The monkey has been thrown off and in a glorious way.  A goal-scoring explosion was the response to a four-game losing streak for the Oswego men’s ice hockey team on Feb. 14, as the Lakers trounced the SUNY Morrisville Mustangs 9-0 at the IcePlex. That is not to speak of their 3-2 loss to the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons the previous evening, however. Saturday was a game that was needed by Oswego in order to shake the seemingly inescapable slide that they had been on for weeks. They scored four more  goals in that single game against the Mustangs than they had in the previous four games. The feeling of a blowout in your favor may have been just what the Lakers needed to roll into their final weekend of regular season games. 

Cortland was itself a stutter step towards success. The 3-2 loss was more frustrating than disheartening, as the Lakers had the lead up until the soon-to-be final score was put on the board. It was the Lakers that struck first, with Cam Symons assisting Colin Vassallo in his efforts just five minutes into the game. But this game was one marked by contentious penalty calls. Seven penalties were called on the Lakers, while only two were called on the Red Dragons. Two of the Lakers’ penalties came back-to-back and their validity was vehemently challenged by the Oswego faithful that had made their way to the Crown City. Cortland then scored the 2-2 equalizer on that 5-on-3 power play, courtesy of Thomas Rockey. Not three minutes later did Symons get called for tripping. Conor Humphrey then put a backhander inside of the post on Michael Manzi to give Cortland the lead they needed to win. Oswego tried to pull some of their usual late game heroics, but this time to no avail. The Lakers and their faithful went back north empty handed once more. 

A loss against the Red Dragons was serious cause for concern. Cortland was unranked. The excuses made for SUNY Canton, Hobart and SUNY Geneseo did not work for this one. One that many tried to use was the particular refereeing choices made by the on-ice officials, but that could only go so far. This was frustrating. This losing form had to be banished with extreme prejudice. 

The Morrisville Mustangs sat at the very bottom of the SUNYAC, as mere fodder that stood in the way of the barrelling train of anger that was the Lakers. They had already taken Morrisville to task earlier in January to the tune of 5-0 and were primed to do it again. They needed to prove that their previous form was not the new standard. Thankfully for those in support, that is exactly what happened. 

Nine goals were put on the board against Morrisville. The Mustangs decided to pull starter Grant Linville after only 15 minutes and three goals against. Freshman Chad Lowe, who had just the night before against Hobart put up a single game save record of 76 for the Mustangs, was on the receiving end of the Lakers’ scoring machine.

Vassallo socred goals three, four and nine for a hat trick on the night and assisted on the seventh for an additional point and four goals total. Tommy Bannister had a playmaker, after assisting on goals three, four and five. Seven Lakers scored goals and 11 recorded assists. To say that numbers were put on the board would be underselling this affair. The only number that never got changed was that on the side of the Lakers. Manzi faced 20 shots and did not allow a single goal. 

This game was over in the first minute. It was as close to a foregone conclusion as a hockey game can get. While it was in no stretch hard for Oswego, it was no less needed. The Lakers needed a win, and a big one, to ensure that their late season slide would not continue. Now they have some momentum in their camp to take on SUNY Fredonia and Buffalo State this weekend. These are their last two regular season games before the SUNYAC Playoffs. With their most recent win, the Lakers have secured second position, just behind the Hobart University Statesmen.