OSWEGO, N.Y. – The top-ranked Oswego State men’s ice hockey team erased a three-goal deficit in the final 21 minutes to salvage a 3-3 tie against conference foe Morrisville (1-4-1, 1-4-1 SUNYAC) Saturday night at the Campus Center Ice Arena. The Lakers (5-1-1, 3-0-1 SUNYAC) trailed 3-0 three minutes into the second period before scoring three unanswered goals to come away with the critical point in the standings.
The last tie recorded by the Lakers was on November 14, 2008 in a 5-5 decision against Morrisville.
The Mustangs struck 1:21 into the game by taking advantage of a Laker boarding penalty. Taylor Vince hit Patrick Stillar with a pass at the bottom of the right face-off circle that went just inside the right post before Laker goalie Andrew Hare (Jr., Burlington, Ont.) was able to close the gap between his leg and the post.
Morrisville extended its lead to two goals following a Laker turnover behind their goal. The loose puck was picked up by Patrick Stillar, who hit Todd Hosmer in front of the net as he was streaking down the middle untouched by the Laker defense at 14:28. It marked the third goal in two games for Hosmer.
The Mustangs continued to build energy when Ryan Marcuz put Morrisville ahead 3-0 less than three minutes into the third period. Another giveaway behind the Laker net was corralled by Jonathan Cristini before he found Ivan Oliinyk for the open shot. Hare made the initial save, but Marcuz was there to put away the rebound.
Jesse McConney (Jr., Barrie, Ont.) gave the Lakers a much-need momentum boost heading into the locker room during the second intermission as he wristed a shot past Breen with 16 seconds left in the second period following a pass from Kyle Badham (So., Oakville, Ont.) after Tyler Leimbrock (Jr., Bolton, Ont.) won a critical face-off in the Morrisville zone.
A Morrisville hooking penalty 1:29 into the third period led to Oswego State’s second goal of the game. Ian Boots (Sr., Akwesasne, N.Y.) took a shot in the slot that Breen redirected with his blocker right onto the tape of Chris Brown’s (Jr., Centreville, Ont.) stick. Brown made no mistake with the rebound as he slapped it into the back of the net at the 2:13 mark for his second goal of the season.
A minute later, the Mustangs nearly answered back but sprawling efforts were made by Hare and Hank Van Boxmeer (Sr., Orange, Calif.) to keep the puck from crossing the goal line.
Midway through the frame, the Mustangs just killed off a hitting from behind penalty when McConney made a key blue line stand to keep the puck in the Oswego State offensive zone, and sent the puck behind the net to Rodrigues. Rodrigues hit Chris Muise (Jr., Oakville, Ont.) streaking towards the goal for the one-timer that beat Breen on the blocker side at 10:05 in the period.
Oswego State had several scoring chances during the rest of the third period, as Breen came up with numerous saves to send the Lakers into their first overtime game of the season.
Both goaltenders were the story in the extra frame as Hare registered five of his 24 saves and Breen posted seven of his 51 stops. Morrisville went on the power play with 2:41 left in overtime, but Hare and the Oswego State penalty kill unit were up for the challenge. The Lakers had one final odd-man rush with ten seconds remaining, but Breen just got enough of two shots to preserve the tie.
Each team scored a power-play in the contest as Oswego State went 1-for-8 with the extra skater and the Mustangs went 1-for-6.
The Lakers take to the road next weekend for league games against Fredonia and Buffalo State.
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