OSWEGO, N.Y. – Oswego Men's Hockey hosted the Buffalo State Bengals this evening in the first round of this year's SUNYAC playoffs. After Saturday's hard-hitting Senior Night showdown between these two teams, the Lakers were prepared for a dogfight for another win over the Bengals. A hot start by Oswego would give them an early 1-0 lead, but they would struggle to maintain consistent offensive rhythm, fending off two Bengal powerplays. In the middle minutes, Buffalo State managed to level the scoreline, sending the game into the second period tied up 1-1. Another offensive start by the Lakers would have the Bengals scrambled on defense, committing two back-to-back penalties. Ready to capitalize on the powerplay, Oswego collected not 1 but 2 goals, extending their lead to 3-1 heading into the final frame. Determined to lessen their deficit, Buffalo State kept their foot on the gas in the third period, but their intensity would backfire, awarding the Lakers multiple powerplay and odd-man rush opportunities. Exploiting these chances, Oswego continued to churn out offense, collecting 2 more goals to secure a comfortable 5-1 win and their spot in the semi-final round of the SUNYAC tournament.
THE BASICS
Final Score:
Oswego 5 (18-6-2, 14-4-0 SUNYAC)
Buffalo State 1 (9-16-1, 6-11-1 SUNYAC)
Location: Deborah F. Stanely Ice Arena | Oswego, N.Y.
HOW IT HAPPENED
With a good jump off an opening faceoff won by team captain, Matthew McQuade, it did not take long for the Lakers to earn offensive entry and a handful of quality looks on the net. Although Oswego's first couple shots would be sent wide, Bengal netminder Marcus Cumberworth stayed vigilant in his crease. After a few missed attempts, a heavy take by defenseman Nico Paone rebounded off the pad of Cumberworth right to the stick of junior Cameron Symons, who would open scoring at just 3:25 into the first period. In the following minutes, the Lakers maintained their intensity, but struggled to adjust their pressure on defense, collecting a holding penalty at 6:15. Buffalo State worked hard to capitalize on their initial advantage, but a strong Oswego penalty kill managed to control the Bengals' momentum returning to even-strength unscathed. Despite being unsuccessful on the powerplay, Buffalo State did not take their foot off the gas, leveling the score 1-1 a few moments later at the 10:30 mark. While the middle minutes continued to unfold, the Lakers would find themselves defending another aggressive Bengal powerplay, but the scoreline would remain deadlocked as the clock ticked down.
Another fast offensive start for the Lakers would have the Bengals scrambling on defense. A composed effort by Oswego in the beginning minutes allowed them to maintain possession and gain their first powerplay advantage. Some cohesive passing between the Lakers' senior-powered unit spread the Bengals' coverage thin on their penalty kill, awarding Matthew McQuade a wide-open shooting lane and a second goal at the 9:17 mark. 5-on-5 play would not last long as Michael Marquez found his way to box just over a minute later at 10:51, charged for hooking. As Oswego settled back in on the powerplay, they avoided forcing low-percentage shots, keeping possession on the outside. The Lakers' patience would pay off as the Bengals had no choice but to chase, leaving sophomore Colin Vassallo alone on the back door where he would finish on a tic-tac-toe play generated by linemates Ryan Burke and Jesse Horacek. Even with their growing lead, Oswego did not let up, continuing to churn out offense in the remaining minutes, but the 3-1 scorelines would persist into the third period.
Determined to lessen their deficit, Buffalo State came out of the gate flying, catching the Lakers on their heels. A beat behind on an odd-man rush, Cameron Symons would be called for a slashing penalty just 1:02 into the final frame. The Bengals were able to produce some chaos during their brief advantage but were unable to convert on a goal before Sutton Murray joined Symons in the box, making play 4-on-4. While neither team could wrangle a goal, Buffalo State remained eager as the game returned to normal strength, testing Oswego on defense and hammering Michael Manzi with compilations of shots. A few minutes of back-and-forth play would be capped off by a fourth goal for the Lakers, scored by Ryan Burke after a relentless offensive effort. Not ready to relinquish, the Bengals stayed in the fight for a goal, generating multiple odd man rush opportunities. In the final minutes, Oswego would earn two consecutive powerplays, one on which Brandon Cohen secured a fifth and final goal with 0:40 seconds left in regulation.
WHAT'S NEXT
Oswego Men's Hockey will continue their SUNYAC campaign this Saturday, February 28th hosting the Skidmore College Thoroughbreds in the semi-final round of conference playoffs. Puck drop is set to commence at 7:00PM in the Deborah F. Stanley Ice Arena. Go Lakers!
Written by Matilda Pethrick
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