Oswego State Athletics

Oswego, N.Y. – The Lakers hosted their regular season home opener this Friday when the Utica Pioneers came to town. Oswego and Utica battled to the last second, but the Lakers ultimately fell, 3-2.
 
THE BASICS
Oswego: 2 (2-1-0, 0-0 SUNYAC)
Utica: 3 (2-1-1, 0-0 UCHC)
Location: Oswego, NY | Deborah F. Stanley Ice Arena
 
How It Happened
The Lakers generated several looks in the first period but went to the first intermission trailing 1-0 after Autumn Frear scored an even-strength goal for Utica at 4:39. Earlier, Meagan Smith, Georgia Cunliffe, Erika Parenti and Jenna Majewski all had first-period attempts, while Katie Demers and Kayla Doerre also put shots wide as SUNY Oswego created chances before the final five minutes. Annie-Pier Gilbert kept Utica off the board through the early and middle portions of the period with saves on Dylan DiGrazia, Kyler Weatherred, Scarlett Smith and Hayley McNeal, and the Lakers also got blocked shots from Tilly Pethrick and Demers. After Frear's goal, Gilbert added stops on Kiernan Ledoux, Veronica Houk and Smith, but SUNY Oswego could not find an equalizer before the period ended with Utica ahead 1-0.

SUNY Oswego's main answer in the second period came at 7:31, when Julia Power scored at even strength off a Demers assist to tie the game at 1-1. Before that equalizer, the Lakers generated chances from Lauren Riccobelli, Doerre, Cunliffe, Logan McCreight, Camryn London, Pethrick and others, while Gilbert handled several Utica attempts at the other end. After Power's goal, SUNY Oswego won the next two faceoffs and continued to send attempts through Helen Vandamme and Majewski, then had to defend a Parenti body-checking penalty with just under five minutes left. The Lakers got through that Utica power play behind two blocks from Power, another from Shaye Jasiel and a blocked attempt credited to Gilbert, but Veronica Houk scored at even strength for Utica with 2:52 remaining to make it 2-1. Vandamme put two late shots on goal in the final two minutes, but SUNY Oswego finished the second period trailing 2-1.

The Lakers pulled the game even in the third period when McCreight scored unassisted at 10:16 to make it 2-2. Earlier, SUNY Oswego handled early Uticapressure with blocked shots from Helen Vandamme, Demers, Majewski, Leah Coley and Power, while Gilbert made saves behind them. After the tying goal, the Lakers went on the power play at 8:20 and generated attempts from Riccobelli, Natalie Loncz and Coley, but the chance ended at 6:20 without another goal. SUNY Oswego continued to put pucks toward net through Doerre, McCreight and Marissa O'Brien in the closing minutes, before Kendall Best scored for Utica with 29 seconds left. The Lakers used a timeout and emptied their net with nine seconds remaining, but the game ended in a 3-2 loss.
 
What's Next
The Lakers will go on the road tomorrow looking for some revenge as they take on the Utica Pioneers in Utica at 3:00 PM.