There are a lot more playoff implications on the line for Buffalo State (11-10-2, 7-6-1 SUNYAC) as the team takes on the Oswego State men’s hockey team (13-9-1, 10-3-1 SUNYAC) at the Marano Campus Center for a 7 p.m. puck drop.

The Bengals are in a battle for the third seed in order to host the SUNYAC First Round game next Wednesday.

In early December, Oswego State took the Western New York trip and faced Buffalo State on its home ice. David Richer posted a 21-save 5-0 shutout with four different Lakers scoring. Travis Broughman had a two-goal game. Josh Zizek, Carson Vance and Joseph Molinaro also scored. Tyler Currie and Tyson Kirkby had two-assist games, while Vance also added an assist.

Emil Norrman made 31 saves on 36 shots for Buffalo State in the loss.

The last time Oswego State and Buffalo State faced off at the Marano Campus Center, the Bengals came away with a tightly-contested 6-5 win on the Lakers’ TEAL night.

---

Last Time Out

Oswego State

Oswego State won its second game in a row with a 7-0 shutout against Morrisville State. David Richer only had to make 17 saves in the win. The Lakers had seven different goal-scorers and five players recorded a two-point night. Derek Brown, Jody Sullivan and Joey Scorpio all had a goal and an assist. Carter Allen and Tyson Kirkby recorded two assists each. Mitch Emerson, Tyler Currie, Mac Lewis (scoring the first of his collegiate career) and Josh LeBlanc rounded out scoring for Oswego State. Currie’s goal was on the power play and Sullivan’s was short-handed.

—

Buffalo State

The Bengals are looking to get back on their winning ways after suffering back-to-back shutouts against SUNY Geneseo and The College at Brockport. In the game against the Golden Eagles, Emil Norrman made 22 saves in net. Zach Remers, Cody Symonds and Nikita Kozyrev all led the team with five shots each. Buffalo State went 0-5 on the power play and 4-5 on the penalty kill.

—

By the Numbers

RECORD (conference)

OSW: 13-9-1 (10-3-1 SUNYAC)

BUF: 11-10-2 (7-6-1 SUNYAC)

—

GOALS (per game)

OSW: 91 (4.0)

BUF: 74 (3.2)

—

SHOTS (per game)

OSW: 829 (36.0)

BUF: 713 (31.0)

—

POWER PLAY (percentage)

OSW: 22-91 (24.2%)

BUF: 19-104 (18.3%)

—

PENALTY KILL (percentage)

OSW: 72-92 (78.3%)

BUF: 80-96 (83.3%)

---

Statistic Leaders

Oswego State

Goals

1. Travis Broughman — 12
2. Josh Zizek — 9
3. Alex DiCarlo — 8

Assists

1. Anthony Passero — 19
2. Max Novick — 17
3. Michael Gillespie — 15

Points

1. Anthony Passero — 25
2. Max Novick / Travis Broughman — 23
3. Michael Gillespie — 21

Plus/Minus

1. Max Novick / Carter Allen — +19
2. T. Broughman / J. Zizek / J. Molinaro — +10
3. A. Passero / A. DiCarlo / T. Antonucci — +10

Save Percentage (total saves)

1. Steven Kozikoski — .927 (139 saves)
2. David Richer — .910 (324 saves)
3. Cedric Hansen — .819 (59 saves)

Goals Against Average (total goals allowed)

1. Steven Kozikoski — 1.81 (11 goals allowed)
2. David Richer — 2.28 (32 goals allowed)
3. Cedric Hansen — 4.41 (13 goals allowed)

—

Buffalo State

Goals

1. Zach Remers — 12
2. Vadim Vasjonkin — 11
3. Nikita Kozyrev / Sam Maddox — 8

Assists

1. Nikita Kozyrev — 21
2. Zach Remers / Vadim Vasjonkin — 13
3. Charles Barber — 7

Points

1. Nikita Kozyrev — 29
2. Zach Remers — 25
3. Vadim Vasjonkin — 24

Plus/Minus

1. Zach Remers — +12
2. Nikita Kozyrev / Vadim Vasjonkin — +10
3. Cody Symonds — +7

Save Percentage (total saves)

1. Emil Norrman — .935 (374 saves)
2. Trevor Micucci — .908 (128 saves)
3. Connor Minch — .891 (155 saves)

Goals Against Average (total goals allowed)

1. Emil Norrman — 2.20 (26 goals allowed)
2. Trevor Micucci — 2.57 (13 goals allowed)
3. Connor Minch — 3.12 (19 goals allowed)

---

Starting Lines

Oswego State

Forwards

Mitch Emerson — Anthony Passero — Alex DiCarlo

Michael Gillespie — Josh Zizek — Travis Broughman

Jody Sullivan — Mac Lewis — Joseph Molinaro

Joey Scorpio — Tyson Kirby — Tanner Spink

—

Defense

Max Novick — Tyler Antonucci

Carter Allen — Carson Vance

Tyler Currie — Chris MacMillan

—

Extra Skater

Derek Brown

—

Goaltenders

Steven Kozikoski (starter)

