The build up to have players and fans back at Marano Campus Center Arena has everyone talking about Lakers hockey. Members of the Oswego State women’s ice hockey team are thrilled to get started on the right foot.

The hiatus for women’s hockey to return in the Oswego community has been a long and difficult process. Players and coaches have been keeping in touch to the best of their ability along with preparing for the 2021 season. Now, in his first official season as head coach, Mark Digby is ready to get the season going. In the early stages of this year, building chemistry and communicating are huge factors he stresses to his team. 

“The big thing for us is to continue what our team has been doing the past year,” Digby said. “Any time you have this many new players, communication is a huge part of success.” 

The Lakers are experiencing a process of acclimating newcomers that is  different than previous pre-seasons. This year is special because not only do they have incoming freshmen from this off-season, but they also have recruited seniors from two seasons ago who have never played college hockey before. With all these new skaters joining the team, there is a ton of optimism following the mixture of freshman and veterans on this team. 

Digby envisions this optimism as a driving factor to shoot the Lakers on a deep season run. 

“Sometimes when you have all that youthfulness, you have a lot of optimism to go out there and play,” Digby said. “Being able to balance that excitement from the freshman and our veteran’s experiences is going to be a fun atmosphere all season.”

Excitement is a major staple of the atmosphere surrounding Digby’s team. Two of his veteran players share his perspective and are stoked to get started as well. One of them being 5th year senior Philomina Teggart. She is a key part of this year’s team considering her leadership role and keeping her new and current teammates in touch. 

“About every week somebody would be texting,” Teggart said. “We started a team group chat at first, it was getting to know everyone at first which really helped me.”

Now that the season is only weeks away, Teggart and company will need every ounce of camaraderie to make a championship run. Her co-captain forward Aislinn McAleer also has good things to say about new players on the ice coming into the locker room.

“At the end of day we are college students,” McAleer said. ‘’We have social media so we keep in touch, but after only one month having everyone here I feel like we already know everyone so well.” 

Looking back at the 2019-2020 season, the Lakers were bested by Plattsburgh State in the North East Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL) championship game. This 1-6 loss resonated with Teggart and McAleer and is an experience they can relay to newcomers.

“We knew we could win that game,” Teggart said. “We just did not get that done. We have the talent on the ice and we can go win the league this year.”  

Winning is something that Digby and her captains see as a perk to their experience. Just being back to practicing, watching film and being together is enough to get them motivated to have a strong season. 

“Everybody says they want to win a conference championship,” Digby said. “Knowing what it takes to make that happen is just on a different level of understanding. Right now it is about being the best version of us. We are not trying to compare ourselves to any other team, so far I think we are heading in the right direction.”

Two years ago when Digby served as the interim head coach the Lakers finished with a 16-7-4 record. With 10 of their wins coming from the conference, part of their success stemmed from their now graduated goalie Rachel farmer. Now with three new goalies on the roster, Digby shared that it will be an open competition. 

“All three of them are preparing to be the starting goalie,” Digby said. “All of which will get opportunities to prove what they can do, we owe it to them to prove what they can or can not do.”

New goaltenders along with the nine other fresh faces on the roster will have to adjust to college hockey atmospheres quickly. One thing they have going for them is the excitement and opportunity to play the sport they love. Now a defenseman for the Lakers, Teggart understands the role of those who might not get a lot of time this year.

“Even if you are out there for one shift, having someone on the bench can change your whole game,” Teggart said. “Showing them how hard we work really helps with the new players.” 

Coaches, players and fans will once again be able to experience Laker’s hockey in action at an intersquad scrimmage on Oct. 16 at home. The anticipation for hockey is something students and the community have been awaiting and the players are ready to soak it all in.

“It is unreal that we get to play again,” McAleer said. “We are mostly just excited to get back out there and compete.”

Alexis Fragapane | The Oswegonian