Men fall short of national tournament

Just 151 days ago, I wrote that the Oswego State Lakers seemed primed to make a run at the NCAA Tournament. It was a team that brought in just two new players and had 13 seniors. Despite this, a pair of slumps throughout the season put the Lakers in a difficult place: win the SUNYAC or go home early. 

Oswego State struggled against ranked teams this year, accumulating a record of 0-7 against them. Ultimately, this crippled the team’s chances at receiving an at-large bid through the PairWise Rankings. Perhaps the Lakers could have snuck into the tournament if there was a committee of people around Div. III hockey that selected the Pool C bids, like there was two years ago.

Despite this, the team did some extraordinary things. Sweeping Plattsburgh State in its three games this year was an incredible feat for a team that struggled against the Cardinals at home over the last several years. Prior to the 2018-19 Whiteout win, the Lakers were riding a six-game losing streak to Plattsburgh State inside the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena.

For a roster chock full of seniors, it is extremely disappointing to see the Lakers’ season come to an end. It was enjoyable getting to cover the team this season and a big reason for that are the seniors who spoke to the media week after week. While the seniors will graduate, the Lakers return a handful of productive players like Steven Kozikoski, Travis Broughman and Alex DiCarlo.

Women reach NEWHL title game

The women’s hockey team had an excellent season this year, securing the second seed in the NEWHL playoffs. For a team that struggled to score last season, the Lakers were dynamic as an offense. The team was infused with a boost of speed and ability to create offense at a high level. Because of this, the Lakers scored 19 more goals in comparison to last season. 

While it is never fun to end a season with a loss, it is understandable and almost expected when you go up against Plattsburgh State. The Cardinals have several All-Conference players, including Annie Katonka, the player of the year, and NEWHL Goalie of the Year, Ashley Davis.

The Lakers really impressed this season, playing a style that has not been seen from them for several years. They were a fast and fun team, rather than one that tried to slow the game down. That is the most exciting part about the Lakers, as well as the fact that they will bring this dynamic play to next season as well. The Lakers graduate significant pieces but maintain skaters like Megan Teachout and Philomena Teggart who can play with great pace. It will be interesting to see how the team looks in net next season, with the lone goalie, Rachael Farmer, graduating. 

Overall, the Lakers achieved and maybe even exceeded expectations. Hosting a home playoff game is always a goal and reaching the NEWHL Championship for the second time in three years is a great accomplishment.