, two of the Lakers’ returning players, netted goals, with assists credited to Luke Mizro, Andrew Falkenberg, Casey Morrissey and Kaden Rutledge. In goal, Danny Angelina only had to make 10 saves.
Next week, Skaneateles joins the reigning state Division I champions, West Genesee, at Shove Park for the Ice Breaker Tournament, where these two powers face each other Wednesday night at 7:30 after Baldwinsville takes on Syracuse in the opening half of the twin bill at 4:30. Semifinals and finals are on Thursday.
