Sarah Gosek waited outside of Locker Room Five at the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena on Saturday night.

Living in Rochester, she does not get to many games, but she makes sure to hit the important ones. She was at the TEAL game, remembering her mother, Mary, and supporting the team despite a 6-5 loss to Buffalo State in February.

The SUNYAC championship game in Geneseo was on that list, as well. Other than the league final, it was her father, head coach Ed Gosek’s, birthday. And outside the locker room, she had a purple envelope that said “Dad” with a heart on the front of it.

When Ed Gosek walked out of the locker room, Sarah was there to meet him with a giant hug. Ed Gosek talked to other close friends and family, who wished him a happy birthday and talked about the game, which was a 4-3 loss to SUNY Geneseo.

“The guys played hard,” Gosek said. “At least this time [the team] knows [there’s more hockey].”

Even though the Lakers were not able to take home the SUNYAC crown, their season is not over yet as they will receive an at-large bid for the NCAA Div. III Men’s Hockey tournament, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Gosek said this helps the team as it goes to practice this week, as well as the seniors who do not have to hang up the skates quite yet on their college careers.

In previous seasons, before the PairWise system was brought to Div. III, the team would have to wait for the selection show to find out if it would make it into the NCAAs. Like last year, when most thought Oswego State could get an at-large bid, its season ended abruptly after the loss in the SUNYAC semifinals to SUNY Fredonia.

“All the favorites win tonight. You have [Wisconsin]-Stevens Point getting the first at-large. We’re getting the second,” Gosek said. “Had it not gone our way, it’s still a positive you can talk to them and not have to dwell on whether you’re in or out.”

The Lakers drew first blood against the Ice Knights following a Jody Sullivan goal, but it would not be enough as the Ice Knights scored back-to-back goals. Oswego State would not see another lead again.

Travis Broughman would tie the game in the third period down near the goaltender, Devin McDonald. But SUNY Geneseo’s Mitch Ferguson, who had two goals, scored his second of the night from the point through a screened shot past David Richer.

Richer made 26 saves in the matchup, compared to McDonald’s 16.

“You think about some of those [saves] in the second period, and there was the one flurry in the third where he played extremely well,” Gosek said. “I thought he was on his game. He tracked the puck well.”

Gosek said he was pleased with the team’s total effort, and though it stuck together well. However, in the second period, he thought the team was a little undisciplined on the penalty side of the game, and was making a couple unnecessary plays and was just caught out of position.

“We weren’t great, we still made some mistakes,” Gosek said. “The positive is, I was proud of our effort, our work ethic. They stuck together. It was a great championship game.”

The final horn blew and the Ice Knights all surrounded McDonald in celebration near his goal. Blue helmets and gloves, along with numerous sticks, went flying in the air.

On the opposite side of the ice, Gosek had his team huddle around the coaching staff before shaking hands and different awards were announced.

“Nothing to hang our heads about,” Gosek told his team. “We would never accept losing. Our program, that’s who we are. That’s our culture. We certainly don’t like it, but we’re men enough to handle it.”

But the No. 5 (in PairWise) Lakers know they still have at least one more week for the 2018-2019 season. They will most likely receive the second at-large bid and potentially host a game at the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena on March 9.

“Season’s not done,” Gosek said. “We get ready for next Saturday.”

But, next Saturday is seven days away. Most of the team will still think about the loss to SUNY Geneseo in the league championship for the next couple of days.

And as players left the locker room, surrounded by the lingering fans congratulating them on a hard-fought game, Gosek took off his coach cap and put on his father ball-cap.

“Drive safe,” he said to Sarah. “Text me when you’re home safe.”