Oswego State fell 3-1 to Buffalo State on Friday afternoon. The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Bengals and increased the Lakers’ losing streak to three games. Rachael Farmer got the start in net, registering 23 saves. Both teams had several chances to convert on the power play, but Buffalo State would register the lone power play goal.

Buffalo State drew first blood when, six minutes in, Cheyenne Matson notched her third goal of the season on the power play. The shot came from the point and went top shelf past the glove of Rachael Farmer.

Both teams committed two penalties in the period, but the Bengals were the only team able to capitalize on special teams. Oswego State’s effort level was there from puck drop, but as highlighted in the keys to the game, it was unable to find the net early on.

“Anytime you go down at home, it’s frustrating,” head coach Diane Dillon said. “And certainly to let up a power-play goal. Our penalty kill has been getting better, and their power play has been struggling. We didn’t have a good start.”

The second period was more of the same, as Buffalo State notched an early goal off Lila Toczek’s stick amongst the chaos in front of the net. Oswego State once again had its chances to score but was denied by Bengals’ goalie Bri Gawronski.

The Lakers had a golden opportunity with 17 seconds left in the period when Leah Czerwinski was awarded a penalty shot after being tripped on a breakaway. However, Czerwinski lost the puck on the penalty shot and was steered away by Gawronski.

The second period also saw two more failed power play opportunities for Oswego State.

Oswego State put up a fight in the third, netting a goal from Jean-Marie Padden to cut the deficit to 2-1. However, it was a late third-period goal by Angelina Cruzal that would put the game away for Buffalo State.

“This is basic stuff that we’re not being consistent enough with. And that’s where I get frustrated as a coach,” Dillon said. “And I get frustrated for them, some of them played really well. But we’re just not getting the pay-off.”

The game was chippy throughout, with the referees stopping play a few times due to skirmishes in front of the net. The teams had a combined 17 penalties, with the Bengals committing 10 and the Lakers committing the remaining seven.

“That’s the history of the rivalry,” Dillon said. “I thought it was a little cleaner than it was in the past. But some of that stuff, it’s unacceptable. The initial hits are fine, but it’s the crap after the whistle that I have absolutely no patience for.”

Oswego State had its chances, registering 43 shots on goal compared to Buffalo State’s 25. Gawronski stood tall in net for the Bengals, stopping 42 shots. The Lakers also owned the faceoff circle 43-17. However, where it mattered, Buffalo State came out on top, 3-1.

“We won everything except the scoreboard,” Dillon said. “I think some of it is trusting each other and knowing where the puck is going before you get it. We’re taking too long to make things happened. We killed them in the face-off dot and we didn’t take advantage of it.”

The Lakers will return to action Saturday afternoon against Buffalo State, looking to end their three-game skid.