The Oswego State men’s hockey team welcomed the Nazareth University Golden Flyers and were prepared to take them down; similarly to the St. John Fisher University Cardinals, a game in which Matt McQuade showed why he was crucial to this Lakers team. This was the finale of the two-game preseason exhibition set before taking the weekend of Halloween off. This was simultaneously their annual Teal Night, an evening in which the Lakers don their teal jerseys and raise awareness for ovarian cancer. The aforementioned McQuade met up with Nazareth forward Blake Frost for a ceremonial puck drop before the start of what turned into a dominant performance for the Lakers.

The first period started with the Lakers piling pressure onto the Flyers, playing the first minute, known as Mary’s Minute to honor the life of Mary Gosek, almost entirely in the Nazareth end. Nazareth was almost certainly confused as to why the crowd was all standing and clapping and they let quite a few scoring chances come to goalie Lincoln Crosby. Just under three minutes in, the Lakers got their first power play, and they lost seven shots during it. They received a shot at redemption minutes later, as a hooking penalty was called on Nazareth, sending Oswego to the power play a second time. Off the faceoff to the right of Crosby, the Lakers sent it in a circle across their positions and Colin Vassallo tucked it in as he was run over in the crease. The first goal for the Lakers was made just under halfway through the first. Just after that halfway point, Luca Munoz put one of his own on the board off a 2-on-1 pass from Marco Iozzo. Nazareth tried to generate some of their own offense, managing a few shots on goaltender Gavin McCarthy, but number 31 stood tall. With four minutes to go in the first period, McQuade pushed deep into the zone, circled back towards the blue line, and set up a tic-tac-toe play which saw Tommy Bannister launch one into the back of the net for goal number three of the period.

Those three goals were the momentum the Lakers may have needed going into the second period, as near the 10 minute mark, they were sent a man down. During the penalty kill, they kept the Golden Flyers from keeping possession for long in the Lakers’ end, and were able to clear it a few times before the penalty was up. Then they turned the tables on Nazareth, as Bannister struck again, potting goal number four, his second of the night, off a neutral zone regroup with Nico Paone. The Flyers tried again to answer the call, but were stoned by the Oswego goaltending rotation, which this time had called upon Michael Manzi for the second period. After 40 minutes of regulation, the Lakers were up by four.

Oswego’s goalie revolver then shot out ace Brandon Milberg for the final frame, while Paul Dalessio took over Lincoln Crosby’s crease on the Flyers’ side. The Lakers once again were the ones putting the pressure on, with Nazareth feeling more and more frustration. As a result, physicality grew harsher and harsher, and penalties started being called. The Lakers played well but they could not seem to crack Dalessio. Nazareth got a few chances on power plays, but the Lakers tightened up and kept the goose egg on the board, all the way until the end. The final stood at 4-0, and the Lakers’ goalie trio each contributed to a team shutout.

The Lakers will now take the weekend of Halloween off, and they will begin their regular season on the road, heading west just as they did this same time last year. SUNY Geneseo is their destination, the former SUNYAC contender sitting at no. 3 on the USCHO poll. It will not be an easy matchup, but if their honorable contest against current no. 1 Hobart from last year is anything to compare to, the Lakers may not be as out of their depth as many think.