OSWEGO, N.Y. – Oswego Women's Hockey hosted conference foe, the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons, this evening for the first matchup of the last double header of the regular season. With playoff spots on the table, both teams came out ready to rumble from the puck drop. A fast-paced first period would be defined by back-to-back goals scored within a minute of each other to send the game into the 2nd period deadlocked 1-1. A dominant performance by the Lakers for much of the second would allow them to shift the game in their favor 2-1, after collecting a second goal in the late minutes of the period. As the final frame got underway, the Red Dragons continued to fight back leveling the score 2-2 with just 1:20 remaining in regulation. A composed, but leisurely, performance by both teams in overtime would leave it up to a shootout to determine a winner. A nifty goal by Simone Bednarik and stellar performance in net by Lexi Levy would secure a shootout win over SUNY Cortland and the first seed for the SUNYAC playoffs.
THE BASICS
Final Score:
Oswego 2 (SHOOTOUT WIN) (20-2-2, 14-1-2 SUNYAC)
Cortland 2 (17-3-4, 12-3-2 SUNYAC)
Location: Deborah F. Stanley Ice Arena | Oswego, N.Y.
HOW IT HAPPENED
With playoff spots hanging in the balance, both the Lakers and Dragons meant business from the opening puck drop. After a few back-and-forth minutes of play, Cortland forward Drew Kopek would open the scoreline at the 9:26 mark. A bobbled pass between two Red Dragons, in the neutral zone, would send senior Simone Bednarik on a breakaway on the following play. Making good on this prime opportunity, Bednarik equalized the score just 0:41 seconds later at 10:07. As the first period continued to unfold, the Lakers began to shift the ice in their favor, keeping the Dragons in their zone for extended periods of time and peppering opposing netminder, Molly Coergen, with a range of shots. Despite a persistent effort from both benches, they would enter the second period deadlocked 1-1.
Oswego maintained their dominant energy in the beginning minutes of the 2nd period, eliminating Cortland's ability to break pucks out effectively and attack off the rush. A handful of failed chances on net would test the Lakers' perseverance, until a quick shot from Lauren Schell, at the blueline, would sneak its way through traffic and under the pad of Coergen, making it 2-1 with about 5 minutes remaining in the period. As the second period clock ticked down, a continued strong effort by the Lakers would allow them to head into the final frame with a mere 2-1 lead.
Undeterred by Oswego's second tally, the Red Dragons kept their foot on the gas, giving themselves some room to gain more rhythm on offense, but a lockdown defensive effort by the Lakers helped keep Cortland at bay throughout the period. In the final minutes of regulation both teams continued to have numerous scoring chances, but the Red Dragons would be the one to put one behind veteran netminder Lexi Levy with only 1:28 left to play in regulation. The 2-2 scoreline would withstand a brief overtime period, leaving it up to a shootout to decide a winner. A nifty top-shelf goal by Simone Bednarik and a stellar performance in net by Levy would secure a shootout win over SUNY Cortland Red Dragons. Today's victory solidified a #1 SUNYAC playoff seat for the Lakers and named Oswego as this year's SUNYAC Regular Season Champions.
WHAT'S NEXT
Oswego Women's Hockey will head South to Cortland, N.Y. looking to complete their near perfect regular season and conference campaign tomorrow afternoon with another win over the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons. Puck drop will commence at 3:00 PM in Alumni Arena. Go Lakers!
Written by Matilda Pethrick
@OswegoAthletics | FB: OswegoAthleticsOfficial | IG: oswegoathletics
