Following a successful 16-9-1 season last year, the Oswego State men’s hockey team picked up right where they left off, defeating the King’s College Monarchs in a dominant 5-1 performance in their first game of the season.

To start the game, the Lakers were in control, pressuring the Monarchs’ defense with a few shots on the net. Despite creating great scoring opportunities, the Monarchs’ defense held up and were finally able to gain some offensive momentum following a cross-checking penalty given to Lakers’ forward Brett Fudger at the 12:13 mark.

Despite the Monarch’s being on the Power-play, the Lakers’ penalty kill was strong, not allowing a single shot on goal in those two minutes and avoiding an early 1-0 deficit. 

Both teams came into this game playing with physicality, with multiple big hits being made throughout the course of the game. This eventually backfired on King’s College, as they were penalized at the 2:58 mark in the first period after a big hit. Although the Lakers created many scoring chances, they were unable to capitalize on the power-play and the first period ended with a score of 0-0.

After a hard-fought battle in the first period, the Lakers came out hot to begin the second period with a goal from Foreward Matthew McQuade, giving the Lakers a 1-0 lead just 38 seconds into the second period. 

As both teams continued to go back and forth, a huge on-ice collision between team captains Lakers’ Matthew McQuade and Kings’ Mauro D’Alessandro put a halt to the game and ended with D”Alessandro being taken out of the game and the Lakers were awarded a five minute power-play.

This ended up being the turning point of the game as the Lakers’ power-play started to dominate offensively. Within seconds of the man-advantage, Oswego State forward Connor Gatto tipped in a goal off of the shot of Travis Baker, extending the Lakers’ lead to 2-0 at the nine-minute mark. Just two minutes later, Connor Gatto netted his second goal of the game off the assist from Danny Colabufo at the seven-minute mark and the Lakers left the second period with a 3-0 lead for the Lakers.

The Lakers looked to carry this momentum into the third period, however, it was the Monarchs who were able to strike the first goal of the period, cutting the Lakers lead to 3-1 at the 16:33 mark.

As the Monarchs strived to make a comeback, they were awarded a power-play after a boarding penalty was called against the Lakers’ forward Luca Munoz. However, despite being at a one-man disadvantage, it was none other than Connor Gato who was able to net in the short-handed goal off the pass from forward Jesse Horacek, securing the hat-trick and a 4-1 lead in favor of the Lakers with just eight minutes left in the third period. As the game was beginning to become out of reach for a Monarchs comeback, it was Lakers’ forward Colin Vassallo putting the nail in the coffin, scoring the Lakers’ 5th goal of the game at the seven-minute mark and securing a dominant 5-1 Lakers win.

The Lakers now look to carry this momentum into their next matchup, which will be against the Nazareth Golden Flyers on Oct. 26.

Photo by: Oswego Athletics