LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The Skaneateles 14 & under girl’s hockey team and the Lysander boy’s hockey team from Baldwinsville brought home victories from the Empire State Winter Games (ESWG) in Lake Placid.
The Skaneateles girl’s hockey team won the championship game of the Empire State Winter Games 14 & under girl’s hockey tournament and the Lysander boy’s squirt hockey team won the 2023 Empire State Winter Games’ Empire Division gold medal on Sunday, February 5.
The ESWG, sponsored by Community Bank, N.A., is the largest multi-winter amateur sports event in the United States.
The tournament started Friday, February 3, and ended today, Sunday, February 5, where close to 2,200 athletes competed in 23 winter sports in Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake and Paul Smiths.
Skaneateles won 4-1 in the championship game of the ESWG 14 & under girl’s hockey tournament
Skaneateles two-goal first period carried them to a 4-1 win over Chazy in the championship game of the Empire State Winter Games 14 & under girls’ hockey tournament on Sunday.
The scoring with 8:44 left in the opening period, when Skaneateles’ Lily Curtis netted her first of two goals to make it 1-0. Skaneateles Makayla Barron would provide the game-winner later with roughly 4:00 left in the period.
Despite the Chazy scoring at 11:51 in the second period by Ireland Gray, Curtis saved the team five minutes later when she tallied her second goal, making it 3-1.
Barron then sealed the victory for the gold medal when she scored with about seven minutes left to play in the third period.
Brook Coffey earned the win in goal, turning aside 28 of 29 shots.
Chazy had topped Skaneateles 1-0 in their meeting on Friday and both teams finished with identical 4-1 records. Skaneateles outscored their opponents 18-2, while Chazy scored 17 goals and gave up just five.
Lysander boy’s squirt hockey team took the gold medal in the 2023 ESWG Empire Division
The Lysander boy’s squirt hockey team fought hard for their 2-0 victory on Sunday over Troy-Albany to win the 2023 Empire State Winter Games’ Empire Division gold medal.
After no scores during the first period, the game picked up with 7:14 left in the second when MJ Kavanaugh scored, with assists from Walden Oren and Jordan Bradbury. Shawn Baldwin netted the winning goal with 2:10 left in the frame.
Despite their effort in the third period, Troy-Albany was unable to get the puck past Lysander’s goalie Gavin McWain, who recorded 10 saves.
Lysander finished the weekend with a 4-1 record and also skated to victories over Saranac Lake-Lake Placid, New Hartford and Camillus. They also outscored their opponents 26-6.