MORRISVILLE – Everything was going the way of the Cazenovia ice hockey team headed into overtime of Thursday night’s Section III Division I quarterfinal against Watertown IHC at the Morrisville State IcePlex.
Once down two goals, the no. 3 seed Lakers had rallied to catch the no. 6 seed Cavaliers, and were controlling the flow of play against an opponent playing for the second time in as many nights. One more successful attack, and Cazenovia would find itself in the semifinal round.
Yet IHC managed to defy all these trends and, with Aidan Trimper finding the net in the extra period, prevailed 3-2 to end the Lakers’ championship dreams.
A rested Cazenovia side which had gone 7-2-1 in the second half of the regular season had reason to feel confident. Not only had it played well throughout the 2024 portion of its schedule, it had beaten IHC 5-2 back in early December in Watertown.
Right away, though, the Lakers discovered how much IHD had improved, its defense clamping down on Cazenovia and holding it to just four shots during a scoreless first period.
Cazenovia picked up its pressure in the second and, for the most part, camped in the Cavaliers’ end, ultimately taking 15 shots – but all of them were turned away by IHC goaltender Brodie MacGregor.
What was more, when the Cavaliers did get chances, it capitalized. Trimper and Colin Whitmore each struck for goals that gave IHC a 2-0 advantage going to the third.
With its patience and resilience tested, the Lakers responded in the third period. Twice, Rhiley Montoya delivered well-placed passes that Jake Hightchew and Jack Donlin turned into goals, firing up the home crowd and tying the game.
But the long intermission between regulation and OT allowed IHC to regroup, and in six-plus minutes of overtime the Cavaliers had a fair share of chances while again turning back the Lakers.
Then Trimper, at the 6:39 mark, found his way to the net and put it past Ezra Stahlberg, winning the game for IHC. Cazenovia concluded with a record of 13-7-1.
