After losing 9-1 against SUNY Geneseo on Saturday, the No. 6 Oswego State men’s hockey team will travel to No. 4 Hobart College tonight for the second straight game against a nationally-ranked opponent.

This is the second game of a six-game stretch of road games. Oswego State will be in Utica on Nov. 29 and 30, and then will take the Western Swing trip against Buffalo State and SUNY Fredonia on Dec. 6 and 7.

The loss to SUNY Geneseo was the Lakers’ first loss of the season, and the first time it allowed nine goals in a game since Jan. 3, 1998 against Middlebury College.

Oswego State and Hobart College’s last meeting was in March last season, when the Statesmen ended the Lakers’ season in the NCAA Div. III Quarterfinals in a 3-2 win for Hobart College. The win sent the Statesmen to the Frozen Four en route to a 5-3 loss to Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

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Last Time Out

OSW: The Lakers suffered their first setback of the season in poor fashion. Not only did Oswego State allow nine goals, but it committed 88 penalty minutes throughout the game. Those did not include the four game misconducts the team suffered.

Mitch Emerson was the only Laker to find the back of the net. David Richer allowed seven goals on 24 shots, five of which were on the power play for SUNY Geneseo. In relief, Cedric Hansen allowed two goals – both of which were on the power play – in four shots.

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HOB: After quickly falling 3-0 against Castleton University, the Statesmen responded with eight straight goals in an 8-3 victory over the Spartans. Travis Schneider had two goals and an assist in the victory for the Statesmen. Lawson MacDougall recorded three assists while Zach Tyson chipped in two helpers.

Joe Halstrom made 11 saves in the victory for Hobart College.

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By the Numbers

RECORD (conference)

OSW: 4-1-0 (4-1-0 SUNYAC)

HOB: 4-1-1 (3-1-0 New England Hockey Conference)

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GOALS (per game)

OSW: 22 (4.4)

HOB: 31 (5.2)

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SHOTS (per game) [shooting percentage]

OSW: 182 (36.4) [12.1%]

HOB: 301 (50.2) [10.3%]

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POWER PLAY (percentage)

OSW: 2-20 (10.0%)

HOB: 3-26 (11.5%)

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PENALTY KILL (percentage)

OSW: 23-32 (71.9%)

HOB: 21-24 (87.5%)

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Players to Watch

OSW: Colton Fletcher

After some strong opportunities, the now-sophomore has really grown since his freshman season. Fletcher has improved with a lot more speed and shooting skill. After only seven games and an assist last season, he has already tripled his point-total with three goals and has played five games this season, primarily on the first line. Expect him to be a key part in tonight’s game.

HOB: Joe Halstrom

This seems like a cop-out. It is a goaltender. But, Halstrom only played in three games last season. He has led the Statesmen to a No. 4 ranking in the nation, and was key in the close 2-1 loss to No. 1 Norwich. This is another tough test for him as he takes on an Oswego State team that will be fighting to bounce back.

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Starting Lineups (subject to change)

Oswego State

Forwards

Jody Sullivan – Josh Zizek – Colton Fletcher

Joey Scorpio – Mitch Emerson – Michael Gillespie

Derek Brown – Tyson Kirkby – Travis Broughman

Josh LeBlanc – N/A – Alex DiCarlo

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Defense

Max Novick – Chris MacMillan

Carter Allen – Carson Vance

Jeff Solow – Tyler Currie

Ryan Bunka – Charlie Pelnik

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Goaltenders

David Richer

Cedric Hansen

Steven Kozikoski

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Scratches: Tyler Antonucci, Anthony Passero, Tanner Spink, Joseph Molinaro

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Things to Note

• On committing 88 penalty minutes
  • Head coach Ed Gosek: “We certainly don’t want to dwell on it but we need to learn from it. We need to move forward and try to turn this into a positive for the future. Not only do become a better hockey team, but guys learn the importance of controlling emotions in difficult times. We say it many times, when it’s sunny and 70, anybody can do it. When things are going well in life. Who can handle adversity? Who can handle situations when things aren’t going well? That’s the test of the character of your players and of your team.”
    • Going against another top team in Hobart College – the team that ended the Lakers season last year – will be crucial in terms of adversity. This is a true test for the Lakers, not only seeing how they do against a another top team, but how Oswego State bounces back from an extremely rough game against SUNY Geneseo less than a week ago.

• How the team will attempt to bounce back
  • Senior Josh Zizek: “It all comes down to our attitudes. I don’t want to say it was a good thing that it happened in Geneseo, but it opened up our eyes. We realized that we might’ve been ranked third going into that game, but we didn’t play like the No. 3 team. We’re going to realize real quick that we have to play as a team, because not one individual on this team will win a game.”
    • Simply put: the team cannot have personal egos and have to work together and use that chemistry it found in Europe over the summer before the season even began. That translated to the two exhibition games earlier this season, but seems to have fallen flat in recent weeks. That got exposed against the Knights.

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SUNYAC Update

After Saturday (Nov. 16), here are the current SUNYAC standings and which league teams are playing tonight:

1. Oswego State (8 points, 4-1-0 overall, 4-1-0 SUNYAC)
2. The College at Brockport (8 points, 4-2-0 overall, 4-2-0 SUNYAC)
3. SUNY Geneseo (7 points, 5-0-1 overall, 3-0-1 SUNYAC)
4. Morrisville State (6 points, 3-2-0 overall, 3-1-0 SUNYAC)
5. Plattsburgh State (5 points, 2-3-1 overall, 2-3-1 SUNYAC)
6. SUNY Potsdam (3 points, 1-4-1 overall, 1-4-1 SUNYAC)
7. Buffalo State (2 point, 2-2-0 overall, 1-1-0 SUNYAC)
8. SUNY Cortland (2 points, 2-5-0 overall, 1-4-0 SUNYAC)
9. SUNY Fredonia (1 point, 1-3-1 overall, 0-3-1 SUNYAC)

SUNYAC Schedule for Friday, Nov. 22:

• Oswego State travels to Hobart College (non-SUNYAC matchup)
• The College at Brockport travels to SUNY Fredonia
• SUNY Geneseo travels to Buffalo State
• Morrisville State travels to SUNY Cortland
• Plattsburgh State hosts SUNY Potsdam
• SUNY Potsdam travels to Plattsburgh State
• Buffalo State hosts SUNY Geneseo
• SUNY Cortland hosts Morrisville State
• SUNY Fredonia hosts The College at Brockport

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Prediction

It is simple: this is one of the biggest tests for the Lakers. Yes, the test against SUNY Geneseo was huge, but fans saw how that went. Now, the real battle will be to see how Oswego State bounces back not only for themselves but against another top team in Hobart College. And, it is on the road at The Cooler, which is never an easy rink to play in, according to head coach Ed Gosek.

The team wants short-term memory, given how the last meeting went between Hobart College and Oswego State. But, the Lakers still have some confidence after a regular season win against them last season.

With the announced suspensions of Joseph Molinaro, Anthony Passero and Tanner Spink, who will all be out for this game (Molinaro will also be out against Salve Regina in the Utica Tournament), the players that have not played a ton – Alex DiCarlo, Ryan Bunka and Charlie Pelnik – have something to prove tonight. Tyler Antonucci is still not in the starting lineup.

Oswego State also has a unique lineup of four defensive lines, since it is missing a center on the team’s fourth forward line, giving both Bunka Pelnik some time together on the blue line.

Prediction: Hobart College takes this one 4-2

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Cover photo by Ben Grieco | The Oswegonian