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Oswego, NY – The Elmira College Men's Ice Hockey team fell to host Oswego State, 5-0, Saturday evening at the Campus Center Ice Arena in the NCAA Quarterfinal round. The win improves the Lakers to 23-3-2 overall and catapults them into the NCAA Division III Final Four for the third straight season. The loss drops the Soaring Eagles to 15-9-3 overall, as they fall for the second straight season in the quarterfinals.
Neither team could muster many scoring opportunities the first seven minutes of the contest. At the 6:43 mark the Lakers picked up a cross checking penalty to give EC the first extra skater advantage of the contest. Elmira struggled on the power play, failing to muster a shot, as the two teams combined for just five shots in the opening 10 minutes. Oswego struck first 11:31 into the opening frame as the puck got behind
Darren MacDonald '13 (Stittsville, ONT -- Nepean Raiders) and was jabbed at by the Lakers, as Ian Boots found the back of the net. The Purple and Gold picked up its intensity on the ensuing faceoff looking for an equalizer. Overall the Soaring Eagles outshot Oswego State 10-7 in the period, but the Lakers carried a 1-0 advantage into the first intermission.
Both defenses continued to be each team's strength in the second period, with both teams generating just five shots apiece. The Lakers had the best chance of the period when the puck came to a standstill behind MacDonald, but the Elmira defense quickly cleared the danger. EC had a few chances of its own, while the defense continued to initiate strong checks on the high-powered Oswego State offense, which ranks second in the nation at more than 4.5 goals per outing. A late Soaring Eagle penalty with just less than two minutes remaining in the second period gave the Lakers a power play opportunity. EC's penalty kill remained strong as it killed off the first 88 seconds of the man advantage for Oswego, as the Lakers held a slim, 1-0 advantage after two periods.
Three minutes into the third period a defensive miscue hurt the Soaring Eagles as Oswego State gained the puck in its offensive zone and Matt Singleton beat MacDonald glove side top shelf, adding an important insurance goal. Less than a minute later EC gained a man advantage after a Laker holding penalty. Another Oswego State penalty gave EC a brief 5-on-3 advantage, but after returning one player to the ice the Lakers converted a short-handed marker by Boots to break open a three-goal lead. Andrew Mather and Taylor Farris were credited with assists on the score. Oswego State tacked on power-play score at the 11:53 mark of the third period, putting the game completely out of reach. Zack Josepher tallied the marker off passes from Luke Moodie and Jon Whitelaw. Just over two minutes later Oswego State struck once again when Singleton fed Chris Ayotte who lit the lamp for the fourth Laker goal in the period.
Andrew Hare stopped all 23 shots he faced in net for Oswego State in the win, while MacDonald made 17 saves between the pipes for Elmira.
