Back-to-Back

Tonight’s SUNYAC semifinal matchup will be the second-straight game that the Lakers will play Buffalo State. The top-seeded Oswego State Lakers will be looking to move past the fourth-seeded Buffalo State Bengals for the second time this season and move on to the SUNYAC Championships Final.

Just one week ago, Kenny Neil was able to score four times to help the Lakers defeat the Bengals 6-1 on senior night. Neil’s four-goal performance will not be replicated again tonight, but that just means other Oswego State forwards will need to step up.

Home Ice

The Lakers were 11-1-0 this year at the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena. That mark has helped them earn the right to play each SUNYAC playoff game at home with the first seed in the conference. With a +44 goal differential on home ice, it is easy to see that Oswego State is more than comfortable with playing in front of the Laker faithful.

Buffalo State is no slouch on the road though. A 7-3-1 road record this year has helped them stay in and around the national rankings all season. These two teams each won their home game in the season series and both games were a complete flip of the script.

Home ice may not be everything, but tonight it may make all the difference.

Lineup Card

The lines for tonight’s game are almost the exact same as last weekend’s matchup. The lone change among skaters is Kristoffer Brun. He replaces the senior JJ Hart after Hart played twice last weekend as senior night was on the schedule. Alex Botten will continue to play on the fourth line with Jody Sulivan and David Ferreira. The depth the Lakers have the down the middle with Botten back in the lineup gives them a huge edge over Buffalo State tonight.

Matt Zawadzki will start. He was pulled after 40 minutes and was still dealing with his lower-body injury last time out against the Bengals. With another week to correct his ailment, the leader in shutouts in program history has been given another shot to help lead his team to the SUNYAC finals after bringing his team to two SUNYAC finals in his freshman and sophomore seasons.

Mike DeLaVergne will start for the Bengals, as expected. He was pulled in the regular season finale against the Lakers, but rebounded with 18 saves and one goal allowed in a win over SUNY Fredonia in the first round of the playoffs.

Players to Watch

OSW: Matt Galati

The senior has not scored a goal in seven games after heating up midseason. His next highest goalless drought was three games and came on the second and third weekends of the season. Galati has the shot and size to score goals in a variety of ways, and the Lakers will need goals from their primary scorers like Galati. He has not been finding the back of the net as of late, and this slump is coming at a inopportune time, but in his first game in last postseason run he could be primed for a breakout performance.

BUF: Mike DeLaVergne

The senior netminder is the heart and soul of this team. He put the Bengals on the map this season. At one point, he has the leader in the three major goalie statistics in the SUNYAC but still holds the lead for best save percentage in the conference. DeLaVergne was pulled a bit prematurely in the regular season finale, but he has the ability to take over any game like great goalies do.

By the Numbers

Seeding

OSW: 20-4-1/13-2-1 (No. 2)  [First seed]

BUF: 18-7-1/9-6-1 [Fourth seed]

Shots per Game

OSW: 35.8

BUF: 34.5

Shots Allowed per Game

OSW: 22.2

BUF: 26.3

Goals per Game

OSW: 4.80 (2nd in Div. III)

BUF: 3.46 (25th in Div. III)

Goals Against per Game

OSW: 1.88 [T-5th in Div. III]

BUF: 2.19 [12th in Div. III]

Power Play

OSW: 32-115 (27.83%) [4th in Div. III]

BUF: 27-134 (20.15%) [33rd in Div. III]

Penalty Kill

OSW: 99-116 (85.3%) [16th in Div. III]

BUF: 98-118 (83.1%) [T-26th in Div. III]

*Overall Statistics from USCHO.com

Game Prediction

Delavergne could win any game on any night. He is big in the net and is great at reading angles to make sound saves. The Lakers have beaten him before though and have legitimate scoring threats from all over the lineup. Whether its the SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year, Stephen Johnson, Shawn Hulshof or Mitch Emerson, the Oswego State offense could bite at any time. If Oswego State wants to win this game, they will need make sure the game is a fast-paced, offensive-minded affair. It will be tough for the Lakers to play in a tight checking game and come out with the win. It just is not their style.

Lakers win 5-2.