On March 16, Oswego State’s 2018-2019 campaign ended with a 3-2 loss to Hobart College in the NCAA Div. III quarterfinals. After the game, senior Devin Campbell was seen on the bench – no gear, no pads, just himself – to say goodbye to the place that had become home.

He had a shortened career to reflect on. Campbell was with Oswego State for only 2 1/2 years but still had accomplished more than most ever will. He was a two-time SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year, named alternate captain his junior year, and captain his senior year and is truly a fan favorite.

“I sat there on my one knee and kind of took a mental picture because I knew this would be my last time playing on this ice,” Campbell said. “Right after people were done talking in the room, I went out to the bench without my gear on and sat there for about 10 minutes to say my goodbyes, so to speak.”

In the dressing room, following the game that ended with the new tradition of players standing and tapping sticks to salute the Laker faithful at center ice, there was no extended conversation, head coach Ed Gosek said, but there were different points brought up about the season in general.

More importantly, the team got to thank the four seniors – Campbell, Cameron Berry, Josh Nenadal and Kristoffer Brun – for their dedication and commitment to the team, no matter how long they were part of the program.

“When you don’t get the job done, and that point in the season’s going to come for all but one team, you don’t dwell on it as much,” Gosek said. “We’re going to miss the seniors, and we allow them to say a few words.”

Despite not getting the final job done, the season does not come at a loss for Oswego State. The team won its annual tournament, the Pathfinder Bank/Oswego State Hockey Classic, in an exciting 6-2 win over SUNY Canton. The Lakers beat rival Plattsburgh State twice this season – once during Whiteout Weekend and again during the SUNYAC semifinals. Oswego State made it to the league championship but fell to SUNY Geneseo and eventually lost to Hobart College in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

While there has been time to reflect on the season, for players and coaching staff alike, there are also thoughts about what the team needs to do differently for more success during the 2019-2020 season and beyond. Gosek and the rest of the staff look at all the aspects of the game – line combinations, depth, goaltending, special teams and so much more.

“As we have our exit interviews with the players, and you don’t let the emotion get in the way of your brain and we think things through, we try to, intelligently, come up with our approach,” Gosek said. “Hearing every player out, including the guys that are graduating, on who they think are the right people, what is their reasoning, that’s an important process.”

Entering the season, Gosek brought in 12 new players – nine freshmen and three transfers – immediately addressing any depth issues from the previous season. Thirty-four players were on the roster at the end of October. Some players left the program during the semester break, but Gosek brought in Jeff Solow from Div. I Merrimack College.

There were several scratches per game, and some players did not see a single minute of ice-time all season long, like Robert Clerc, who transferred mid-season, while eight other players played in all 28 games.

With so many different personalities on the team this season, it is now up to the coaching staff to determine which players will be relied on to lead the team in future seasons both on and off the ice. Gosek said he wants players that will be “above average” and needs to do some “soul searching” with some of the players.

“When you can’t change the person, then you have to change the person, as we say. We have to have some guys step up,” Gosek said. “Right now, the focus is to select the right guys that are going to lead the team the right way with the personalities that we have. That’s the first order of business.”

One of those players that will most likely be stepping up is Josh Zizek, who was named an alternate captain as a junior this season. While Gosek did not say if Zizek will be named captain next season or not, Campbell has high hopes for “Ziz.”

“Josh Zizek will be an amazing captain next year, as he is a great guy and a great hockey player,” Campbell said. “Ziz is one of my better friends on the team and is just an all-around great guy who is a dream fit to be a captain here.”

Campbell may have finished the “heck of a ride” collegiate career he had, but he said he will feel a close connection to the team with future success it might have since he “spent an entire year with every guy in that [locker] room.” He said he hopes for national championships in the team’s future and that the players enjoy “every second” of their time on the team.

But now, the team has to move on without those four seniors. Following the loss to SUNY Geneseo, Gosek said “life goes on,” but it might be a little harder with all of the leadership the Lakers are losing – between Campbell and Berry wearing the letters on their shoulder and the Div. I experience that Nenadal brought in his lone season with the team.

“That part of it, that’s the hard part. You become friends with them and develop friendships,” Gosek said.

But, with Gosek’s and assistant coach Mark Digby’s competitive personality, the year, as positive as it might have been, was “not good enough.”

“What defines a good year from a great year? Well, having playoff success usually determines where you can use the word ‘great,’” Gosek said. “We have one playoff win, the semifinal win against Platty, which was a big win. But, lose to Genny in the finals, we lose to Hobart in the quarterfinals, so we’re 1-2 in the playoffs. By our standards, not good enough.”

Photo by Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian