Lakers' Hockey Season End in Lake Placid

The Lakers’ trip to Lake Placid was cut short after the men’s hockey team lost to St. Norbert in the final seconds of the semifinal game of the NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship.

The Laker defense gave up a goal with 1:59 left in the first period, but tied it up when Neil Musselwhite ’10 fired a wrist shot into St. Norbert’s goal after 17:14 had passed in the second period. The score was 1-1 heading into the final period.

Oswego State was trailing again in the third period after St. Norbert took advantage of a power play and flipped the puck past goalie Kyle Gunn-Taylor ’10 at 4:18. Less than a minute later Justin Fox ’11 evened the score.

At 7:02 St. Norbert slinked into the lead once again, but Laker Jon Whitelaw ’13 pounded the puck home to tie the game at 3-3 with only 2:32 left in regulation.

Gunn-Taylor finished the game with 16 saves, but could not put a pad in front of St. Norbert’s game-winning goal, after the Green Knights capitalized on a turnover at center ice. That goal, with 39.4 seconds left in the final period, sent St. Norbert into the championship, and sent Oswego State packing after the heartbreaking 4-3 loss.

Oswego State finished the season with an overall record of 26-3-0. The team won its first SUNYAC Championship since 2003 with a 6-3 win over Plattsburgh. This year’s winning percentage of .897 is the highest in school history.

The 2009-2010 men’s hockey team also saw teammate Eric Selleck ’12 named to the 2010 RBK Hockey Division III All-America East First Team. Musselwhite will also compete in the fifth annual NCAA Frozen Four Skills challenge in Detroit April 9.

— Adele Burk

PHOTO CAPTION:
Neil Musselwhite ’10 fired a wrist shot into St. Norbert’s goal at 17:14 in the second period. Photo courtesy of Pat Hendrick.



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