Another overtime game for the Oswego State Lakers, and another chance for Senior Winger Paul Rodrigues to shine when the lights are the brightest. For the 4th time in his Laker career, and the 2nd time in as many years in the NCAA Tournament, Paul Rodrigues scored an overtime winner to push the Lakers past Adrian and advance to the NCAA Division III Final Four for the fourth year in a row.
This was the first time the Oswego State Lakers had to play an opening round game of the NCAA Torunament on the road. It was in Adrian Michigan to play a very game Bulldogs team, and Oswego had revenge on its mind from the get-go of this one. These two clubs met back in the 2011 final four in Minnesota, a game in which Adrian topped Oswego 5-3, so you just know Oswego was looking for payback in this contest.
Oswego came out flying in the opening period of play, dominating Adrian for almost the entire period. In the first period alone, Oswego actually outshot Adrian 21-6, putting Adrian goalie Scott Shackell under siege for most of that period. Oswego was only able to fire one puck past Shackell in that opening frame, and it came at the 6:11 mark of the period on the power play, when Chris Muise buried his 10th of the year. Musie took a beautiful feed from Chris Brown and was able to walk out off the wall and bury the shot high on Shackell to give Oswego the lead. That 1-0 Oswego lead would hold up through the opening twenty minutes.
Once the second period got underway, the ice seemed to tilt a bit more in favor of the Bulldogs. Adrian controlled play for most of that middle period and were able to outshoot Oswego 14-9 in the period. Adrian came out and stormed Oswego goalie Andrew Hare. Adrian broke through at the 3:35 mark when Josh Ranalli scored, his 18th of the season, on the powerplay, to pull Adrian even. The Bulldogs carried momentum from that goal and kept pressing the attack. Less than two minutes later, at the 5:30 mark of the 2nd period, Adrian jumped out to a 2-1 lead thanks to Shaquille Merasty's 22nd of the year. The goal itself was good, but the play by Josh Cousineau to get Marasty the puck was off the charts. So Adrian had control of the game and had a one goal lead. That lead would not last as with 1:10 to go in the middle period, Laker Captain Jon Whitelaw scored his 10th of the season to pull Oswego even at two.
So the teams entered the 3rd period locked at two. Oswego controlled a good chunk of the play in that 3rd period, and both teams had their scoring chances, both Andrew Hare and Scott Shackell let nothing by them, and the game tugged along into overtime. Oswego and Adrian both had unbelievable scoring chances in the extra period and Shackell and Hare both had to make HUGE saves to keep their team in it. Finally after a small defensive breakdown by Adrian, Paul Rodrigues had a golden chance and didn't miss, scoring his 15th of the season at the 13:32 mark of Overtime to send the Lakers to Lake Placid and the final four with the 3-2 overtime win.
Scott Shackell play an outstanding hockey game, making 52 saves in the loss, and dropping his final record on the season to 11-2-2. Andrew Hare was equally impressive in the victory, making 31 saves in the win, and improving his record on the year to 20-4-0.
Here now, thanks to WNYO sports director Mike Keeley are the video highlights from this outstanding hockey game:
So with the victory, the Oswego State Lakers advance to the Final Four for the fourth time in as many years. This year the final four takes place at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid New York. The final four is now all set. In the first game Oswego State will take on Norwich at 4PM and Wisconsin-Eau Claire will play Utica at 7PM. Full preview of the Oswego Norwich game will be provided at the end of this week.
(Photo provided by the Oswego State Athletics Department. Video Provided by WNYO Sports)
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