There was no doubt that the Lakers were underdogs in this game but they were easily handled by the number one team in the nation. Oswego State had two big shot blocks in the first shift of the game that really elevated the bench. The Lakers even had a solid three-on-two chance early that they failed to capitalize on. They seemed in the game early and ready to knock off the No. 1 team in the nation. In the first the Lakers were out matched but not out of it. There was still plenty of time left after trailing only 1-0 after the first 20 minutes of play.

The second period came and Oswego State fell off the rails. They let up four goals in the second and allowed 17 shots. Trovato was under siege and just couldn’t hold on, she was left out to dry on numerous occasions. The motto of today’s game for the Lakers was compete and they didn’t pull through.

“That was our mantra going into this was compete,” Coach Dillon said. “That was actually our word of the day and times [it was there] but it wasn’t consistent and we cannot win against a team like that unless we bring the fight to them.”

Dillon was very critical of her team and she should have been. Oswego State let up a plethora of unforced turnovers and that wears teams down mentally and physically.

“It’s the unforced errors that I have no patience for,” Dillon said. “Making a pass to somebody wide open [and] you miss her by five feet or it bounces off your stick. Little things, that’s hockey 101.”

You may look at the final score and say goaltending was the issue but it was more of the defense not stepping up to help the girls between the pipes. Letting up 44 shots is already the first red flag but constantly giving up odd man rushes and just overall sloppy play on the back end is what killed the Lakers.

“I just think we need to work on our defense,” Mariah Madrigal said after allowing two goals on 16 shots. “Working on moving girls in front and hitting the tape [on breakout passes].”

“I thought Tori was doing fine,” Coach Dillon said. “The goals that they scored on her were mistakes that we made  [and] they made a couple of gorgeous [goals].”

Time of possession was a number the Lakers definitely will need to improve moving forward. Although I don’t have an exact number (Oswego State Athletics doesn’t keep it) it seemed that all game the Cardinals held the puck. That was largely in part of their ability to get in the passing lanes. The Lakers just couldn’t handle the Cardinal attack.

“Plattsburgh is so good at their forecheck,” Coach Dillon said. “Even when our D made the right first play or would start the rush we have to be able to handle a pass and connect two passes, three passes in a row. We weren’t able to do that.”

The third period was better but the Lakers still failed to score. It wasn’t as if Oswego State just couldn’t create prior to this but it was enough to really capitalize and it was scarce. That shows on the shot chart. The Lakers only recorded 14 shots all game. With a goalie and the team overall being this good you need to get more shots towards the net whenever you get a chance. This all needs to change tomorrow.

“I think it’s the little things,” Jayme McCreary said. “We weren’t consistent through the game and at times we would be really good, at times we weren’t.”

Oswego State surrendered two more goals in the third period and eventually fell 7-0. Plattsburgh State has now scored six or more goals in a single game seven times. This team is scary good and the Lakers could be in another long day tomorrow.

“They [Plattsburgh] are a very well oiled machine, they are number one in the country for a reason,” Coach Dillon said.

The Lakers will need a total change in approach tomorrow if they want to win. Plattsburgh State isn’t going to take a day off. Hopefully the Lakers can catch a break early and build on that. They also need to stay out of the box, you can’t take bad penalties against the top power play in the nation.

“You can’t do that against a team that has a power play operating at the [mark] that they are,” Coach Dillon said.

Three Stars

1- Melissa Sheeran

Plattsburgh’s second line winger had a huge day as she tallied two goals to push her total to 17 on the year and also tallied an assist. Sheeran was throwing pucks at the net any chance she could. She put up seven shots to lead the team while finishing with a +2 rating on the day. Sheeran is a top forward for this team and the Lakers learned about that all game.

2- Bridget Balisy

The senior scored twice as well tonight. Balisy had the nicest goal of the night and it was the seventh of the game. She took a pass from Caitlin Gilligan and powered her way to the net then roofed one over the shoulder of Madrigal to cap off her night. She finished tonight’s game with two goals, three shots and a +1 rating.

3- Muna Fadel

Fadel, a freshman, matched her point total on the year with two assists, one coming on the power play. The fourth line center doesn’t get many looks on the two power play units but since the Cardinals were up 5-0 prior to this goal was she was given a shot and came through as she assisted on Caitlin Gilligan’s power play marker.

Biggest Moment

What really caused the Lakers to falter was the second goal of the game. It came at the 2:54 mark of the second period and was one that Trovato would like to have back. She was solid all first period making some really big saves and keeping her team alive. Melissa Ames took a wrister from the circle that Trovato couldn’t snag and it sneaked by her. At that time I thought nothing of it but after thinking about how the Lakers just totally lost control it all came back to this moment. Any goal early or late in a period is huge but a weak goal like this will totally derail a team, especially like this Oswego State team that was hanging around up until this point.

Best Quote

This one just shows you how frustrated Coach Dillon was after her team’s disappointing performance in nearly every facet of the game. This time she was talking about the penalty kill and being disciplined.

“Under threat of death they will be better at it or practice next week is going to be tough.”

So Close Yet So Far

As the Lakers now sit in fifth place of the ECAC West after a loss to Plattsburgh State they now know how dangerous the Cardinals are this year. Utica College won twice this weekend to move into sole possession of third place and Buffalo State won as well to move into fourth place.

Oswego State is seven points out of first, that’s not an unreasonable number but seeing just how good Plattsburgh is and Elmira, as well, it’s so far off from being a reachable feat. Utica College, Buff State and Oswego State are all in the same boat here so thier only real hope is that those two teams can falter down the stretch and can meet them at the right time.

Confidence

I talked all week about how these last four games leading up to Plattsburgh State is huge and it still rings true. Oswego State went 2-1-1 in those four games but played very well the last two and seemed ready to take on the best team in the nation, it’s the same story almost every year. The Lakers have to be shaken after the loss and will need some major boost prior to tomorrow afternoon’s tilt.

”We actually were pretty confident [coming in],” McCreary said. “It’s Plattsburgh so we were scared but we gotta come not scared tomorrow.”

The Lakers have a shot at redemption tomorrow at 3 p.m. in Oswego.