Box Score

Jon Whitelaw and Luke Moodie scored two goals in under a minute during the third period to help the top-ranked Oswego State men's ice hockey team erase an early two-goal deficit for a 4-3 road win against seventh-ranked Plattsburgh on Saturday night.  Special teams played a critical role in the contest as the teams combined to score five power-play goals.  The victory was the fifth consecutive win for Oswego State over the Cardinals, as it improved to 12-0-0 in the league and 19-2-0 overall.  Plattsburgh fell to 13-6-1 overall and 6-6-0 in the conference.

Paul Beckwith kept the Lakers in the contest as he stopped 35 of the 38 shots he faced to remain perfect on the season at 15-0-0.  The Cardinals' Josh Leis suffered the loss after making 15 saves.

Plattsburgh made Oswego State pay for a pair of penalties in the first period as Vick Schlueter scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season eight minutes apart to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in front of the sell-out crowd.  However, assistant captain Chris Laganiere gave the Lakers some momentum heading into the first intermission when he scored an unassisted goal at 17:35.

This momentum carried over into the second period as Plattsburgh committed two early penalties of its own.  Chris Muise capitalized on the second power play with his fifth goal of the season to tie the game at 2-2.  Assists were credited to Hank Van Boxmeer and Andrew Mather on the score. 

Since no other goals were scored in the second period, the game came down to the final 20 minutes.  Plattsburgh struck the first blow as Ryan Craig scored 17 seconds into a Laker slashing penalty at 3:41.  Oswego State countered minutes later when Whitelaw lit the lamp for his ninth goal of the season with helpers going to Ian Boots and Mather. 

Shortly after the game-tying goal, the Cardinals were called for a charging penalty, giving the Lakers the extra attacker.  Moodie got the puck past Leis at 9:41 as Stephen Mallaro and Justin Fox earned the assists. 

Plattsburgh had one final chance at the end of the game to send the game into overtime after Oswego State was called for too many men on the ice at 18:17.  The penalty forced the Cardinals to call timeout and subsequently pull Leis for the final 1:43.  Beckwith and the Laker penalty-kill unit was up to the challenge as the Lakers held on for the 4-3 victory.

Oswego State finished the game 2-for-5 on the power play, while Plattsburgh went 3-for-7.

The Lakers will play their final road game of the regular season Friday, Feb. 4 when they travel to Cortland for a 7 p.m. face-off.