Box Score

The highly-anticipated match-up between the top-ranked Oswego State men's ice hockey team and ninth-ranked Adrian College did not disappoint fans, as the Lakers came away with a 5-2 win on Friday night at the Campus Center Ice Arena. Oswego State, which scored two empty-net goals in the final minute, was led by assistant captain Neil Musselwhite's (Sr., Burlington, Ont.) four points (3 goals, 1 assist). In an extremely physical contest, the teams combined for 25 penalties and 77 penalty minutes. Laker netminder Kyle Gunn-Taylor (Sr., West Seneca, N.Y.) made 28 saves, while Bulldog goalie Brad Fogal (Jr., Sharon, Ont.) stopped 42 shots. Oswego State improved to 16-1-0, while Adrian dropped to 10-3-0.

The tone of the game was set early, as both squads exchanged penalties for the first half of the first period.  It was not until 18:46 in the frame that the first goal was scored.  The Lakers' Jon Whitelaw (Fr., Huntsville, Ont.) sent a cross-ice pass that went from left to right to Musselwhite, who lifted his shot above Fogal for the early 1-0 edge.  Captain Tyler Lyon (Sr., Foxboro, Ont.) also received an assist on the score.  Oswego State made it a two-goal game on the next shift when Paul Rodrigues (Fr., Etobicoke, Ont.) had a one-on-one opportunity with a Bulldog defenseman.  Rodrigues' fourth goal of the year went over Fogal's blocker into the upper left corner of the net, as the Lakers took a 2-0 lead into the locker room.

Adrian came out strong in the second period, which resulted in a goal by Mike Dahlinger (Jr., Windsor, Ont.), as he got a rebound past Laker goaltender Kyle Gunn-Taylor at 13:59 to make the score 2-1.  However, Oswego State regained its two-goal advantage late in the period when Musselwhite registered his second goal of the contest with 1:08 remaining.  Bulldog goaltender Brad Fogal misplayed the puck behind the net where senior Brad Dormiedy (Ajax, Ont.) was waiting.  Dormiedy hit Musselwhite with the pass in the slot for a wide-open look at the net to give the Lakers a 3-1 lead at the second intermission.

Physicality picked up at the end of the second stanza, and carried over into the third period.  The Lakers had a golden opportunity to extend their lead midway through the frame with a 5-on-3 chance when Adrian was whistled for a five-minute major and two-minute minor shortly after.  However, the Bulldog penalty kill kept Oswego State off the board to stay within striking distance.

As the clock expired, the Bulldogs pulled Fogal for the extra attacker allowing Dahlinger to get a rebound past Gunn-Taylor to make it a one-goal contest at 3-2 with 1:43 remaining.  Dahlinger's goal was set up by a slap shot from Quinn Waller (Jr., Windsor, Ont.) at the left point.  Adrian kept Fogal off the ice, but the Lakers were able to clinch the victory in the final minute as Stephen Mallaro (Jr., Syracuse, N.Y.) and Musselwhite registered empty-net goals eight seconds apart.

Neither club was effective on the power play despite numerous opportunities.  Oswego State went 1-for-7 with the extra skater, while the Lakers forced the Bulldogs' top-ranked power-play unit to go 0-for-8.

Oswego State resumes the second half of its' SUNYAC schedule on Friday, Jan. 22 when they face Buffalo State at 7 p.m.