Oswego State enters play this weekend sitting at 5-0-1 with a tough challenge ahead. The Lakers welcome in the No. 2/2 ranked Plattsburgh State Cardinals for two games. Plattsburgh State is off to yet another hot start at 6-1-0. The Lakers will be facing an uphill battle if they want to remain unbeaten.

Last Time Out

Oswego State

The Lakers clawed their way to a 3-1 victory over SUNY Cortland, wrapping up the weekend series with one win and one tie. Oswego State trailed 1-0 heading into the third period, but Leah Czerwinski tallied the tying and winning goals for the Lakers. Freshman Hannah Lindey stopped 28 of the 29 SUNY Cortland shots she faced. The game started slow yet again for the Lakers, as they were unable to get much of anything going until the final period. Following the win, Oswego State received one top 10 vote from D3hockey.com.

Plattsburgh State

The Cardinals defeated the No. 1 team in the nation, Elmira College. The game was a consolation in a tournament that included powerhouses Middlebury College and Adrian College to go along with Plattsburgh State and Elmira College. The Cardinals cruised to a 4-1 victory after dropping the first game of the tournament to now-No. 1 ranked Adrian College. Plattsburgh State got two goals from the stick of Erin McArdle and one from team leader Courtney Moriarty en route to a dominant win.

By The Numbers

Record (Conference)

OSW: 5-0-1 (3-0-1)

PLA: 6-1-0 (4-0-0)

Goals (Per Game)

OSW: 22 (3.7)

PLA: 30 (4.29)

Shots (Per Game)

OSW: 260 (43.3)

PLA: 297 (42.4)

Power Play (Percentage)

OSW: 2-20 (10%)

PLA: 5-32 (15.6%)

Keys to the Game

Oswego State

Stay out of the box. It is as simple as that for the Lakers this afternoon. Plattsburgh State is not particularly effective on the power play (15.6%), but the Lakers need all the help they can get. Being down a player on the ice constantly would be a huge obstacle to overcome. Last time out against SUNY Cortland, the Lakers only committed two penalties and it resulted in a 3-1 victory. Oswego State has averaged five penalties per game on the young season and that will not fly against an offense as potent as Plattsburgh State.

Plattsburgh State

Plattsburgh State needs to play their brand of hockey. The Lakers are young, but they also have not faced this Lakers’ team yet. Plattsburgh State sets up a great offense by protecting it with solid defense and goaltending. If they can control the puck and not allow the Lakers to play fast and aggressive, it will be a much easier afternoon for Plattsburgh State. The last thing the Cardinals want is an early goal from Oswego State to boost their confidence. Control the puck early and often.

Players to Watch

OSW: Rachael Farmer

Farmer has seen this Plattsburgh State team in her time at SUNY Cortland but with a far worse defense in front of her. With the Lakers’ veterans Madison Byrne and Kate Randazzo on defense, Farmer has a much better chance of success. Plattsburgh State loves to pepper shots early and often, and Farmer will look to improve off an already impressive start for the Lakers. If Oswego State wants to stay in this game, Farmer will be a big reason.

PLA: Courtney Moriarty

The Cardinals leading scorer and senior has tallied five goals already on the young season. In her career at Plattsburgh State, Moriarty has totaled 115 points in 97 games. She has seemingly been everywhere on the ice each year for the Cardinals. Look for another big game from Moriarty against a Lakers defense that has veterans but has yet to be tested this season.

Final Thoughts

This weekend will be a huge measuring stick for a young Laker team. They passed the first set of tests with two wins on the road against Buffalo State, but Plattsburgh State represents a whole new animal. Having Rachael Farmer in net this year helps, but someone on the Lakers will need to step up on the offensive end. Kassi Abbott has stopped an incredible 136 of the 138 shots against her this year for Plattsburgh State. This includes stopping all 68 shots she has faced against conference opponents this year. The Lakers need to create some kind of pressure in front of Abbott.

Emotions are sure to be running high, especially on home ice for Oswego State. This team is not quite ready to go toe-to-toe with a powerhouse like Plattsburgh State, but the most important thing for the Lakers is seeing the progress throughout the season.

Being young may even be an advantage today. The freshman may not know any better than going out and giving the Cardinals a run for their money. This game will most likely not be a win in the column for the Lakers, but there are many things that they can prove against a veteran team in Plattsburgh State.

Photo: Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian