MORRISVILLE, N.Y. - The Oswego State men's hockey team withstood a late charge from the Morrisville State Mustangs to win by a 4-2 margin on Saturday evening to keep their unbeaten record alive in SUNYAC play.  The Lakers improve to 14-3-2 overall and 9-0-1 in conference while the Mustangs fall to 6-12-3 (3-9 SUNYAC).  With the win, Oswego clinches a spot in the 2018 SUNYAC playoffs.

Oswego struck first just 4:01 into the first period when senior Mitch Herlihey scored his tenth goal of the season, assisted by Michael Gillespie and Josh Zizek.  The goal ties Herlihey with Zizek for the team lead.

The top line would score again in the second as Gillespie would take a pass from Zizek and find the back of the net at the 4:25 mark.  The assist would be Zizek's 16th of the season to help him keep his team lead in the category, as well as in total scoring (26 points).

Later in the second, freshman Max Novick would notch his first goal of the season to push the Laker lead to three at the 8:49 mark.  Joseph Molinaro and Tyler Currie would get assists on the goal.

Sophomore Cedric Hansen kept the Mustangs off the board for the first two periods, but Morrisville broke through in the third with goals at the 5:31 and 10:52 marks to cut the Laker lead to one.  A late penalty on the Lakers' Currie gave the Mustangs a power play for the last 1:27 of the game.  With the goalie pulled and against a two-man advantage, Cameron Berry scored the short-handed goal with an assist from Mitch Emerson to put the game out of reach.

The Lakers out-shot the Mustangs 33-22 and won the faceoff battle by a 36-20 advantage.  Hansen made 20 saves in the victory, his fifth of the season.

The team returns to the ice on February 2 when they travel to Buffalo State for a 7 p.m. start.