CENTRAL NEW YORK – An exciting season for the Cazenovia ice hockey team continued with an overtime conquest and a rare victory over a traditional local power.
The Lakers led for most of Monday’s game against Syracuse at the Morrisville State IcePlex, but was able to get the game to OT and, once there, prevailed 4-3 over the Cougars.
Having surrendered a two-goal lead late in regulation, Cazenovia resumed its attack in the extra period, which paid off when, with 1:27 left in the OT, Jack Donlin put the game-winner past Syracuse goalie Conor Rose.
This was Donlin’s 16th goal of the season and second of the night, but the fact that it even got to overtime was a bit surprising, given how Cazenovia seemed to take control in the game’s middle stages.
A first-period exchange saw Dylan George get the Lakers on the board and Will Glass do the same for the Cougars. During the second, though, Cazenovia clamped down on defense.
On the other end, Donlin hit for his 15th goal and Henry Miller converted, too, but the 3-1 margin didn’t hold, despite Ezra Stahlberg working his way to 25 saves.
Rose’s 37 saves kept the Cougars within range, and in the third Owen Etoll and Nick Rayfield were both successful in finding the net to tie it, 3-3, Etoll assisting on Rayfield’s tally.
Stahlberg finished his night with 25 saves as Donlin, Miller, Elijah Meyers and Rhiley Montoya each earned one assist.
Two nights later, Cazenovia shifted to Colgate University to host Baldwinsville, and played brilliant hockey for two periods before hanging on late and, in yet another one-goal decision, defeating the Bees 4-3.
Much of the game’s story was written in the opening period. Cazenovia and B’ville each took 12 shots, but Stahlberg turned back everything and on the other end, Miller, Donlin and George took turns converting.
That 3-0 lead grew in the second when Donlin returned for his 17th goal of the season, and it would prove the game-winner when B’ville would convert twice early in the third period and again in the final seconds.
Still, finishing with 32 saves, Stahlberg and the Lakers hung on, improved to 9-4 overall and found itself in fourth place in the Division I standings, set to host a sectional playoff game if that position held the rest of the way.
A crucial game next Tuesday pits Cazenovia against Fayetteville-Manlius at the Cicero Twin Rinks, which the Hornets are using this year as a home facility.