David Richer

Cedric Hansen

—

Scratches: Charlie Pelnik, Jeff Solow, Ryan Bunka, Josh LeBlanc

— —

Buffalo State

Forwards

Anthony Tulipane — Ben Butcher — Braeden Doust

Andrew Logar — Jon Colley — Bryan Colburn

Nikita Kozyrev — Vadim Vasjonkin — Zach Remers

Reid Bibb — Sam Maddox — Matt Minerva

—

Defense

Charles Barber — Troy Button

Cody Symonds — Colin O’Connor

Hayden Ford — Brendan Zack

—

Extra Skater

A.J. Marinelli

—

Goaltenders

Emil Norrman (starter)

Connor Minch

Trevor Micucci

---

Players to Watch

OSW: Travis Broughman

The sophomore has not scored since recording two points in the 2-2 tie against The College at Brockport. He was on a four-game point streak, but now sits on a three-game scoreless streak. He had 11 total shots in the two games against Morrisville State but could not find the back of the net. Heading into playoffs, Travis Broughman is not a player that Oswego State wants on a slump. After recording three points in the Western New York trip on the road in December, expect Broughman to play a big part in tonight’s contest.

—

BUF: Emil Norrman

While it is easy to watch the goaltender since he is typically on the ice for all 60 minutes of the regulation contest, Emil Norrman has been on the losing end of back-to-back shutouts and has not won a game since Feb. 8 against Plattsburgh State in the 6-1 win. The freshman has already seen what Oswego State’s offense is capable of when it is clicking, but did not have any help in front of him. He will be a key part in tonight’s contest, trying to push his team to that third seed.

---

SUNYAC Update

It is the final regular-season weekend for SUNYAC play before the playoffs being on Wednesday. Here are the standings headed into this weekend (as of last Tuesday with the makeup game against The College at Brockport and SUNY Cortland). It is important to note that SUNY Potsdam has completed its regular season in terms of SUNYAC games:

1. SUNY Geneseo — 26 points (19-3-2 overall, 12-1-2 SUNYAC)
2. Oswego State — 21 points (13-9-1 overall, 10-3-1 SUNYAC)
3. The College at Brockport — 17 points (15-8-1 overall, 8-6-1 SUNYAC)
4. Buffalo State — 15 points (11-10-2 overall, 7-6-1 SUNYAC)
5. Plattsburgh State — 12 points (8-13-3 overall, 5-8-2 SUNYAC)
6. SUNY Potsdam — 12 points (6-16-2 overall, 5-9-2 SUNYAC)
7. SUNY Cortland — 10 points (12-10-1 overall, 5-9-0 SUNYAC)
8. Morrisville State — 10 points (9-15-0 overall, 5-10-0 SUNYAC)
9. SUNY Fredonia — 9 points (6-10-7 overall, 3-8-3 SUNYAC)

Here is tonight’s slate of games for the SUNYAC:

• SUNY Geneseo does not play until tomorrow for its last game against The College at Brockport at the Tuttle Ice Arena for a 7 p.m. game
• Oswego State hosts Buffalo State with just two games remaining in the regular season for a 7 p.m. puck drop tonight
• The College at Brockport hosts No. 3 SUNY Geneseo for a 7 p.m. start-time
• Buffalo State travels to central New York for the reciprocating game against Oswego State with puck-drop scheduled for 7 p.m.
• Plattsburgh State has a two-game series at home vs. Morrisville State with tonight’s game scheduled for 7 p.m.
• SUNY Potsdam will play its last regular-season game with a non-league game against SUNY Canton tomorrow with a 7 p.m. start-time
• SUNY Cortland takes on SUNY Fredonia tonight with a 7 p.m. game at Alumni Arena
• Morrisville State travels to the north country for a weekend series against Plattsburgh State with a 7 p.m. game tonight
• SUNY Fredonia will look to climb out of the basement of the SUNYAC with a game at SUNY Cortland at 7 p.m. tonight

---

Prediction

Oswego State’s 5-0 win against Buffalo State, quite honestly, means nothing in this matchup. The Bengals always play physical and fast against Oswego State, and former Bengal Anthony Passero has said it numerous times.

While it was nearly a year ago, the TEAL game has to be in the back of the mind for both teams, given the outcome with the Lakers fighting back multiple times — similar to the game against SUNY Geneseo just last weekend.

If all the players that scored against Morrisville State, as well as those that were held goal-less, like Travis Broughman, can find that same sort of touch in this game, the Lakers have a strong chance to find a lot of success in their offensive zone.

This will also be Steven Kozikoski’s first time facing Buffalo State in his young collegiate career; and the Bengals have some guys that can shoot the puck well, especially Zach Remers.

Buffalo State will not go down easily, however. It is fighting for the third seed with The College at Brockport. The Bengals need to win at least one game this weekend (with a game against SUNY Cortland tomorrow, as well) and for the Golden Eagles to lose to SUNY Geneseo in order to claim that third seed. The fight for home ice in the first round of the SUNYACs is on tonight for Buffalo State.

Prediction: 4-2 Oswego State with an empty-net goal.

---

Photo by Casey Stone | The Oswegonian