As the men’s hockey team prepares for its annual Whiteout game against big-time rival SUNY Plattsburgh, they have a tough matchup on Friday night at the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena against SUNY Potsdam.

It is easy for a team to overlook an opponent the night before their biggest home game of the season, especially when that team sits at 1-9-1 in the SUNYAC this season, but head coach Ed Gosek is hoping that his team is equally as prepared for Friday night as they will be for Saturday’s game.

“The rational question would be how do you get your players to not overlook Potsdam and focus on Plattsburgh”,  Gosek said. “I think that if we stick true to what we’ve been saying all along and take each game as a one-game season, we will be okay.”

Grabbing two points every night is a team’s goal, but according to Gosek the two points on Friday night are just as important as the ones on Saturday.

“I’m hoping Friday’s game will help generate some enthusiasm with the students to help our team play in front of a large crowd on Saturday night,” Gosek said.

Balancing ice time between all 12 forwards and six defensemen will be something that the coaching staff will be keeping a keen eye on in Friday’s contest.

“We hope we don’t have to overuse guys on the power play and penalty kill,” Gosek said. “We want to use our balanced four lines and our six defenseman so that everyone does have some jump and energy come Saturday night.”

The Lakers sit at 15-3-1 on the season and are currently first in the SUNYAC standings and are ranked No. 2 nationally. Even with a these impressive stats Gosek is not set on who will be in the lineup come playoff time.

“From a lineup perspective, guys are still fighting for jobs here the lineup hasn’t been solidified,” Gosek said. “I would hope also Friday night that guys are playing with something to prove and want to stay in the lineup, whoever those guys are for Saturday night’s game.”

The Lakers won the first meeting of the year over SUNY Potsdam by a score of 6-0 on the road. Last year’s home game did not go in Oswego State’s favor as they were beaten 4-1. Gosek remembers the home loss last year and hopes it will not be the same story this time around.

“Players, hopefully they have a short memory, but from a coaching standpoint, it was a game where we felt like we were in control, and we were having better opportunities,” Gosek said. “When we made mistakes Potsdam made us pay last year. They’re a dynamic team where if you make a mistake they have enough skill players and good guys that they can make you pay.”

Gosek said the team has already learned their lesson this year from the losses suffered to Williams and Nazareth Colleges on back-to-back nights in Vermont.

“We weren’t playing poorly, but every time we made a mistake they made us pay,” Gosek said. “We have to have attention to detail and we can’t be in a hurry. We have to be committed to playing each and every shift and we can’t just look for a quick fix.”

The Lakers have an impressive 1-2 punch in net this year behind senior goaltender Matt Zawadzki and transfer David Jacobson. The goalies have combined to let up an average of two goals per game to the opposition. Zawadzki has been slightly better, but that does not  mean he will get the nod Saturday night. The decision by the coaches is still very much in the air.

“We don’t [Know]  yet,” Gosek said. “Sometimes I say that and we do, but I’ll tell you right now, we don’t.”