In the second leg of Pink in the Rink weekend the Oswego State Lakers were able to edge out a gritty team win by a score of 3-1 over the Williams College Ephs. Three unanswered goals helped give the Lakers their second win after allowing the first goal of the game.

The Lakers played one of their better games all year today. The defense stepped up and Trovato was huge once again Overall, Oswego State was the better team in the early portion of the first period until penalties derailed their momentum. A great first period has been a rarity this year.

“I was very happy with the start,” Coach Dillon said. “You guys have seen us play for awhile now, that’s the best start we’ve had in awhile. We’re usually pretty slow off the bus, so to speak.”

Emily Kreuger was on the door step after a Talia Simon point shot ricocheted off the end boards and bounced to the front of the net. Trovato tried to steer it away, but failed to do so. Krueger put it five-hole on Trovato to open the scoring on the power play at 16:21 of the first period. Michaela Levine was given the secondary assist.

The Oswego State penalty kill was good all night, despite the one marker, that could be labeled as a freak goal. They challenged shooters and didn’t allow many chances from quality areas.

“I think we did pretty well positionally,” forward Laura Thacker said. “They just got a lucky bounce on the [goal allowed]. I think we did really well and we are ready for Elmira and playoffs.”

A quick goal from Victoria Blake would tie the game, just 43 seconds later. The sophomore scored her first collegiate goal in front of her family, and it was a big one. It helped bring the momentum back to the Laker bench. Brianna Rice and Erika Truschke were given the assists.

“It was amazing. One for the books, definitely,” Blake said.

The Lakers were able to stay out of the box in the second and this helped them create more offensive chances. Trovato was one of the best Lakers, yet again. She was down and out but somehow was able to keep Sara Lehman from burying the loose puck from in the crease.

As good as Oswego State looked in the first, one might say they were better in the second. They were patient with the puck and capitalized on the power play. Good work from Alexa Aramburu set up Alli Ullrich for the go-ahead goal.

“Pretty much everyone is on one side of the net,” Ullrich said. “It’s just nice that Alexa passed the puck up, instead of trying to jam it back in with everything. It makes me crazy when the forwards go right back into the scrum when I’m always up on the point waiting to spread stuff out. That’s all I really try to do on the power play is slow things down.”

The adjustments made in between periods helped the Lakers pull away from the Ephs.

“We made a couple of adjustments going into the second period, in terms of how we wanted to handle our forecheck and our breakout, because they were still bottling us up,” Dillon said.

Williams College would surrender an insurance marker in the third and could never get anything else to fall. Bailee Goodon scored her second of the year, thanks to the hard work of Laura Thacker.

The Lakers were just a better team today, as opposed to the previous match-up, and were able to limit opportunities and shots.

“Overall, we pretty much stuck to the same gameplan,” Erika Truschke said. “I think it was more that we picked up sticks more, picked up bodies and we were a little more physical in the [defensive zone].”

The next opponent for the Lakers is Elmira, the No. 3 ranked team in the nation. Oswego State will have to bring what they did tonight to the games next weekend.

“I think [locker room’s confidence] is good,” Dillon said. “I think they are starting to score goals again. We were hitting the posts with regularity, so we got that monkey off our back a bit. The goaltending is solid, the [defense] are scoring goals. It’s coming together.”

My Three Stars

3- Laura Thacker

The grinder was more than just that today. Of course, she was active in the defensive zone, but she created offensively. Thacker had two quality drives to the net, one resulting in a goal. She finished with one assist today, and played one of the most complete games out of any Laker on the ice. Give her time and she will develop into a player who can put the puck in the back of the net, she showed flashes today.

2- Alli Ullrich

Yet another fantastic game from the Laker defender. Ullrich now has three goals in her last four games. Today she was great on the power play and kept the Ephs to the outside all night. Her ability to read the ice and find open players is uncanny. A great two-way defender that the Lakers need to keep playing well.

1- Tori Trovato

The captain willed her team to victory today. She was pummeled with shots last game and stood tall. Today, she stood on her head on a few occasions and would’ve posted the shutout if it wasn’t for the freak goal from the Williams College power play. Trovato finished with 24 saves on the day.

Best Call

This game could’ve been totally different if the Emily Kreuger shot from the slot that hit the post didn’t bounce down and into Trovato. The goal looked in to me, but every Laker said it stayed out. If the refs call that one a goal we are looking at a totally different hockey game.

Best Effort(s)

Laura Thacker could win this almost every game and she does so here today. She was flying out there and is turning out to be one of the better forwards on this Laker team. She holds down the fort in the bottom six with her grit and determination.

Jayme McCreary’s play has been reliable all year. Today she made one of the best individual effort to deny a scoring chance. Kendall Appelbaum turned the puck over right in the slot, but a diving McCreary kept the cross-ice pass from getting though.

Best Quote

How could you not be happy for Victoria Blake? That’s why she wins quote of the day.

“It was amazing. One for the books, definitely,” Blake said.

Yes, that was already mentioned.

Advanced Stats

At times, this game was tight. It was a real good game to watch. The Ephs tried cherry picking late to create offense, but just couldn’t buy a goal. Their numbers show it, and the it also shows how good the Laker defense was today.

The team Corsi (total number of shots for and against) was just a +2. The Lakers had 49 shot attempts to the Ephs’ 47. The Lakers also had 11 shot blocks. The Fenwick number (Corsi rating without blocked shots factored in) would be even higher for the Lakers. A real gritty effort by the Lakers on the defensive side of the puck.

Tough Luck

Olivia Ellis is getting on the score sheet more and more lately, but in the assist column. She has four helpers in her last five games. That is good for a team high of 13. Today she had a breakaway chance but Julia Mini didn’t leave any holes. The goals will come, she’s creating more offensive chances now, she just looks like she’s pressing.

Words of the Day

Coach Dillon’s words of the day were “puck possession.” They definitely resonated within the locker room. The Lakers were smarter with the puck, carried it into the zone better and moved through the neutral zone with relative ease.

Injury Report

Lizzy Marks went down after the opening faceoff in the third period but she seems alright. Madrigal, McFall and Cosgrove are all aiming to play soon. Dillon hopes they are ready to go and can try to work themselves back into the lineup as quickly as possible.

Around the League

The scariest team in Div. III hockey, the Plattsburgh Cardinals lost today to No. 10 Utica by a score of 4-2. The Lakers tied the Pioneers earlier in the year.

Oswego State will rap up the regular season with a two game home series next weekend against division rivals, the Elmira College Soaring Eagles. First game is Friday at 7 p.m.