The Oswego State men’s hockey announced Apr. 10th, their leadership group for the 2022-23 campaign. The team posted on Twitter three individuals that would step into the roles for the Lakers’ 56th season.

Ryan Bunka, Alex DiCarlo, and Troy Robillard will lead the squad into battle as these three players will be wearing the letters for the team this coming season. Oswego State head coach Ed Gosek spoke highly of the three individuals. 

“The three of them understand what it takes and the sacrifice and commitment necessary to lead us,” Gosek said. “We as a staff have our opinions but the players are the ones with the decision.”

Ryan Bunka returns after his senior season as the defenseman uses his extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic now to captain the 2022-23 team. The left-handed defenseman has played three seasons for the Lakers after joining the squad in the 2018-19 season. Over the course of his career, Bunka has 36 games played with three goals and six assists. Bunka sounded very excited to return for another season with the team.

“I do not think I left my complete mark on NCAA Div. III hockey and the program just yet,” Bunka said. “I wanted to come back and give it my all for one more year. I really think this team has what it takes to win the SUNYAC. Not beating SUNY Geneseo this year really pushed me to come back.”

The Unionville, Ont. native only missed two games this past season and was essential part of the defensive core slotting in on the second pairing. The Laker finished +16 in the plus/minus column at the end of the year, the best out of any Oswego State player this season. Head coach Ed Gosek is excited to see what Bunka can bring to the table in his graduate year. 

“We are excited because he is the first guy that is taking advantage of the extra year,” Gosek said. “He could have been in the leadership group this year. He is the longest-tenured player on the roster, and I thought he played his best hockey in the second half of the season. But he is also very mature and a good student.”

Bunka was a player in and out of the lineup the first couple of years with the team. After COVID-19 and returning to the rink for this past season, the defenseman started making a bigger impact each night and filling a bigger role in the defensive zone along with in the roster.

“I look at myself as a role model because of my story coming up through the lineup,” Bunka said. “It is a lot of hard work but battle the adversity. You might have to wait a few years but once you get that opportunity take advantage of that chance.”

Alex DiCarlo was named one of the alternate captains for next year’s leadership group. The current sophomore would be returning for his third season with the team after putting on the green and gold uniform for the first time back in the 2019-20 season. Gosek talked about the selection.

“He has matured a lot since he came here and I think the guys see that and respect it,” Gosek said. “In the past our worry has been that wearing a letter shifts the focus away from the individual and to the team. With him, it is going to make him a better player when he wears the letter. This will take his game to the next level.” 

The forward played in 26 games this season after returning from the COVID-19 break. The forward dominated the SUNYAC conference this past season with 14 goals and 12 assists for a total of 26 points. The point per game player did not miss a game this season and set career-high stats in the goal and assist column.

The last player named to the leadership group played his first season here at Oswego State this previous year. Troy Robillard will also be an alternate captain next season after becoming a key part of the Lakers locker room this past year. The transfer from Anchorage Alaska dressed in 23 games for the Lakers and tallied four goals and three assists. 

“He is a warrior for one, and he is a very good student,” Gosek said. “There is a correlation with our athletes that understand the sacrifice between academics, athletics, and their social life. Troy understands that and he has seen it at the Div. I level. He is a very mature guy, and he leads by example. He shows up everyday and puts in the work on the ice, in the weight room, and in the classroom. He never takes a shift or practices off, and that rubs off on guys.”

One of Robillard’s goals was the game-winner in the Teal Night game against SUNY Cortland. The defenseman led the team in blocks with 26 total to end the season.

Oswego State will head into the summer months and turn its eyes to the offseason. The Lakers have one game that has been announced for the 2022-23 season. The Utica College Pioneers publicly announced that their Teddy Bear Toss game will be played on Dec. 3rd against Oswego State in the Adirondack Bank Center in downtown Utica, N.Y. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. for the non-conference matchup. Oswego State men’s hockey will kick off its season with exhibition games in the month of October.

Photo By William Rogers | The Oswegonian