After a rollercoaster 2016-17 campaign that saw the Lakers men’s hockey program storm out to 11 straight victories and flame out in the SUNYAC championship game and NCAA tournament, Oswego State will look to recapture everything that made them successful in the early-going last season.

With the loss of 12 seniors, the Lakers are losing 70.5 percent of their overall goal total (91/129), 75.1 percent of assists (163/217) and 70.5 percent of their overall point total (244/346).

“We have a lot of players returning that had to bide their time because of the large senior class that we had last year,” head coach Ed Gosek said. “Our expectations are that we’ll improve, and as always, it’s the same answer I’ve given since 2003, but we’ll try to position ourselves for home ice in the playoffs.”

Because of these losses, as well as the losses in the net of last season’s primary netminders Matt Zawadzki and David Jacobson, the Lakers will be starting fresh in all facets on the ice.

“[David Richer] has played zero games, and [Cedric Hansen] has played the part of two, and we have a walk-on third goalie, Teddy Nolan,” Gosek said of the situation in net for this season.

Following the departure of Jacobson, the Lakers will depend on Hansen, Richer and Nolan to fill the shoes of two of the best goalies that the program has ever seen. Despite their inexperience as a unit, Gosek is optimistic that his trio can come up big.

“As far as number one or a number two, we’ll base it upon practice. We’ll base it on how they do in the exhibition game, and that’s the way that they would want it,” Gosek said.

Hansen, the only goalie left on the roster who has any Div. III experience under his belt, went from the presumed backup to Jacobson to an open competition with Richer to determine his spot on the depth chart for this season.

“There’s certainly going to be huge expectations on his shoulders if, in fact, he is named the starter,” said Brandon Wood, sports reporter at the Palladium Times and OswegoCountyNewsNow.

In addition to the pressure added to this season’s goaltenders, Wood noted that their inexperience increases expectations for the defensive core as well.

“There are two goalies with not a lot of Div. III experience,” Wood said. “You’re certainly going to have to raise your expectations if you’re a returning defenseman.”

Off all three branches of the team, the defense is the unit that has experienced the least amount of turnover in the off-season. Retaining five players from last season, the back end, though young, will be depended upon to aid the inexperience found in both the forwards and in the crease.

“We like the guys that came in,” Gosek said. “They’re going to be put to test early on here. A little adversity, but in the long run, it’ll make us a better team.”

Players like Kristoffer Brun, Devin Campbell, and Chris MacMillan already held a large role on the blue line last season and will be looked upon to carry a heavy minute load headed into the new campaign.

“Brun was a top-pairing defenseman last year,” Wood said. “I would imagine he’s going to be on the top pair this year alongside either MacMillan or Devin Campbell.”

When it comes to replacing last season’s production in the offensive zone, the unit, led by senior captain Mitch Herlihey, feel they will be up to the challenge.

“It’s all about confidence,” Herlihey said. “You’re just going out there and playing hockey. That’s when I’m at my best.”

Herlihey found out he was going to be tabbed as this season’s captain over the course of last season, and he has made the role his own.

“It’s fun.” Herlihey said. “It’s different, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone a bit, but it’s knowing you have a team of guys who respect you enough to name you captain.

To prepare for being captain, Herlihey reached out to captains in the past, specifically citing his close relationship with last season’s captains, Kenny Neil and Chris Raguseo.

“I’ve had three great captains in my three years here,” Herlihey said. “I’ve been trying to learn from what they did and some mistakes that they made.”

After finishing first overall in the SUNYAC regular season and losing the SUNYAC championship to Plattsburgh State, the Lakers were voted to finish third in the conference behind the Cardinals and SUNY Geneseo.

Depending on how the new and rising players pan out, the Lakers should prove to have the talent to hover around the top of the standings as they perennially do.

Oswego State will begin their season the same way they have in recent years, with an exhibition against the CCHL All-Graduate team at the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena on Oct. 21.

Photo: Dominick Lioto | The Oswegonian