The Lakers took care of business on home ice with a win in the post season against SUNY Cortland. The final score was 4-0 as Oswego State men’s hockey moves on to the SUNYAC Championship against SUNY Geneseo.

Pre-game

• The 96th meeting between these two teams.
• SUNY Cortland defeated SUNY Fredonia in the quarter-final round to get into the semi-finals of the SUNYAC postseason.
• SUNY Geneseo hosts SUNY Brockport in the other semi-final game this evening.

First Period

• GOALS:
• OSWEGO: Alex DiCarlo (EV) @ 00:20 from Connor Sleeth and Ryan Dickinson
• OSWEGO: Shane Bull (EV) @ 09:24 from Ryan Dickinson

• GOALTENDING:
• OSWEGO: Steven Kozikoski (11 saves on 11 shots)
• CORTLAND: Luca Durante (13 saves on 15 shots)

• It only took the first line twenty seconds to find the back of the net. A turnover in the slot leads to Alex DiCarlo’s fourteenth goal of the season.
• Shane Bull would make a move around one defender on the rush and go five hole on Durante to get Oswego State’s second goal. A good breakout pass from Dickinson set up the goal.
• The physicality started to pick up after the ten-minute mark. Cortland trying to bait Oswego State into going to the penalty box.
• Cortland struggled during the first twenty minutes to find quality chances in the offensive zone.

Second Period

• GOALTENDING:
• OSWEGO: Steven Kozikoski (7 saves on 7 shots)
• CORTLAND: Luca Durante (16 saves on 16 shots)

• Ryan Dickinson had the best chance in the second period. The defenseman walked in from the point into the slot but a good save from Durante kept the puck out of the net.
• Luca Durante went down after a collision with Oswego State forward Shane Bull. Durante would stay in the game after medical attention.
• Oswego State pushed the play for most of the period. The Lakers with a lot of high-quality opportunities but nothing gets past the Cortland defense.

Third Period

• GOALS:
• OSWEGO: Tommy Cahill (EV) @ 01:41 from Mac Lewis and Josh LeBlanc
• OSWEGO: Tyler Flack (EN) @ 18:08 from Shane Bull and Tommy Cahill

• GOALTENDING:
• OSWEGO: Steven Kozikoski (11 saves on 11 shots)
• CORTLAND: Luca Durante (6 saves on 8 shots)

• Tommy Cahill stays hot as he scores once again. Seven goals in eight games for the forward. The Lakers take a commanding lead in the first two minutes of the third period.
• Oswego State goes back on the powerplay with under ten minutes remaining in the contest. The Lakers have not buried a goal on the man advantage yet tonight.
• Cortland kills off the penalty. All of the penalty kills are perfect in this contest.
• More pushing after the whistles. The game is starting to get chippy with seven minutes remaining in the third period.
• Timeout SUNY Cortland with 3:53 remaining in the third period. Face off to the right of the Oswego State net. Durante is pulled for the man advantage for the Red Dragons. Oswego State looks for the empty net.
• Point blank save with 3:06 remaining in regulation. A glove save from Kozikoski keeps SUNY Cortland off the scoreboard.
• With 1:52 remaining, Tyler Flack nets the empty netter to seal the deal.

Post-game

• Kozikoski was named the first star of the game. This is his first shutout in his post season career with Oswego State.
• SUNY Geneseo defeated SUNY Brockport 3-1 in the other semi-final game.
• Oswego State will travel to Geneseo, New York to take on the Ice Knights in the SUNYAC Championship. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. from SUNY Geneseo’s campus.

Photo by William Rogers | The Oswegonian