SYRACUSE – Even before it took the ice at Upstate Medical University Arena for Monday night’s Section III Division II championship game, the dreams of even more glory for the Skaneateles boys ice hockey team seemed quite on track.
Not only were the Lakers heavily favored in the sectional final against Christian Brothers Academy/Jamesville-DeWitt, the only team it lost to all season, Pelham, was ousted Sunday in the Section I final by Byram Hills, a surprising that made Skaneateles the clear favorite to repeat its state title from 2023.
First, though, was the small matter of defeating the Brothers – which proved quite routine as early goals put the Lakers in control and, with its trademark depth on full display, it breezed from there to prevail 8-1 for the sectional title.
CBA/J-D arrived at this game with some reason to hope. It had played Skaneateles tough in a 4-2 decision back in January, and had just knocked off no. 2 seed New Hartford 2-1 in overtime in the semifinals after two regular-season losses to the Spartans.
But the Lakers wanted no part of the Brothers pulling off a Byram Hills-type surprise.
“We weren’t going to take anything for granted,” said forward Cole Palmer.
It took all of two minutes, and one power play, for Skaneateles to go in front for good, applying pressure until a series of quick passes set up Trevor Jensen on the doorstep to easily put one past Ben Lovell for his 14th goal of the season.
Five and a half minutes later it was 2-0, this time off a CBA/J-D turnover handed to Palmer, whose one-timer found the net. It made Palmer, with 10 goals, the eighth different player on the Skaneateles roster to reach double-digit goals this season.
“We’re very well-balanced,” said head coach Mitch Major. “They buy into the team philosophy and enjoy being together every day.”
And this night would only get more enjoyable. In a 15-second span early in the second period the margin doubled to 4-0, more strong passes setting up goals by Jack Torrey and Kaden Rutledge, with assists credited to Palmer, Andrew Gaglione, Sutton Paro and Sean Kerwick.
CBA/J-D pulled Lovell at that point in favor of Justin Buffum, but the Lakers kept pushing as Palmer added a second goal in the last minute of the period, making it 5-0 going to the third.
Luke Mizro converted on a power play early in the third period and Jack Marquardt converted, too, becoming Skaneateles’ sixth different goal-scorer of the night as Palmer got his second assist.
About the only thing that went wrong was that a quest for a 12th shutout this season was denied when Jack Dement scored short-handed with 9:26 left, but Mizro answered for the final Lakers goal of the night.
In Saturday’s regional final at Allyn Arena, Skaneateles faced Section V’s Webster Thomas with a state “Frozen Four” berth at stake, and while it wasn’t as lopsided as the sectional final, the Lakers still turned back the Titans 5-1.
A pair of first-period goals quickly put Skaneateles in charge. Then it stayed patient as the margin stayed 2-0 through the rest of the opening frame and the entire second period.
Early in the third, the Lakers made it 3-0, and after Thomas got on the board with Cam Hall’s goal two more insurance goals followed and Angelina was again solid in the net, turning back 20 of the Titans’ 21 shots.
Mizro led the way, earning a three-goal hat trick as Torrey picked up three assists. Single goals went to Gaglione and Jensen as Palmer, Rutledge, Paro and Casey Morrissey had one assist apiece.
Now it’s on to Buffalo’s HarborCenter, where in the state Division II semifinal next Saturday at 2 p.m. Skaneateles faces Batavia Notre Dame United, the Section V champions. Byram Hills meets Queensbury in the other semifinal, with the title game on March 10 at 2 p.m.
