Last Time Out

The Oswego State women’s ice hockey team lost the weekend series’ grudge match against Buffalo State by a score of 2-0. After the loss, the Lakers fell to 3-1 against the Bengals on the season. Kate Randazzo was the only player to score during the weekend after the 4-1 loss on Friday, Jan. 26. This was the first time the Lakers faced back-to-back losses from the same team since late November when they faced Williams College over Thanksgiving break. The team’s hopes of going above the .500 mark dropped once again after the weekend against Buffalo State. With the upcoming games against Plattsburgh State, that reality is slowing getting out of reach.

The No. 1/2 Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey team is riding an 11-game point streak. Most recently, the Cardinals defeated No. 4/6 Middlebury College 2-1 on Jan. 30. Melissa Sheeran and Kayla Meneghin both scored for the Cardinals. Goaltender Brooke Wolejko made 41 saves in net, which included a 17-save third period. Meghan Kraus, who had an assist on the Sheeran goal, is currently on a three-game point streak. She has had five points in her last three games. The Cardinals trail behind Norwich University on USCHO.com.

Looking at the Cardinals

Plattsburgh State, who has been ranked No. 1 or No.2 all season by both USCHO and D3hockey, is undefeated in NEWHL conference play. The defending national champions were on a 10-game win streak before the tie against Amherst College on Jan. 24. The last time the Cardinals lost was Nov. 26 against No. 3/3 in the UNO Classic hosted by Plattsburgh State in the championship game. The final score was 4-2 in favor of the Soaring Eagles. During the streak, the Cardinals allowed only six goals. Kassi Abbot had three shutouts during the streak.

Melissa Sheeran leads all scorers with 32 points on the season. She also has a team-leading 20 assists on the season. Courtney Moriarty leads the Cardinals with 18 goals. Three players total have double-digit goals on the season, and four have double-digit assists. Abbott and Brooke Wolejko have gone back and forth with starts. Abbott, however, has the edge with three more starts. Both goaltenders have below a 1.00 goals against average, with .90 and .88, respectively.

However, the real story is Kayla Meneghin, who currently sits at 97 assists in her career. According to Elite Prospects, Meneghin would be only the fifth player in NCAA Div. III women’s hockey to accomplish the feat of 100 assists in a career. She would join fellow team alumnus Elizabeth Gibson, who graduated in 2005 with 106 assists. Laura Hurd, who graduated from Elmira College in 2005, finished her career with 117 total assists.

The Cardinals have had a small break from NEWHL play, after playing against Middlebury College and Adrian College. But starting tonight against Oswego State, Plattsburgh State’s final six games of the regular season, two of which are against the Lakers, will be all NEWHL.

Lakers vs. Plattsburgh State History

Both teams have been conference rivals since the revitalization of the Oswego State program in 2006. After both teams departed from the ECAC West, they became conference foes once again in the NEWHL. Plattsburgh State has continued their dominating ways, sitting at 10-0-0 in conference, with the Lakers at 4-6-0. Two of the losses came from the Cardinals in November.

Oswego State has only defeated Plattsburgh State one time. During the 2016-2017 season, the Lakers were victorious over the Cardinals 3-2. The Lakers have lost 27 times to the Cardinals, and have been shutout 15 times, including this season. Earlier in the year, Mariah Madrigal went down in the first game against Plattsburgh State with a knee injury. She did not return until the end of the winter break when the team faced SUNY Potsdam.

This season, Olivia Ellis has had seven shots against the Cardinals, which leads the Lakers. Andrea Noss continued her dominance at the faceoff circle going 22-35. Amber Samonek, who relieved the injured Madrigal, made 68 saves over the course of the two games, despite allowing four goals each game.

Player Spotlight

OSW: Mariah Madrigal

Since the senior goaltender’s return to the ice, she has posted a 2-3-1 record. However, Mariah Madrigal has kept a majority of the games under control, with exception to the 4-1 loss against Buffalo State. This season, she has posted a .916 save percentage, allowing 1.94 goals per game. Madrigal also has the chance to get in the record books this season. If she stays under a 2.00 goals against average, she will be at least sixth on the all-time Lakers’ records. Her 1.77 during the 2016-2017 season currently sits at fifth. Madrigal will be a crucial part to the Lakers end of the season, as they head into February but also the NEWHL playoffs.

PLA: Kayla Meneghin

While Kayla Meneghin scored a goal in the 2-1 victory over Middlebury College, all eyes will be on her for her assist total. With three more assists, she would be the fifth player in NCAA Div. III history to hit the 100-assist plateau. Meneghin, who has been in the top two for scoring every year since her freshman season during 2014-2015, will attempt to hit the 30-point mark for the fourth straight time. She currently has 28 points. She will be heavily watched not for her scoring, but for her passing skills as she feeds shooting threats, such as Melissa Sheeran and Courtney Moriarty.

By the Numbers

RECORD (vs. each other) [conference]

OSW: 8-10-1 (1-27-0) [4-6-0]

PLA: 16-2-1 (27-1-0) [10-0-0]

GOALS (per game)

OSW: 40 (2.1)

PLA: 75 (4.0)

SHOTS (per game)

OSW: 581 (30.6)

PLA: 750 (39.5)

POWER PLAY (percentage)

OSW: 11-79 (13.9%)

PLA: 21-92 (22.8%)

Lineup Card

Oswego State

Forwards:

Ellis – Noss – White

Thacker – Morisette – Stewart

Padden – Grupp – Czerwinski

Martel – Rankin – Cramer

Defense:

Teggart – Randazzo

Emerson – Giglio

Byrne – Blake

Goaltenders:

Madrigal

Samonek

Plattsburgh State

Forwards:

Sheeran – Songin – Kraus

Moriarty – Millen – Meneghin

Walker – Katonka – Brush

– Manning – Drew-Mead

Defense:

McArdle – Kirarly

Viola – Hoskins

Flanagan – Corcoran

Killeen –

Goaltenders:

Abbott

Wolejko

Prediction

The Lakers are the inferior team between the two. Plattsburgh State will look to continue their sweep of the NEWHL, while Oswego State will try to pull back towards .500 once again. The Cardinals advantage of scoring will also play a key role, including their higher success rate on the power play.

Oswego State will have to provide opportunities to score, and not allow Mariah Madrigal, who received the start, to get overwhelmed by the Cardinals’ average 39.5 shots per game. Plattsburgh State will also be adding in a seventh defenseman which may catch the Lakers off-guard if shifts are taken too long.

The Lakers, once again, will have an uphill battle.

Plattsburgh State wins 6-1.