CENTRAL NEW YORK – For all of its strong play early this season, the Cazenovia ice hockey team still found itself wondering that if it’s even better than the 5-3 record it has put together.

Two of the Lakers’ three defeats were by the exact same 5-4 margin – one of them to reigning state Division I champion West Genesee Dec. 12 at the Morrisville State IcePlex, another at the expense of Cicero-North Syracuse six days later.

The Northstars game took place at Colgate University’s Class of 1965 Alumni Arena, where Cazenovia bolted out to a 2-0 advantage in the game’s first two minutes on the strength of goals by Jake Hightchew and Jack Donlin.

Turning it around, C-NS had Andrew Davis convert twice, one of them short-handed, and then add a Cole Prevost goal, leaving the Lakers trailing 3-2 at the end of a wild opening period.

Cazenovia controlled the second period without getting rewarded for it. Taking 10 shots to C-NS’s two, the Lakers saw each of those shots stopped by Northstars goalie Leyton Sullivan, who finished with 29 saves.

Then the Lakers broke its drought in the third, Donlin getting a second goal and Rhiley Montoya also finding the net. But Davis completed his hat trick and then, with 6:09 left in regulation, poured in the game-winner, his fourth of the night.

Lucas Cornish and Jack Casey joined Hightchew in the assist column, while Ezra Stahlberg recorded 20 saves. Prevost, aside from his goal, had an assist, as did C-NS teammates Hayden Scott, Drew Matyasik and Cam Walker.

Back at the IcePlex Wednesday night, Cazenovia faced Mohawk Valley, the combined team from the Utica area, and it proved quite a different game, but the Lakers were able to edge the Jugglers 1-0.

When Montoya scored in the first period off a feed from Henry Miller, it was difficult to imagine that it would be the only time either team would find the net all night.

For the rest of the game, Cazenovia applied plenty of pressure, only to get turned back as Noah Narolis stopped 35 of the Lakers’ 36 shots.

What it did do, though, was keep Mohawk Valley from many opportunities of its own as the Jugglers took just 12 shots, all stopped by Tucker Ives, who took a turn in goal.

Sitting at 5-3 overall, the Lakers will play next Thursday and Friday in the Cortland-Homer Tournament, its only action between now and a Jan. 9 rematch with Mohawk Valley at the Nexus Center.