OSWEGO – Freshman forward Kyle Kudroch (Cottam, ONT) scored the game-winning goal and sophomore goaltender Bryan Hince (Tillsonburg, ONT) stopped 26 shots as the top-ranked Plattsburgh Cardinals defeated Oswego State, 3-2, in a SUNYAC matchup at the Campus Center Arena on Friday, Feb. 20.
Plattsburgh senior forward Joey Wilson (Newmarket, ONT) opened the scoring at 11:39 of the second period after a scoreless first period on a pass from sophomore forward Dan Sliasis (Georgetown, ONT). Neither team scored for the remainder of the period and Plattsburgh headed into the locker room with a one-goal lead.
The Cardinals (21-1-2, 14-0-1 SUNYAC) struck first in the third period on Kudroch's goal 2:23 into the period, stretching their lead to 2-0. Just 12 seconds later, Plattsburgh senior forward Riley Hill (Markham, ONT) crashed the Oswego State net, tumbling into Oswego State goaltender Tim Potter (Bakersfield, CA). Hill received an interference penalty on the play, but Potter left the game in favor of freshman Paul Beckwith (Cleveland, OH).
The Lakers' only goal of the game came at 5:28 of the third period, scored by senior captain Peter Magagna (Orangeville, ONT), with an assist to senior forward Brendan McLaughlin (Brampton, ONT).
After the goal, the Lakers (18-5-1, 12-2-1 SUNYAC) looked poised to tie the game up, but they took three more penalties before the end of the game, including a slashing call on senior forward Matt Whitehead (Newmarket, ONT) with less than three minutes remaining that appeared to put the game out of reach.
Neither team scored on the power play, with Plattsburgh going 0-for-6 and Oswego State going 0-for-5. Beckwith stopped all of the five shots he faced after entering the game, but it was not enough to get the Lakers the victory. Potter had 15 saves on 17 shots before being replaced.
Plattsburgh came into the game on a 14-game unbeaten streak in SUNYAC regular season play stretching back to Feb. 15, 2008 and has been ranked first in the USCHO.com Men's Division III Ice Hockey poll for the last 11 weeks. Their last loss to the Lakers came on Feb. 3, 2006, with the Lakers posting a 0-8-1 record against the rival Cardinals since then after the loss.
With the win, the Cardinals clinched first place in the SUNYAC, with the Lakers locked into second place.
The Lakers will face Potsdam Saturday night in their final game of the season.
