In its first regular season matchup, the No. 6 Oswego State men’s hockey team (0-0-0, 0-0-0 SUNYAC) will host SUNY Cortland (0-0-0, 0-0-0 SUNYAC) at the Marano Campus Center. The game will also be both teams’ first SUNYAC matchup.

The Lakers are coming off two exhibition wins against Carleton Place and Nazareth College. With a 9-1 win over the Canadians and a 4-3 win against the Golden Flyers, Oswego State had some trouble staying out of the penalty box.

SUNY Cortland did not participate in any exhibition matchups according to its website. The game against Oswego State will be the Red Dragons’ first game situation for the 2019-2020 regular season.

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Last Time Out

OSW: The Lakers won over Nazareth College 4-3 on Oct. 26. Jody Sullivan, Joseph Molinaro, Travis Broughman and Tyler Currie all scored for Oswego State. Molinaro, Sullivan, Fletcher and Tyler Antonucci chipped in assists. Sullivan’s goal was short-handed at 14:36 of the first period.

All three goaltenders, David Richer, Cedric Hansen and Steven Kozikoski, all played in the game. Richer started the first period, stopping all four shots. Hansen was in for the second period, allowing one goal on 10 shots. Kozikoski finished out the game, allowing two goals on seven shots.

The biggest concern, however, was the penalties for the Lakers, which included a 10-minute misconduct from Michael Gillespie, who did not return in the third period after being pulled by head coach Ed Gosek. Oswego State allowed one power play goal, but had to kill five penalties overall. The Lakers finished the game with 22 penalty minutes as a team.

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COR: First game of the season for SUNY Cortland. Its last game, however, was on Feb. 16 in a 5-2 loss against SUNY Potsdam. Stefano Alonzi scored both goals for the Red Dragons. He returns this year as a senior. Nick Modica, who is also a senior this year, allowed five goals on 41 shots. SUNY Cortland had a 2-0 lead before the Bears scored five straight goals.

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By the Numbers

RECORD

*OSW: 2-0-0 (0-0-0)

**COR: 9-16-0 (3-13-0 SUNYAC)

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GOALS (per game)

*OSW: 13 (6.5)

**COR: 50 (2.0)

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SHOTS (per game)

*OSW: 73 (36.5)

**COR: 684 (25.9)

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POWER PLAY (percentage)

*OSW: 1-13 (7.6%)

**COR: 20-95 (21.1%)

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*Oswego State’s stats represent its two exhibition games. Stats will reflect regular season stats following the game against SUNY Cortland.

**SUNY Cortland’s stats reflect its 2018-2019 season since it has not played this season. Its stats will reset following the game against Oswego State.

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Players to Watch

OSW: David Richer (starting goaltender)

This seems like a cop-out, throwing the goaltender as the player to watch. But, there is a lot on his plate. After having to battle for the starting job two years ago as a sophomore alongside Cedric Hansen, and then assuming the role last season, the job is back up for grabs. The narrative has been beaten a lot, but it is about riding the hot hand, according to Gosek. While Richer was the only goaltender to remain perfect in the two exhibition games, Hansen still has a chance to prove himself throughout the week and possibly during one of the games next weekend. Richer needs to be consistent in this game to get an advantage over Hansen early in the season if he wants to claim the job.

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COR: Mike Sciroe (forward, second line)

Sciore was the third-highest scorer for SUNY Cortland as a freshman, recording five goals and seven assists, just trailing Alex Storjohann and Mike Crowley. He is now the second-highest returning scorer, after Crowley graduated. Storjohann also is not playing in this game, as he is listed as a scratch for the Red Dragons. The Syracuse native will also be playing close to home, growing up only a half-hour away from Oswego. Expect the second-line center to step up and give Oswego State a hard time in its own defensive zone.

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Starting Lineups (subject to change)

Oswego State

Forwards

Derek Brown – Anthony Passero – Travis Broughman

Jody Sullivan – Josh Zizek – Joseph Molinaro

Tanner Spink – Mitch Emerson – Colton Fletcher

Joey Scorpio – Tyson Kirkby – Josh LeBlanc

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Defense

Carter Allen – Carson Vance

Max Novick – Chris MacMillan

Jeff Solow – Tyler Currie

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Goaltenders

David Richer

Cedric Hansen

Steven Kozikoski

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Extra Defenseman

Charlie Pelnik

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Scratches: Tyler Antonucci, Michael Gillespie, Alex DiCarlo, Ryan Bunka

