POTSDAM, N.Y. - Despite scoring the opening goal of the game and getting a tally shorthanded, the Oswego State women's ice hockey team dropped a back-and-forth matchup with Potsdam by a 3-2 outcome on Friday evening.

THE BASICS

• Final Score:  Potsdam 3, Oswego 2
• Location:  Maxcy Ice Arena, SUNY Potsdam - Potsdam, N.Y.
• Records:  Potsdam 5-8-2 (3-3-1 NEWHL) | Oswego 6-4-2 (3-3-1 NEWHL)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Oswego got on the scoreboard first at 4:47 of the first period when Leah Czerwinski scored her third goal of the season, assisted by freshman Emily Gustafson.  The assist was Gustafson's first point as a Laker.
• Laker goalie Cassie Shokar was busy in the opening period, stopping 19 Potsdam shots, including a save on a breakaway attempt with about five minutes remaining.
• The Oswego penalty kill unit was able to thwart two power play tries from the host team in the first period.
• In the second period, the Bears were able to get on the board during their third power play when they swung a pass cross-ice down low and tucked home a rebound 3:15 into the period.
• Nine minutes later, Potsdam's Ellie Cleary forced a turnover near her own blue line, took the puck the length of the ice, and snuck a shot past Shokar for a 2-1 lead.
• Oswego had a stellar opportunity with about four minutes remaining in the period.  During their third power play, a series of crisp one-touch passes across the Bears' defense put Natalie Giglio on the back side of the goaltender, but her shot slid just wide.
• The Lakers kept the momentum and put four more shots on goal, many through traffic, but were unable to get the equalizer before period's end.
• Potsdam applied pressure early in the third as they forced two power plays and peppered Shokar with a series of shots.
• During the second power play, Oswego blocked a shot and raced down for a quick shot of their own that forced a faceoff in the Bears' zone.  Some aggressive forechecking helped Giglio grab the puck just inside the blue line, drive down low and then split two defenders before slipping a shot past the goaltender to even the score at 2-2 with just under nine minutes remaining.
• Just four minutes later, however, Potsdam was able to go back up 3-2 on a goal at the 15:31 mark.
• The Lakers got one last power play with 1:05 remaining and pulled their goalie to skate 6-on-4, but the Bears were able to hold on for the win.
• Shokar made 30 saves in net for the Lakers and her record evens at 2-2 on the season.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Lakers and Bears face off again tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Marano Campus Center Arena.