The No. 2/2 Oswego State men's ice hockey team was stunned by a final minute goal from arch-rival Plattsburgh in a 2-1 loss during Whiteout Weekend on Saturday night in the Marano Campus Center Arena. Oswego and Plattsburgh split the regular season series, with the Lakers holding a 16-4-1 overall mark and an 11-2-1 SUNYAC record while the Cardinals are 13-8-1, 8-4-1.
During the first intermission, Oswego welcomed back members of the 2007 NCAA Division III National Championship squad with an on-ice ceremony, commemorating the 10-year anniversary since winning the college's only team national title.
Neither team was able to break onto the scoreboard in the first two periods, with the Lakers owning a 24-13 advantage on shots. Oswego owned a 13-11 edge in the shot column during the third for a game total margin of plus-13 (37-24). One more of the Cardinals' attempts found the back of the net in that final 20 minutes, however, securing the Plattsburgh victory.
Plattsburgh opened the scoring at 7:43 with a 5-on-3 power-play tally. With 36-seconds left on a penalty kill due to hooking, the Lakers were nabbed for boarding to give the Cardinals the two-man advantage. Phillip Middleton capitalized 11-seconds later with a goal from Kyle Hall and Cam Owns as Laker goalie David Jacobson was screened in front of the net.
Oswego answered a little more than three minutes later on a power-play chance of its own. As Matt Galati, Stephen Johnson and Joey Davies passed the puck around the perimeter to displace the Cardinal defense, Galati finally fired a wrister on goal. The shot was saved but a rebound was allowed, and Davies tried to jam it home. Again the Plattsburgh goalie was able to make a save but another rebound ricocheted onto the stick of Kenny Neil and the third chance was the charm. Neil's goal was his 12th of the year and knotted the game at 1-1 with 9:06 remaining in regulation. Davies and Galati each earned assists on the goal, both totaling 11 on the season.
With 53 second to play, Plattsburgh's Matt Quilty was able to slide a goal just past Jacobson's extended right leg on an odd-man rush, notching the game-winner.
The Lakers had four power-play chances on the night, converting once while the Cardinals cashed in one of its two opportunities.
Jacobson ended with 22 saves in net during the defeat.
Oswego will look to hop back into the win column when it hosts the Kangaroos of Canton in a nonconference matchup at 7 p.m. on Friday.