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SUNY Cortland

Forwards

Hayden Hart – Conor Tierney – Tom Ritchie

Matthew Jahn – Michael Sciore – Doug Elgstam

Stefano Alonzi – Ethan Homitz – Connor Beck

Shane Beaulieu – Sean Perichak – Scott Docherty

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Defense

Louis DiMatteo – Jacob Gaydos

Logan Blaser – Martin Lavallee

Nick Grupp – Justin Schebel

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Extra Skater

Oliver Lester

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Goaltenders

Nick Modica

Luca Durante

Owen Zdunski

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Scratches: Giancarlo Domano, Ian Keller, Luca Esposito, Dorian Overland, Jake Ballagh, Trevor Veneklase, Alex Storjohann

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Things to Note

*This is going to be a new section to the Laker Gameday Previews. Here, different quotes from Gosek, along with some players, will be included with some analysis and reactions.*

• On the 11 different goalscorers:
  • Ed Gosek: “I’m not sure we have a, what we would call a ‘pure goal-scorer.’ … We have to continue to work as groups of five out on the ice. When we start to cheat the game and take shortcuts to try to create offense, it doesn’t work.”
    • Essentially, Gosek is looking toward that “by committee” scoring that he always talks about. With multiple players now that can put up the points both on offense and defense, expect a lot more widespread goal scoring, instead of the same two or three players every game.

• Three Goaltenders in exhibitions
  • Carter Allen: “We’re pretty confidence in our goalies. … Just having one of them in the net isn’t going to change how the team plays our game. We still have to pick up all our assignments, make sure none of the d-zone coverage gets missed, getting in the lanes, blocking shots.”
    • No matter who gets the starting net for a majority of the season, most likely between Hansen and Richer, the Lakers feel good about who is in net. Richer played a majority of his junior year, after winning the confidence of the coaching staff his sophomore year. But, Gosek even said the battle for the net-minder is back on. While Richer gets the start today against SUNY Cortland, expect split time next weekend.

• Consecutive home games to start season
  • Josh Zizek: “We only got two new guys. But for them, it’s great to get their toes wet right away, especially with the two exhibitions. Obviously, Vance couldn’t play in either of the two, but DiCarlo, he’s a young guy. It’s nice to have him get into those games, get a feel in front of the fans, because we’ve got a couple games coming up at home that are very important to us.”
    • Vance will be playing his first game for Oswego State after getting clearance from the NCAA. He is the transfer from Div. I Western Michigan, and is a puck-moving defenseman with the ability to score. With him paired with Allen, more of a defensive-minded player, there is a good dynamic; we might see what Vance can do in the offensive zone, as more of a “midfielder” player.

• On Derek Brown and his hat trick
  • Josh Zizek: “It’s unbelievable. Especially since I think he only had three goals last year. He’s a funny guy. … That’s great to see from a guy like that. He came in the entire next week and he was smiling ear-to-ear. He’s excited to be there. It’s contagious. We’re all excited to be there.”
    • Brown was a player to watch all weekend, after opening with a hat trick against Carleton Place. While he was held pointless against Nazareth College, the transfer senior from Niagara University has to have some confidence heading into the regular season, after his limited scoring last season as a junior.

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Prediction

Oswego State holds an all-time record of 79-10-2 over SUNY Cortland, with a 40-5-1 overall record while playing in Oswego. The Lakers are also on a seven-game win streak against the Red Dragons, whose last win against Oswego State came in Nov. 6, 2015, at SUNY Cortland in a 4-2 victory. There were no current players on either roster to play during that game.

Last season, Oswego State defeated SUNY Cortland 4-2 to open the season in the same fashion as this year: the first regular season game and first SUNYAC game. Travis Broughman, then a freshman, had two goals in his regular-season debut at Oswego State. Tanner Spink and Derek Brown both scored, as well. David Richer allowed two goals on 18 shots.

Oswego State’s lack of discipline also hurt it, allowing both of the Red Dragons’ goals while they were on the power play with penalties from Carter Allen and Mitch Emerson. Alex Storjohann is the only returning goal-scorer for SUNY Cortland from that game. Nick Modica saved 29 shots, but allowed four goals.

It is not a secret that the Lakers have a domination over SUNY Cortland, especially in recent years. The second game between the two teams last season was a 7-0 win for Oswego State. Despite this, head coach Ed Gosek continually says that the team has to earn its two league points for every SUNYAC game. Luckily, as Carter Allen has pointed out, the team only has to focus on one game for its opening weekend.

Prediction: 4-2 win for Oswego State with an empty-net goal late in the third.

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Photo by Ben Grieco | The Oswegonian