MORRISVILLE – All season long the Cazenovia ice hockey team has found itself around the .500 mark, trying to rise above it but thwarted in apart by the five ties its has recorded, the most in Section III.
Still, by winning its last two games of the regular season the Lakers finished fifth in the Division I standings, an important designation going into the sectional playoffs.
Only the top five seeds had automatic byes to the quarterfinals, meaning Cazenovia, as that no. 5 seed, will face no. 4 seed Fayeteville-Manlius this week in a quarterfinal at Cicero Twin Rinks, the two teams having played to a 4-4 tie when they first met in mid-January.
Cazenovia was strong in all phases of the game and put away Mohawk Valley 5-1 last Monday night at Morrisville State IcePlex in the first of those back-to-back home contests.
They were scoreless until the second period, when Cazenovia struck twice and went in front for good. Though the Jugglers landed a third-period goal, the Lakers still managed to double its margin.
Strong in goal, Ezra Stahlberg stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced as, in front of him, Henry Miller landed two goals and an assist and Jake Hightchew also converted twice.
Oliver Smith got two assists, with Joey DiNatale landing the Lakers’ other goal. Finn Hagan, Tucker Ives and Cole Fraszee had one assist apiece as they overcame 40 saves by Jugglers goalie Evan Buckingham.
Both this win, and another over CNY Fusion 24 hours later, would help the Lakers move from a no. 7 to no. 5 seed and avoid any more games the rest of the week.
Easily achieving this goal, Cazenovia prevailed 7-0, netting multiple goals in each period and having seven different players find the net helped by four assists from DiNitale.
Shamus Newcomb earned a goal and two assists. Ives, Casey and Will Leinbach each notched a goal and assist, with Miller, Hagan and Alex Pappas also finding the net and Hightchew getting two assists. Jack Frazee and Joey Hynes also had saves, with the Lakers’ defense limiting Fusion to 20 shots all stopped by Stahlberg.
