With a multitude of young gunners up and down the roster, the Oswego State men’s hockey team is prepared to take on their upcoming season. 

The Lakers come off of an emphatic 2024-2025 campaign, in which they secured a record of 16-9-3 and captured the SUNYAC title in a triumphant 5-2 victory over archrival Plattsburgh State. This win helped them to a div. III playoff appearance, although they unfortunately fell in the first-round, 4-1, to no. 7 Trine University.

However, the Lakers remain undeterred, as they are suited to make yet another deep run into the postseason. The team boasts a roster consisting of 19 underclassmen, highlighting emerging talent across the board. Head coach Ed Gosek is armed with an abundance of experience and with the help of his nine upperclassmen, will transform these young men into experienced leaders, on and off the ice.  

“You need your upperclassmen to not just lead by example in the classroom, weight room and socially, but you need them to be role models on how to accept life situations,” Gosek said. “Injuries, you’re out of the lineup, you’re off of the power play, you’re with different linemates… that’s where you really need your upperclassmen to show what it means to be part of our program.”

Coach Gosek highlighted several freshmen, including Michael Manzi, Raymond Perrault, Brendan Gilmore, Sean Williams and Tommy Bannister, as key pieces to the puzzle. He cites that they all fit in “extremely well” and that there is a balance of strong competition that “keeps complacency outside of the locker room”. 

Whiteout Weekend is one of the most cherished traditions of Oswego State and the aforementioned newcomers will have the chance to experience it for the first time. The event began in 2007; but now, with an even bigger audience of students and fans alike, it has evolved into a doubleheader on Friday and Saturday night. Plattsburgh and Skidmore College are set for this year’s weekend. 

The Lakers have found success in recent years against Plattsburgh, winning four out of the last five head-to-head matchups; however, they still find themselves on the short end in history, with an overall record of 52-82 in the long-standing rivalry. 

“We have a very young team and are still trying to figure out what we have at this point,” Steve Moffat, head coach of the Cardinals said. “Oswego is a great team, defending [conference] champions and they are loaded with talent and experience, so we will have to be at our best game to have a chance to knock them off.” 

The history between the Lakers and their second opponent of the weekend, the Skidmore Thoroughbreds is rather brief. Only four total games have been played between the two squads, with the Lakers holding a strong 3-1 record. 

“Oswego has always put together talented, well-coached teams.” Robert Hutchison, head coach of the Thoroughbreds said. “We’ll certainly respect that, while preparing to be the best we can to put on the best show for what is likely to be an energized crowd that night.” 

The Lakers will experience many energized crowds this season – especially when they hit the ground running for their first contest of the year, which is a date with first-year program, St. John Fisher University, slated for Oct. 18. 

The St. John Fisher Cardinals begin their inaugural season led by head coach Reid Lesswing in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC), alongside Albertus Magnus, Brockport, Chatham, Elmira, Geneseo, Manhattanville, Nazareth and Utica.

“I think this game is more of a look at our team and the things we need to do to get where Oswego men’s hockey has gotten to,” Lesswing said. “There is always a good atmosphere at Oswego, so getting the experience of playing in front of a lot of fans, on the road, vs a high-quality opponent is going to be very valuable to our team.”

Following the exhibition vs. the Fisher Cardinals, the Lakers have several other key matchups on the agenda, including dates with the Geneseo Knights on Nov. 7, the Hobart Statesmen on Dec. 5, the Utica Pioneers on Dec. 6 and the Cortland Red Dragons on Jan. 10. Of those four, it is probable that Hobart and Geneseo will be the two most prominent opponents of focus. The Hobart Statesmen come off of a 2024-25 season in which they won their third consecutive div. III championship title, at a record of 29-1-1, while the Geneseo Knights look to build on last season’s div. III tournament semifinal appearance, when they held a record of 24-5-1. 

With a combination of veteran leadership and young promise, the Lakers are primed to take the ice, hoping to make noise on the national stage.