SUNYAC Men’s Hockey Quarter Final: A Preview
The #2 Seeded Oswego State Lakers Men’s hockey team will host the #7 seeded Buffalo State Bengals this Wednesday, February 25th at 7:00PM.
The Oswego State Men’s Hockey team came into this season riding high off of their first SUNYAC Championship since the 2013-2014 season, but with some new faces in the SUNYAC Conference, the Lakers have had their work cut out this season.
Most notably is the Hobart Statesmen, led by head coach Mark Taylor. This team has won the last three Division 3 National Championships, and is looking to find their fourth, and become the first D3 team in the 21st century to win 4 in a row.
Before the Lakers can worry about the Hobart Statesmen though, they must first face an opponent they are all too familiar with in the Buffalo State Bengals. The Bengals have been a long-time SUNYAC opponent for Oswego, and while their 9-15-1 record this season may not show it, they are a team that could shake things up, and play spoiler on the Lakers SUNYAC dreams.
Buffalo State is led offensively by Freshman Lucas Cignoretti, who has combined for 28 points this season on 13 goals and 15 assists. On the other end of the ice, it’s been a battle for the starting spot between the pipes, with both Freshman Ben Dardis and Junior Marcus Cumberworth having almost identical stat lines on the year.
For the Oswego State Lakers, Senior Captain Matt McQuade has been the shining star with 24 points., Additionally, Colin Vassallo leads the team with 14, and has tacked on 10 assists of his own this season.
The netminder battle in the Port City has been a confusing one this season, with all three goaltenders showing highs and lows throughout the year, but at this point, Freshman Michael Manzi has protected the pipes the most for Oswego, boasting a .918 save percentage, and a 2.10 GAA through 16 games played.
The Lakers are fresh off of a 6-1 victory over the Bengals this past Saturday, and while this dominant victory is sure to instill a sense of confidence into the team, there’s still plenty of work to be done.
You can catch the game live in-person at the Deborah F. Stanley Ice Arena here at SUNY Oswego, or online at the link below.