It was an up-and-down 2018-19 campaign for the Oswego State men’s club hockey team. After a 2-1 start to the season, the Lakers fell below .500 for the rest of the season, finishing with a 12-16-0 record. 

However it was in Northeast Collegiate Hockey League (NECHL) play where the Lakers shined. They finished 7-5-1 in league games, good enough for third place behind the University at Buffalo and Canisius College. However, a disappointing loss to sixth-seeded Niagara University in the first round of the NECHL would cut their season short. The Lakers defeated the Purple Eagles twice in the regular season, both by a score of 5-4. 

“We’ve got to buy into our system earlier,” head coach Chris Timmons said. “These past couple of years, guys haven’t picked up the system until playoff time and by then it’s too late. We put ourselves in a tough position.”

Some of the struggles for the Lakers came inside the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena. They finished with a 4-9-0 home record compared to an 8-7-0 record on the road. 

“A big thing for our guys is being mentally prepared,” Timmons said. “We have to play our game rather than playing down to certain teams. When we play at home, sometimes we underestimate teams and get off to a slow start. Playing a full 60 minutes has been a struggle for us at home lately.”

Timmons returns three of his top four scorers from last season. The Lakers did lose Kyle McNamara, who led the team in goals (18), assists (19) and points (37). To replace him, Oswego State will look towards two of their captains, CJ Walsh and Theo Cup, to shoulder some of the offensive load. Walsh stands at six-foot-four inches tall, but the defenseman was second on the team with 13 goals and 21 points and features a rocket slapshot. Even though he is the top returning scorer from last season, Walsh’s focus lies on the defensive end.

“In terms of scoring, I play defense, so my job is to keep the puck out of our net and stay in between the guy I’m guarding,” Walsh said. “I’m not really too focused on tallying points.”

Cup finished third on the team with 17 points, 10 of which came from assists. But the role of the captains extends beyond just their on-ice performance.

“Big thing is leading by example and being vocal,” Timmons said. “It’s a challenge for captains to get the team’s respect from the get-go. For the first two weeks, they did a good job of showing their leadership skills on the ice. Their job is to keep everyone together so that going forward we’re all on the same page.”

Oswego State added 10 new players to its roster this season. This includes a mix of three defensemen and seven forwards. Gaining chemistry on and off the ice has been a priority for both Timmons and his captains.

 “They seem to get along well with the team from the start,” Walsh said. “Just trying to help them stay invested and stay focused, and they’ll gain their confidence.”

One player that has caught the eye of Timmons early on is transfer forward Colby Skrupa. Skrupa notched a goal in the team’s 5-1 scrimmage win over Div. II Hobart College.

“He’s a hard-working guy, he’s got a heavy shot,” Timmons said. “He’s a transfer from OCC and he’s been able to gain some chemistry with these guys early. He’s an outgoing player and keeps everyone in a light mood and it helps his line going forward.”

The Lakers also return starting goaltender Alex Gallose. Gallose is coming off of a 2018-19 campaign where he posted a career-best .903 save percentage and 3.23 goals against average. With three goaltenders behind him on the depth chart, the pressure is on Gallose to succeed early. He started 20 games last season after starting 23 games the season prior.

“With four goaltenders now, I’m hoping they push him a little bit more,” Timmons said. “That can help push his competitive nature and improve his stats. Our defensive core has stepped up big time so that will help make saves easier. Being a starter, it’s tough when you have two guys behind you that can easily take your spot, so I think his focus will be up and his work ethic will be stronger.”

The Lakers’ work ethic as a whole will have to be strong if they want to compete in the NECHL. The University at Buffalo and Canisius College are staples in the league and went a combined 4-0 against Oswego State last season. Three of those four games were decided by one goal. 

“We could be a very strong team in our section,” Walsh said. “We’re very quick and that’s a key factor in winning games, and I believe we can compete with the top teams in our league.”

The message for the Lakers to compete is pretty simple.

“Just work hard,” Cup said. “Don’t let your foot off the pedal.”

Photo provided by Alexis Fragapane