SUNYAC Return & Streaking

Tonight marks the return of SUNYAC hockey in Oswego. The winter session did not start off too kind for the men’s hockey team that was holding the No. 1 spot in Div. III hockey.

Two losses to Williams and Nazareth Colleges marked three-straight defeats to dethrone the Lakers from atop the national rankings.

Oswego State then returned home and swept its home tournament with two wins over teams that both sit inside the top 25 most weeks.

They then took a trip up the 104 and dominated the same Nazareth team that has given them fits in recent meetings. An 8-0 win to end non-conference play has the Lakers in the exact right spot before returning for the final stretch run this season and are inching closer to the No. 1 spot in the polls once again.

Defensive Woes

The College at Brockport Golden Eagles struggle in their own end. And this is something the Lakers, especially coming off their dominant performance last time out, should easily be able to take advantage of.

Brockport struggles to limit opponent’s opportunities in their own zone. They currently allow more shots per game than they generate, and the defense has trouble keeping teams below three goals a game. The Golden Eagles are coming off a 5-2 loss to No. 9/10 Hobart College this past Tuesday where they allowed 40 shots and registered only 27.

After seeing the Lakers continually roll lines and hold momentum against another team that is struggling similarly in even strength categories, it should be a tough go for Brockport tonight.

Lineup Card

The biggest notable change in the lineup tonight features Alex Botten. He is one of three Lakers that has reached the 20-point plateau this season but is out tonight, and it remains to be seen if he is a healthy scratch or sustained an injury this week during practice. Mitchell Herlihey, Andrew Barton and Kenny Neil will make up the second line with Botten missing tonight’s contest.

Trent Durocher, Aaron Huffnagle and Eric Lipa will also sit tonight. David Ferreira, TJ Sneath and Joey Scorpio will draw in to make up the team’s fourth line.

Matt Zawadzki will start in net for the second time in as many games. The goalie rotation could still be the coaching staff’s plan, but the recent string of back-to-backs from both goalies is starting to look like a slight change of heart.

Zawadzki is coming off a 15-save shutout to pad his hold on the shutout record in Oswego State history. He very well could make it 14 shutouts in his Laker career tonight.

Players to Watch

OSW: Kristoffer Brun

Brun scored his first goal as a Laker last game and was assisted by Devin Campbell, which was his first assist as a Laker in his first game in the green and gold.

The Swedish defenseman is quietly becoming one of the Lakers’ most reliable guys on the back end with second best plus/minus among defeseman (+14). His goal last game could bring out a new side of Brun’s game.

BRK: Tim Kielich

The sophomore forward has not scored since Nov. 5 against SUNY Cortland. He still leads the team in points (1-14-15), despite not scoring in nearly three months. Tonight will be a chance to see how good he is at reading the play and setting up his teammates.

By the Numbers

Record

OSW: 13-3-0/8-1-0 (No. 3) [1st in SUNYAC]

BRK: 6-9-1/4-5-0 [T-5th in SUNYAC]

Shots per Game

OSW: 35.6

BRK: 31.4

Goals per Game

OSW: 4.50 [4th in Div. III]

BRK: 3.12 [T-39th in Div. III]

Goals Against per Game

OSW: 1.81 [T-5th in Div. III]

BRK: 3.56 [T-58th in Div. III]

Power Play

OSW: 19-75 (25.33%) [9th in Div. III]

BRK: 23-95 (24.21%) [17th in Div. III]

Penalty Kill

OSW: 65-76 (85.5%) [18th in Div. III]

BRK: 56-72 (77.8%) [64th in Div. III]

*Overall statistics from USCHO.com

Game Prediction

Brockport is a team that just does not seem to be able to match up well with Oswego State. The Lakers have not lost to the Golden Eagles since Feb. 15, 2014. This string of games includes an 8-0 win in the first round of the SUNYAC playoffs last season.

The Lakers are typically at their worst in the first period, but so is Brockport at this point in the season. The Golden Eagles are at a -9 goal differential rate, while Oswego State sits at a +5 in the opening frame. Brockport is at its best in the middle period with a +9, but cannot seem to finish games strong as they sport a -7 goal differential in the final 20.

The Lakers are phenomenal in the final 40 minutes most games, but a good start with a goal or two on the board after one should bode well for Oswego State to allow them roll lines and wear down the Golden Eagles’ attack.

Lakers win 5-0

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