One Game at a Time: Elmira

One Game at a Time previews every Laker men's hockey opponent

Part I: Elmira Soaring Eagles

Tonight, Oswego State officially kicks off the post-Ryan Woodward era against a revenge-minded Elmira club. The Soaring Eagles and Lakers engaged in 180 minutes of battle a season ago; Oswego State came away with three victories. Last year's home-and-home series served as a penalty clinic with a combined 45 infractions committed.

Both teams return their top five scorers and starting backstops from a year ago. Casey Tuttle took the full-time starter job from Raphael Cundari after a 2-6-1 start for the Soaring Eagles. Elmira won four of their next five after the switch. Tuttle's play in net helped his club to an DIII ECAC playoff birth.

The Eagles won their quarterfinal match-up with Hobart, but paid a steep price. Tuttle was injured in the second period and had to be replaced. The Eagles would win that game, but were no match for Manhattanville in the semifinals. Their season ended in much the same manor it had begun, Cundari in net and a loss. Tonight's game marks Tuttle's return to the ice.

Tonight also marks the collegiate debut of Rick Shrank. Coach Tim Ceglarski says Shrank could see time on the first line as early as tonight. That line also consists of Michael Richard, last year's team-leader in points (33) and assists (24). Joining him will be sophomore Rusty Masters. Masters was the Eagles' second-leading goal-scorer as a freshman with 12. Unlike Richard, Masters has never known the feeling of defeating Oswego State.


Ceglarski bolstered his defense by bringing in a pair of European blueliners. Karl Linden and Sebastian Gulden spent last season with the Bradford Rattlers of the GJMHL. Ceglarski says both are solid defenders, while Linden is also a threat at the other end of the ice.

Elmira is looking for their first victory over the green and gold since Oct. 28, 2005. That was a decisive 5-1 victory over the Lakers at the old Romney Field House. They're now 0-for-2 at the Campus Center, and have dropped the last four meetings. Oswego State goalie Ryan Scott is starting his senior season against the same team he started his Laker career. Scott held the Eagles to a pair of goals in a 2-2 tie on Oct. 30, 2004. He is 4-0-1 lifetime against Elmira.

Tune into 88.9 FM tonight beginning at 6:30 for all the live action. WTOP 10 will also broadcast the game on cable access channel 96 in Oswego County.

Ryan Maloney