No. 2 Oswego shuts out Bears
MASSENA, N.Y.—SUNY Potsdam Athletic Director Jim Zalacca presented a
check for $250 to the Massena Volunteer Rescue Squad for the
organization’s support of the Bears during their stay in town.
Second-ranked Oswego State (21-3, 14-1 SUNYAC) got seven first period goals from seven different players en route to a 10-0 victory over the SUNY Potsdam men’s hockey team (8-15-1, 5-10) at Massena Arena onFriday night. Senior forward Jon Whitelaw (Huntsville, Ontario/Huntsville Otters) led the Lakers with a goal and three assists. Senior forward Luke Moodie (Burlington, Ontario/Oakville Blades) and senior defenseman Zach
Josepher (Wantagh, N.Y./Michigan State) each scored two goals for Oswego.
The Bears can still grab the SUNYAC’s final playoff spot with a victory
over Cortland tomorrow night.
Things didn’t go Potsdam’s way from the outset. Freshman forward Billy
Pascalli (Deer Park, N.Y./New York Bobcats) fired the first shot of the
game just seconds into the contest. The puck slipped through the pads of
Lakers senior goalie Andrew Hare (Burlington, Ontario/Niagara University),
but Hare reached back and swiped it out of harm’s way just in time. Two
minutes later, a Bear defenseman deflected a shot from sophomore
defenseman Bobby Gersakis (Pickering, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) past
junior goalie Shane Talarico (Greensburg, Pa./Elmira College) for the
eventual game-winner on the power play. Whitelaw made it 2-0 at the 4:01
mark to ignite Oswego’s offensive show. When the dust settled, it was 7-0
after 20 minutes. Talarico was temporarily pulled after the third Laker
goal at the 5:59 mark. Freshman goalie Austin Keiser (Dunwoody, Ga./Boston
Bulldogs) played the rest of the period, but faired no better, allowing
four goals on 15 shots.
Talarico returned to the goal at the start of the second period and Hare
was replaced by Oswego senior goalie Dan Jones (Richmond Hill,
Ontario/Markham Waxers). The duo went the rest of the way for their
respective teams. Laker senior forward Matt Singleton (Whitby,
Ontario/Cobourg Cougars) made it 8-0 just 2:52 into the second period.
Moodie and Josepher tacked on power-play tallies to cap the scoring at
10-0 as the middle period came to end. There was no scoring in the third
period, despite a 20-5 Laker shot advantage.
Hare earned his 17th victory with six saves in 20 minutes. Jones finished
with 13 stops. Talarico fell to 3-4 on the season despite 33 saves. Oswego
was 3-5 on the man advantage and Potsdam went 0-2.
The Bears face SUNY Cortland tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in Massena. A loss
or a tie will eliminate Potsdam from playoff contention.
