Oswego State will play its first of two games this weekend in the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena against SUNY Canton. The Lakers are coming off a game against SUNY Cortland which ended in a 3-3 tie. Oswego State will look to bounce back against one of two new Northeast Women’s Hockey League members in SUNY Canton, which has not won a game this season.

Keys to the Game

Oswego State
Limiting turnovers will be the key to the Lakers getting a win over SUNY Canton. Last weekend against SUNY Cortland, turnovers in the defensive zone and neutral zone led to the Lakers surrendering three goals and forcing a tie. If Oswego State can come out and focus on better control of the puck, especially in their offensive zone, then it should have a really good chance at winning tonight.

SUNY Canton
Winning faceoffs will be one of the keys to for SUNY Canton to beat Oswego State. It leads to puck possession and chances off of set plays in the offensive zone. Against a team as defensively responsible as the Lakers, it is imperative for the Kanagroos to generate offensive chances off of faceoffs.

By the Numbers

Record (Conference)

OSW: 3-2-1 (1-2-1)

CAN: 0-4-1 (0-4-1)

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Goals (Per Game)

OSW: 18 (3.0)

CAN: 7 (1.4)

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Shots (Per Game)

OSW: 193 (32.2)
CAN: 113 (22.6)

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Power Play (Percentage)

OSW: 6-30 (.200)

CAN: 0-17 (.000) 

Players to Watch

OSW: Megan Teachout
The freshman is coming off a game where she had more offensive opportunities than any of her teammates. Tonight, expect more of the same, as she has been dynamic all season long. Being that this could be a game where Oswego State could have an offensive surge, we can expect Teachout to be involved in the offense at even strength and on the power play.

CAN: Debi Bartosova
Despite failing to record a point against Plattsburgh State, Bartsova still leads the team in assists. Expect to see Bartosova get plenty of opportunities and dish the puck out to her teammates. If Bartosova can find the back of the net for her first goal of the season, then SUNY Canton could keep it close or win outright.

Final Thoughts
When speaking with head coach Diane Dillon this week, she said that this could be a game where SUNY Canton will play with a lot of intensity because it is a team that is trying to win their first game. It seems that both teams are looking to come out strong and have bounce back games. The edge should be given to Oswego State, since it has been better on the power play, penalty kill and have home ice advantage. 

Photo by Nicole Hube | The Oswegonian