The Oswego State men’s ice hockey team opened its 50th year with an impressive 5-3 win over the U.S. National Under-18 team on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 3,000 at the Marano Campus Center Arena. Oswego will start the regular season at 7 p.m. on Friday when its travels to Buffalo State for a SUNYAC matchup.
In the first period, Joey Davies scored a goal from Dylan Smith just 4:26 into the contest. From that point forward, the Lakers would never trail in the game.
The USA U-18 team would not go away easily, however, answering with a score of its own just2:56 later to knot the game at 1-1. At 13:55, Oswego grabbed the lead back on a one-timer from Matt Galati on a power-play off assists from Brandon Adams and Josh Timpano.
Again the advantage wouldn’t hold as Grant Gabriele from the USA scored with 29 seconds remaining in the opening, tying the contest at 2-2 headed to intermission.
Galati would notch his second goal at 13:31 of the second period to regain the Laker edge. Davies and Chris Carr were credited with helpers on the score.
Adams would then score the eventual game-winner five minutes later. With just 1:11 to play in the second period, Chris Raguseo made a beautiful pass through the middle, after evading a defender, to find Adams for an easy score.
Joseph Masonius brought the USA back to within one with a goal at 7:28 of the third period. Oswego would not let the victory slip away, however, as Davies ripped his second goalnof the game to add some padding to the Laker lead. Davies goal was of the shorthanded variety with help from teammates Adams and Sean Federow.
In net for Oswego were both Matt Zawadzki and Justin Gilbert. Zawadzki earned the start and played the first 40 minutes, allowing two goals with 17 saves. Gilbert came in for the final period, recording a team-high 17 saves with one goal allowed.
