Third Period Comeback Lifts Cortland Past Oswego

CORTLAND, N.Y. – On Valentine’s Day eve, there was no love lost between the #14 Oswego State Lakers (14-6-2, 11-4-0 SUNYAC) and the Cortland Red Dragons (12-10-1, 9-6-1 SUNYAC).

In a physical, penalty-filled game, it was the Red Dragons that would pull off a third-period comeback, handing Oswego its fourth straight loss in a 3-2 victory.

The Lakers set the tone early offensively by repeatedly getting behind the Red Dragons’ defenseman, a theme that would continue throughout the game. It would pay off at 4:55 of the first period. Colin Vassallo threaded the needle between two Red Dragons defenseman and collected a perfectly placed stretch pass from Cam Symons, and finished with a slick backhand move past goaltender Nolan Suggs to give Oswego a 1-0 advantage.

Oswego’s sixth-ranked penalty kill in the nation was put to the test early and often, as the Lakers were sent off for three straight penalties spanning the first and second periods before Cortland took one of its own. Each time, the Lakers’ penalty-kill answered the bell, but that resilience wouldn’t last forever.

Both teams traded blows in the second period, physically and on the scoreboard. Cortland evened the game at 1-1 when Devlin O’Kane snapped a shot from the hash marks past Oswego’s Michael Manzi. But the tie lasted all of 12 seconds. Oswego answered immediately, as Brandon Cohen capitalized to restore the Lakers’ 2–1 advantage.

Post-whistle scrums piled up around the crease throughout the game, but in the second period, the officials intervened, sending a message by handing Cortland’s Rocky Thomas a roughing penalty to help regain control of the game.

Oswego’s 2–1 lead held firm until the midway point of the third. On the power play, the aforementioned Thomas slipped a shot past Manzi to knot the game at 2–2.

Moments later, the barn erupted when it appeared Morley Phillips had sprung free for a breakaway. As the play developed, Manzi came out of his crease to play the puck but was met with an elbow to the head from Phillips, sending him to the ice as the puck slowly trickled across the goal line. The officials immediately waved the goal off, igniting loud boos from the Cortland faithful. Phillips would be penalized on the play.

Symons would be called for tripping in the offensive zone, which led to Cortland’s Conor Humphrey’s power play goal at 12:49 of the third period when he received a pass all alone in front of the net and backhanded a shot that had eyes of its own and squeaked past, what looked like good short-side coverage from Manzi in net.

Oswego would get some chances with the goalie pulled late in the third, but not enough to beat Suggs and the Cortland defense. The Red Dragons would hold on for the win. Loud music echoed from the locker room, and smiles stretched from ear to ear on the faces of Cortland players after toppling the No. 14 Division III men’s hockey team in the nation.

Oswego went 0-2 on the power play, Cortland went 2-7.

The Lakers will look to get off the schneid Saturday night in Morrisville (2-18-3, 1-12-3 SUNYAC) when they take on the Mustangs at 7:00 p.m.