OSWEGO, N.Y. - Two late third-period power-play goals propelled the No. 2 Oswego State men's ice hockey team past Curry, 3-1, on a cold winter night at the Campus Center Ice Arena. After coming up empty in their first five power-play chances, Jon Whitelaw (Jr., Huntsville, Ont.) and Luke Moodie (Jr., Oakville, Ont.) converted the next two with less than six minutes remaining in regulation. The Lakers, who are now 11-2-2 overall, will host a rematch against Utica tomorrow night at 7 p.m. Curry, which dropped to 7-6-1 overall, will host Manhattanville on Tuesday.
Oswego State controlled play in the first period, outshooting the Colonels, 15-5, but Joe Dawson stopped each shot he faced to keep the game tied headed into the first intermission.
The Lakers quickly got on the scoreboard at 1:35 in the second period when Zack Josepher's (Jr., Wantagh, N.Y.) wrist shot from the left point found its way through traffic past Dawson. Blue line partner Jesse McConney (Jr., Barrie, Ont.) and Moodie were credited with assists on Josepher's second goal of the season.
After the goal, Curry picked up its intensity and tilted the rink in its favor, as the Colonels went on to out-shoot Oswego State, 13-8, by the end of the second period. One of those shots got past Laker goalie Dan Jones (Jr., Richmond Hill, Ont.) in the 13th minute. Michael Sullivan and Joshua Pineiro had a 2-on-1 breakaway with Sullivan carrying the puck up the left side to draw the defender. Sullivan was able to the puck to Pineiro, who put enough on the shot to get it past Jones. The score was again even heading into the second break thanks to two diving saves by Jones to keep the puck out of the net near the end of the frame.
Both squads skated back-and-forth in the third period until Curry was whistled for an elbowing penalty. The Lakers worked the puck in the offensive zone until pinpoint passing from Chris Muise (Jr., Oakville, Ontario) and Moodie forced Dawson out of position. Muise found Whitelaw for the one-timed slapshot from the left face-off circle that went into the back of the net with authority at 14:11.
Over three minutes later, the same power-play unit converted a Colonel holding penalty into a two-goal lead after Moodie scored his eighth goal of the season. Whitelaw and McConney earned assists on the play.
Curry promptly called timeout after the goal to set up its final offensive charge, but the Colonels were not able to get a quality look at the net in the final two minutes.
Oswego State finished the game 2-for-8 on the power play, while effectively killing off all four power plays it faced. Dan Jones picked up his second win of the season by making 30 saves. Dawson finished with 31 saves in the losing effort. (Game Recap Courtesy of Oswego Sports Information)
