Conference Break
The Oswego State Lakers will be getting a break from SUNYAC play tonight as they travel up north to take on the SUNY Canton Kangaroos. SUNY Canton is an independent hockey program that plays a full SUNYAC schedule, but don’t qualify for conference playoffs. This comes at nearly the perfect time for the Lakers. They are on a two game skid, both of which are one goal games. This break in conference action gives Coach Gosek the ability to play with the lines and try to gain momentum heading into the final week of the regular season.
Line Juggling
Two lines from last game are staying constant tonight, while the remaining two lines have been tweaked a bit. Andrew Barton is back in the Lakers lineup to help the lacking depth down the middle. He will be centering Herlihey and Neil tonight. Ferreira is moved from centering the first line to being slotted on the wing with Durocher and Sneath. These will most likely all be rotated through tonight so don’t expect these to be the only line combos you see.
The defense will remain the same tonight. Zawadzki was a late scratch last game and it is still unknown why that happened. He sits again tonight and Adrian Ignagni will get his second straight start.
Oswego Connection
Oswego roots run deep in the Canton hockey organization. Trevor Gilligan, the team’s head coach, won a National Championship with the Lakers back in 2007. Josh Sova and Trenton Yule are Oswego natives as well. Sova is the team’s leading scoring and helps pace the ‘Roos offense.
Grab Some Mo’
Oswego State is 5-1-0 all time against the ‘Roos. This further proves the point that this weekend is imperative for the Lakers. Momentum is key in any hockey game, and with the playoffs coming up shortly it’s Oswego State’s only real shot of making a run. They have been up and down all year, but just need to catch fire at the right time. The offense has been lacking, but playoff hockey is a whole different animal and that could help the Lakers out. Tighter defensive games are usually the norm in playoff games.
Advanced Stats
For those of you that don’t know what PDO is; it is an advanced stat that computes a team’s 5 v 5 shooting percentage and 5 v 5 save percentage. To get that number, you add the team’s shooting percentage and their save percentage in 5 v 5 hockey. Then, to get an even number you multiply the sum by 10. Since no college hockey outlet keeps those even strength numbers you can still look at the overall numbers and get a somewhat reliable statistic. PDO is a great hockey stat that measures a team’s a success. Here are a look at some of the numbers.
Plattsburgh: 1,038 (No. 2 in Div. III)
Potsdam: 1004 (Third in the SUNYAC)
Oswego State: 989 (Tied for fourth in the SUNYAC)
Morrisville: 975 (Ninth in the SUNYAC)
Canton: 944
Oswego State is tied for fourth in the SUNYAC, but with games in hand. Plattsburgh is the No. 2 team in the nation, it makes since that they a ridiculously high PDO. Canton holds a 5-15-3 record right now and their PDO is a reason they only have five wins. The numbers relate to their standings.
The Lakers low PDO is the telling stat for their struggles this season. Oswego State put up a 1,036 PDO and won 12 games last year, finishing one point behind Plattsburgh for first in the conference. Remember, it’s not perfect, but it is a good measuring stick.
Players to Watch
Lakers- Andrew Barton
The junior returns to the lineup tonight and it couldn’t have come at a better time. He’s been a top forward for this team all year and will be able to get some work in before the final weekend of SUNYAC play. Barton has eight goals on the year, which has been huge for the Lakers, with all their struggles to score.
‘Roos- Josh Sova
The Oswego native has been one of the bright spots on SUNY Canton. The ‘Roos offense is what keeps them afloat and it will be interesting to see what he can do against his hometown team. His 10 goals in 23 games leads the team. His ability to create space for himself is how he finds the back of the net.
By the Numbers
Standings
Lakers- 15 points [Tied for fourth place]
‘Roos- 5-15-3 record *Independent team*
Goals Per Game
Lakers- 2.81
‘Roos- 2.52
Power Play
Lakers- 14-72 (19.4%) [No. 26 in Div. III]
‘Roos- 11-115 (9.6%) [No. 78 in Div. III]
Penalty Kill
Lakers- 68-81 (84.0%) [No. 32 in Div. III]
‘Roos- 83-102 (81.4%) [No. 50 in Div. III]
Game Prediction
Even with the struggles from the Lakers this season, I don’t see how this young program in Canton will pull out the win. The defensive end of this team just isn’t up to par with other SUNYAC teams. That isn’t an insult, it’s just the truth. The program has improved it’s win total each year under Coach Gilligan and has a chance to do so again this year. SUNY Canton is on the right track, but won’t pull out the win tonight.
Lakers win 5-1
