SKANEATELES - If there's a good way to lose, the Skaneateles hockey team found it.
The second-ranked team in the state went up against No. 1 Queensbury in the first round of the New York State Division II playoffs on Saturday riding a 10-game winning streak, including its first Section III, Division II title win in over a decade.
Even with a multitude of injuries to their best player, the Lakers played a game of a lifetime against the Spartans, but fell 3-2 on one lapse into overtime at Allyn Arena.
“The puck popped out the wrong way and their best goal scorer put it away,” Lakers coach Mitch Major said.
Spartans senior Matt Soprano took a breakaway shot straight through the legs of Lakers goalie Alex Richichi just 1:24 into the extra period to send Queensbury into the quarterfinals. An exhausted Skaneateles team and a standing room only crowd of mostly Lakers fans could only look on in shock as Queensbury celebrated the title that was within the Lakers' grasp for most of the game.
“I've never been more proud of a group of guys, ever,” Major said. “We dedicated this year to (longtime assistant coach) Duke Schneider and he's definitely looking at us proudly now. That's what I think anyway,”
The longtime assistant coach, that passed away before the season began, would likely be proud of what the Lakers accomplished this season. Winning their first Section III, Division title since 1983 was one thing. Giving the top team in the state a serious run for their money was quite another.
“It was a good game,” Major said. “They were number one and we're number two and it was a game that was just like that - two top teams playing hard against each other.”
Skaneateles out-shot and out-played the Spartans for most of the game. They pelted Queensbury goalie Pat Murphy with 26 shots. Keith Buehler played an inspired game for Skaneateles. He scored the first goal 8:46 into the first period on a pass from Matt Wood. Early in the second frame, he was laid out on the ice in pain, leaving the game for over three minutes. A minute prior to his injury, Kevin Valenti scored an inside goal on a pass from Ryan Wilson to tie the game for Queensbury.
Thirty-three seconds after returning to the ice, Buehler again gave his team the lead, with help from Tory Cole. Buehler rarely left the ice for the rest of the game despite challenges that read like a medical book.
“Keith had absolutely no shoulder against Whitesboro (in the sectional title game),” Major said. “He couldn't even move it tonight. He rolled his ankle in that game, he cut open his chin, he injured his sternum - all of this in one game. He played tonight with absolutely everything he had. He was half a man physically, but his heart was twice as big as everyone else's. It was very impressive - his will to win is amazing.”
Sophomore Alex Richichi had 24 saves in an incredible effort as well.
The Lakers finish the season 21-5-2.
Spartans 3
Lakers 2
Even with a multitude of injuries to their best player, the Lakers played a game of a lifetime against the Spartans, but fell 3-2 on one lapse into overtime at Allyn Arena.
“The puck popped out the wrong way and their best goal scorer put it away,” Lakers coach Mitch Major said.
Spartans senior Matt Soprano took a breakaway shot straight through the legs of Lakers goalie Alex Richichi just 1:24 into the extra period to send Queensbury into the quarterfinals. An exhausted Skaneateles team and a standing room only crowd of mostly Lakers fans could only look on in shock as Queensbury celebrated the title that was within the Lakers' grasp for most of the game.
“I've never been more proud of a group of guys, ever,” Major said. “We dedicated this year to (longtime assistant coach) Duke Schneider and he's definitely looking at us proudly now. That's what I think anyway,”
The longtime assistant coach, that passed away before the season began, would likely be proud of what the Lakers accomplished this season. Winning their first Section III, Division title since 1983 was one thing. Giving the top team in the state a serious run for their money was quite another.
“It was a good game,” Major said. “They were number one and we're number two and it was a game that was just like that - two top teams playing hard against each other.”
Skaneateles out-shot and out-played the Spartans for most of the game. They pelted Queensbury goalie Pat Murphy with 26 shots. Keith Buehler played an inspired game for Skaneateles. He scored the first goal 8:46 into the first period on a pass from Matt Wood. Early in the second frame, he was laid out on the ice in pain, leaving the game for over three minutes. A minute prior to his injury, Kevin Valenti scored an inside goal on a pass from Ryan Wilson to tie the game for Queensbury.
Thirty-three seconds after returning to the ice, Buehler again gave his team the lead, with help from Tory Cole. Buehler rarely left the ice for the rest of the game despite challenges that read like a medical book.
“Keith had absolutely no shoulder against Whitesboro (in the sectional title game),” Major said. “He couldn't even move it tonight. He rolled his ankle in that game, he cut open his chin, he injured his sternum - all of this in one game. He played tonight with absolutely everything he had. He was half a man physically, but his heart was twice as big as everyone else's. It was very impressive - his will to win is amazing.”
Sophomore Alex Richichi had 24 saves in an incredible effort as well.
The Lakers finish the season 21-5-2.
Spartans 3
Lakers 2
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