CAMILLUS – Maybe the roster is different and perhaps the head coach is a new one, but it’s still the Skaneateles boys ice hockey team and its winning aura remains a strong one. The Lakers gained a major early-season marker when it defeated West Genesee 3-2 Tuesday night in the opening day of the two-day Wildcat Classic. Originally scheduled as a four-team tournament, the schedule changed when Syracuse and Fayetteville-Manlius were unable to play its opening-round game due to cancellation of activities by weather. But the other game remained, an annual showdown of two reigning champions which again proved memorable. WG’s Matt Schneid put in the only goal of the first period. Then Skaneateles seized a 2-1 advantage in the second with Luke Bobbett having a part in both goals. Staging its own comeback, the Wildcats pulled even 2-2 in the third period as Schneid scored again and got it to OT, but there Bobbett helped Skaneateles notch the game-winner having finished with a goal and two assists. Cole Campbell and Wyatt Pinkley earned the other goals, with Jack Ide and Brock Benda getting assists as Colton McDonald and Nolan Kennedy combined to make 29 saves between them. On WG’s side Nick Meluni, J.J. McCarthy and Ryan Long assisted on Schneid’s goals, while Donovan Wissel played the whole game in the net and finished with 21 saves. A day later the Wildcats took on Syracuse and Skaneateles faced Fayetteville-Manlius, with both teams winning. WG’s 5-2 victory over the Cougars was not an easy one. Syracuse only trailed 2-1 through two periods with its defense deftly turning away many Wildcat chances. However, WG got away in the third as Schneid and Logan DeWaters both finished with a pair of goals. Ryan Long scored, too, with McCarthy, Meluni, Riley McAloon and Ryan Dalton earning assists. Ryan Victoriano and Joey Mathis picked up Syracuse goals and goalie Anthony Polhamus finished with 20 saves. Before that, Skaneateles took out F-M 6-2, steadily producing two goals in each period and Braedan Taggart leading the way thanks to scoring three times to earn a hat trick. Ide finished with three assists as Pinkey, Kolby Mizro and Nate Romeo and Wyatt Pinkey had one goal apiece. Bobbett, Benda and Gavin Schell had one assist apiece. ...read more read less