Overall Preview

The Oswego State Lakers are heading into their second and final exhibition game of the season against the Carleton Place Canadians of the Central Canada Hockey League.

Last season, the Lakers took on the CCHL All-Graduate Team, essentially an all-star team, for its lone exhibition game of the season. Due to new regulations, according to head coach Ed Gosek, Oswego State has to play a team, and not a group that was formed for one game or series of games.

Carleton Place is in mid-season form, playing 19 games heading into the Oct. 27 matchup against the Lakers. The Canadians are 14-3-2, which is tied for first in their division, and tied for second in the CCHL.

Two of Oswego State’s players will have a different emotion heading into the exhibition game. Senior, and captain, Devin Campbell, and freshman Travis Broughman, are both alumni of Carleton Place. Campbell played with the team from 2011-2015, and Broughman played one season from 2017-2018.

The Lakers, before this season, have played the CCHL All-Graduate team the last three seasons. Oswego State is 2-1 against the CCHL. But, this game could pose some challenges, Gosek said, due to the other team being in mid-season form.

Last Time Out

OSW: Oswego State played its first exhibition game on Oct. 20 against Nazareth College. The Lakers beat the Golden Flyers 5-2. Oswego State came out firing in the first period scoring three goals in 6:31. Between the two teams, five goals were scored in the first period.

Sophomore Tanner Spink (2g) and transfer junior Anthony Passero (2a) posted multi-point nights. Overall, including Spink and Passero, 10 players tallied at least one point. All three goaltenders played a period each for the Lakers. David Richer, who played the first period, allowed two goals on four shots. Cedric Hansen and Steven Kozikoski, who played the second and third periods, respectively, both had three-save shutouts.

The special teams units split the night. The Lakers’ power play went 1-8 and allowed a shorthanded goal. However, the penalty killers kept their success rate at 100 percent, going 4-4.

CPC: The Canadians won on Oct. 26 against the Navan Grads, also of the CCHL. In the 3-2 victory for Carleton Place, six players registered a point, with two players, Ryland Mosley (1g, 1a) and Brett Thorne (2a) both producing two-point nights.

Goaltender Vincent Bujold-Roux played the entire game, registering 24 saves on 26 shots.

By the Numbers

RECORD

OSW: 0-0-0 (exhibition game)

CPC: 14-3-2 (exhibition game)

GOALS (per game)

*OSW: 5 (5.0)

CPC: 77 (4.1)

SHOTS (per game)

*OSW: 32 (32.0)

CPC: 711 (34.2)

POWER PLAY (percentage)

*OSW: 1-8 (12.5%)

CPC: 22-101 (20.8%)

*All of Oswego State’s stats reflect its lone exhibition game. Stats will reset when heading into the regular season.

Starting Lineups

OSW:

Forwards: Michael Gillespie | Josh Zizek | Derek Brown

Tanner Spink | Anthony Passero | Travis Broughman

Joseph Molinaro | Mitch Emerson | Josh Nenedal

Aaron Huffnagle | Josh LeBlanc | Jody Sullivan

Jesse Farabee | Michael McArthur | Colton Fletcher

Tyson Bruce | Thomas Horn | Joey Scorpio

Tyson Kirkby | AJ D’Orazio | Robert Clerc

Defense: Devin Campbell | Tyler Currie

Carter Allen | Max Novick

Charlie Pelnik | Kristoffer Brun

Tyer Antonucci | Ryan Bunka

Goalies: Cedric Hansen

Steven Kozikoski

Scratches: David Richer, Chris MacMillan, Cameron Berry

CPC: No lines provided by the Carleton Place Canadians.

Player Spotlight

OSW: Tanner Spink – Sophomore, Forward

Spink had two goals in the first exhibition game for Oswego State. He scored the opening goal of the game 51 seconds after the puck dropped to start the game. Last season, Spink played in 22 games and tallied 13 points (7g, 6a) during his freshman campaign. Expect the Williamstown, Ontario, Canada, native to come out firing in the second exhibition game in preparation for the regular season that starts next week.

CPC: Brett Thorne – Defenseman

Thorne is a strong passer, leading the team with 13 assists so far this season. Overall, he has 17 points, which is tied for second overall on the team. Three of his four goals have come off the power play, as well. The only major concern is the 25 penalty minutes he has racked up in the 19 games he has played this season, including a 15-penalty minute game on Oct. 18. Either way, the defenseman will be a strong force for the Lakers to watch on the blue line.

Prediction:

Oswego State proved its strong offense last game against Nazareth College. However, the Lakers will now have the challenge of facing a successful CCHL team that has played nearly 20 games this season.

The special teams units from both teams will be what makes the difference for the game. Whoever stays more disciplined throughout the game, avoiding costly penalties especially late, will have the upper-hand.

Goaltending will also be key. With Richer out this weekend due to a personal matter, Hansen and Kozikoski will have to step it up. Connor Murphy, Carleton Place’s goaltender, has a 10-3-0 record this season, which is second in the CCHL. Bujold-Roux is 3-0 in his games.

This game will be a lot tighter than the game between Oswego State and Nazareth College. However, Oswego State will take this one 4-3 in overtime.

Photo: Kyle Hurley | The Oswegonian