Hobart Beats Men's Hockey For 2nd Straight Year, 3rd Time Ever

HOBART, N.Y. -- The 35th meeting between the Oswego State and Hobart men's ice hockey programs bore some resemblance to the Gunfight at the the O.K. Corral as the Statesmen came away with a 6-3 victory. An abundance of offense made for exciting up-and-down play as the two teams combined to put 80 shots on net this afternoon at the Geneva Recreation Complex.

The Lakers looked like a team determined to earn another quality win on their resume early on. They capitalized on their first power play in the game's sixth minute as Matt Whitehead took a cross-crease feed from Chris Laganiere and buried it for his sixth goal of the season and a 1-0 Laker lead. The penalty kill unit continued the special teams clinic by killing off all three of Hobart's first-period power plays as Oswego made its way to the locker room with their one-goal lead intact.

The second period started much like the first, with the Lakers converting on the man advantage. This time it was Laganiere recording the marker, redirecting a Tyler Lyon slapper to beat Statesmen netminder Keith Longo and give Oswego State a 2-0 lead.

Through the first 24 and a a half minutes of action the Lakers had killed off all three of Hobart's power play chances while converting on two of their four. Senior goaltender Chris Hyk had been tested often but looked poised to pick up his 14th career victory. That all changed in a matter of moments.

Laker defenseman Jared Anderson was whisteled for interference with 15:28 remaining in the second period. Hobart winger Nick DeCroo took advantage off the extra man as he received a pass at the top of the left circle, split two green sweaters to gain the high slot and beat Hyk with a wrister. Oswego State's lead had been cut in half, but that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Midway through the second, senior blueliner Michael Steiner brought the puck in on the left wing and sent it towards the net from the point. The puck glanced off of Hyk's left pad and crossed the goal line to tie that game at 2-2 on the first even strength goal of the afternoon.

Things would only get worse for the senior backstop and the defense in front of him. The Statesmen scored two four-on-four goals in a span of 181 seconds, then tacked on another marker just 33 seconds after that. The final nail in the Laker coffin would be a shorthanded goal by sophomore Michael Wallace to put Hobart up 6-2 with 2:01 left in the second. Junior defenseman Tyler Lyon had brought the puck off the end boards and in front of his own net before Wallace bumped him off on with an agressive forecheck.

Oswego State would add a power play goal by Peter Magagna to cap off an eight-goal period, but that would be the last time the either lamp was lit. Hobart's 6-3 victory over the Lakers marks the first time the Statesmen have scored consecutive victories over Oswego State in 35 meetings. Hobart beat the Lakers 5-2 last season at the Campus Center Ice Arena. The all-time series still favors Oswego State 31-3-1.

Oswego State players will leave campus and head home on the 17th before returning to campus on the 28th. They will play host to the third annual Pathfinder Bank Oswego Hockey Classic on Jan. 2 and 3.

Ryan Maloney