UTICA, N.Y. – The Oswego State men’s ice hockey team ended in a scoreless overtime tie with No. 15 Utica College on Friday night at the Memorial Auditorium. With the tie, the Lakers are now 7-5-2 on the year while the Pioneers move to 8-3-2. Oswego and Utica will meet again in one week when the Lakers play host at 7 p.m. on Friday.
After 20 minutes, the squads were even with 11 shots apiece but Oswego would own the next two periods. The Lakers possessed a four-shot advantage in the second (8-4) before applying a sizeable amount of pressure in the third. In the final period of regulation, Oswego’s defense was able to keep the Pioneer offense at bay, allowing just four shots compared to the Lakers’ 13. The advantage did not lead to a score, however, forcing an extra five-minute period.
Matt Zawadzki made back-to-back brilliant saves in the overtime to continue his shutout performance. The junior made a glove save on a wide-open shot that the Pioneers’ corralled off the boards. Just seconds later, Utica won the faceoff and wasted no time testing Zawadzki again, but the goalie answered the challenge with another glove stop. He would finish the contest with 26 saves and is now 2-2-2 on the season.
Both teams were unable to capitalize on two power-play opportunities apiece. Utica did hold a slight advantage on the faceoff, winning six more that the Lakers (28-22).
Oswego will be right back on the ice at 7 p.m. on Saturday when it faces another nonconference opponent, as Nazareth College plays host in Rochester, N.Y.
