The SUNY Potsdam Bears return to Laker Turf Stadium this afternoon for the first time since the 2018 campaign. This contest has a tale of two stories. The Lakers enter the game on a hot win streak which features their first SUNYAC win while the Bears are looking to right the ship and get out of a losing streak. With points on the line and a chance to stay in the hunt for a playoff berth, this game should be a battle with the game set to begin at 4:00 p.m. on SUNY Oswego’s campus.

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Season History

OSWEGO STATE

The Oswego State Lakers head into the contest on a five-game win streak dating back to Mar. 11th when the Lakers defeated Morrisville State 10-7. Oswego State sits at 6-2 overall and 1-0 in the SUNYAC conference after defeating Plattsburgh State this past weekend in North Country.

The team’s offense is top tier compared to years past and is backed by a solid defense and goaltending tandem. The Lakers have already tallied 96 goals this season compared to their opponents 61. The offense also averages 42.9 shots per game through the first 8 games of the 2022 season.

On defense, the team has caused 168 turnovers and are winning the ground ball battle against opponents 222 to 157. In net, Aiden Kenyon has stepped up as the starter and averages 7.61 goals against and has a .636 save percentage.

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SUNY POTSDAM

The Bears enter the matchup looking to survive in the SUNYAC conference after dropping their first conference game of the season to SUNY Cortland by a large margin. The 3-4 SUNY Potsdam squad is currently on a slide after dropping their last two contests. While on the road, the Bears are 1-1 this season.

The offense has still been out producing their opponents even though the team has a losing record through 7 games played this season. SUNY Potsdam is also averaging 44.3 shots per game, more than Oswego State.

After trading wins and losses to start the season, the Bears now turn their attention to conference play. After their trip to Oswego, the Bears will head to SUNY Geneseo to take on a team that’s 2-0 in the SUNYAC.

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Matchup History

These two teams have not played each other since the 2019 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That last game was played on Apr. 10th and featured a 11-9 Oswego State victory. Oswego State has SUNY Potsdam number with a record against the Bears of 26-15-0. The Lakers are on a four-game win streak that dates back to Apr. 27th, 2016 which was a 10-8 win at home.

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By the Numbers

RECORD (conference) [vs. each other this season]

OSW: 6-2-0 (1-0-0) [0-0-0]

POTS: 3-4-0 (0-1-0) [0-0-0]

GOALS (per game)

OSW: 96 (12.0)

POTS: 74 (10.6)

SHOTS ON GOAL (per game)

OSW: 199 (42.9)

POTS: 176 (44.3)

MAN UP OPPORUNITIES (percentage)

OSW: 9 / 30  (30.0%)

POTS: 10 / 33 (30.3%)

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Statistic Leaders

OSWEGO STATE

GOALS

1. Gavin Elston                 21
2. Weston Gray                20
3. Ryan Eccles                  12

ASSISTS

1. Corey O’Connor           11
2. Liam Sexton                 8
3. Weston Gray                 7

POINTS

1. Weston Gray                27
2. Gavin Elston                26
3. Ryan Eccles                 18

SHOTS (percentage)

1. Gavin Elston                 73 (.288)
2. Weston Gray                 42 (.476)
3. Ryan Eccles                  34 (.353)

SAVE PERCENTAGE

1. Aiden Kenyon               .636
2. Jeff Kinyoun                 .600
3. Clayton Duford             .250

GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE

1. Jeff Kinyoun                5.53
2. Aiden Kenyon               7.61

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SUNY POTSDAM

GOALS

1. Peyton Walsh               14
2. Cobie Cree                   12
3. Cam Talcott                  9

ASSISTS

1. Owen Walsh                 9
2. Cam Talcott                  6
3. Alec Miller                   6

POINTS

1. Peyton Walsh              18
2. Owen Walsh                16
3. Cobbie Cree                 16

SHOTS (percentage)

1. Peyton Walsh                67 (.209)
2. Alec Miller                   39 (.128)
3. Owen Walsh                 38 (.184)

SAVE PERCENTAGE

1. Collin Dougherty          .714
2. Ben Fuchs                    .623
3. Liam O’Neil                 .570

GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE

1. Collin Dougherty          6.78
2. Ben Fuchs                    7.11
3. Liam O’Neil                 10.99

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Players to Watch

OSWEGO STATE: Weston Gray

The Lakers offense is quarterbacked by sharpshooter Weston Gray. The Attacker has 27 points through 8 games played which feature 20 goals and 7 assists. Gray has been a huge part of the leadership force that has helped the team during this coaching change. Oswego State is going to need another solid performance from the player to lead the team to their six straight win.

SUNY POTSDAM: Peyton Walsh

On the other side of the field, the SUNY Potsdam offense is lead by Peyton Walsh. The sophomore midfielder leads the team in both goals and points so far in the 2022 campaign. The goal scorer has had two games so far this season with four goals or more. However, Walsh has not recorded a point in the two past contests. Both of those games were losses and was the first time the team has dropped games in a row this season. For the Bears, the team needs Walsh to get back on track and find his way on the stats sheet before the end of regulation this afternoon.

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Final Thoughts and Prediction

The Bears are going to be hungry for their first SUNYAC win of the 2022 season but Oswego State is clicking at the right time. The Lakers have worked out the kinks early in the campaign and Coach Sean Eccles has the team moving in the right direction at the start of SUNYAC play. Today’s game will be competitive with two teams looking to stay in the hunt for a berth to the postseason. However, I feel that the Lakers will pull away in the second half and win by a good margin.

Prediction: 12-8 Oswego State

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Photo By William Rogers | The Oswegonian