Former Oswego State Lakers F Ian Boots has signed a contract with the Los Angeles Kings and has been assigned to play with the Ontario Reign of the ECHL, the AA-level affiliate for the team. The Lakers were runners-up for the National Championship last week in Lake Placid, New York, with Boots finishing his senior campaign with 28 points in 30 games and being named to the 2012 NCAA All-Tournament Team. A D-I transfer to the Lakers, Boots finished his junior year with the team in 2010-2011 by winning First-Team All-SUNYAC honors and being named a Second Team East All-American in his first of two years in Lakerland.
Before transferring to Oswego State, Boots played for Ohio State and scored 29 points in 50 games in two seasons in the CCHA. He played a year in juniors for the Cornwall Colts and Brockville Braves, both of the CJHL, and scored 74 points in 54 games. He is a native of Akwesasne, New York, an unincorporated native community on both sides of the New York-Ontario, Canada border with roots from a group belonging to the Mohawk Native American tribe, with the New York side resting mostly on the St. Regis Indian Reservation.
Showing posts with label SUNYAC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SUNYAC. Show all posts
Monday, March 26, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to Tyler Lyon?
Tyler Lyon was a defender born on February 4, 1985 in Foxboro, Ontario. He stood at six feet tall and weighed 177 pounds. He shot left-handed.
Lyon was an outstanding amateur player in Canada and shined as a defender, but went undrafred out of high school with scouts complaining that he was too slow for the pro level. In 2001, he signed a contract to play juniors with the Wellington Dukes of the OPJHL.
His first year with Wellington wasn't much to shout about, as he only played in one game. His second year in Wellington, though, saw him suit up for 38 games and tally 22 points. He played in 47 games in his third year with Wellington and tallied 20 points. The year after that he played in 49 games for Wellington and tallied 35 points. His fifth and final year in Wellington saw Lyon play in 47 games and tally 51 points.
Despite his strong play in juniors which consisted of standout defense and a huge amount of points for defenders (mostly on assists), Lyon again went undrafted due to his speed on the ice. Unfortunately for Lyon, he was said to be too slow for the Division I game in America as well. With his career hanging in the balance, Lyon decided to accept an offer to play for the Division II/III Oswego State Lakers from head coach Ed Gosek.
In his freshman year with the Lakers Lyon played in 27 games and tallied nine points in helping lead the Lakers on the defensive side of the ice to a National Championship. His sophomore year in Oswego saw Lyon play in 26 games and tally ten points. In his junior year Lyon played in 23 games and tallied 12 points. In his senior year with the Lakers, Lyon was named team captain and tallied 17 points in 29 games and played outstanding defense along the way.
Despite his strong play in college, Lyon again went undrafted out of college with scouts still complaining about his speed. However, he quickly signed a contract with the independent Pensacola Ice Flyers of the SPHL.
In his first year in Pensacola Lyon played in 55 games and tallied 19 points. He began this season with Pensacola again, adding a goal and an assist in 11 games before he was traded to the Louisiana IceGators in a three-way deal that also included the Fayetteville FireAntz, both independent teams also of the SPHL. With Louisiana, Lyon has played in 40 games and racked up an additional 21 points this season.
He looks forward to continuing his professional career and advancing through the minor league hockey system in the years to come.
Tyler Lyon was a defender born on February 4, 1985 in Foxboro, Ontario. He stood at six feet tall and weighed 177 pounds. He shot left-handed.
Lyon was an outstanding amateur player in Canada and shined as a defender, but went undrafred out of high school with scouts complaining that he was too slow for the pro level. In 2001, he signed a contract to play juniors with the Wellington Dukes of the OPJHL.
His first year with Wellington wasn't much to shout about, as he only played in one game. His second year in Wellington, though, saw him suit up for 38 games and tally 22 points. He played in 47 games in his third year with Wellington and tallied 20 points. The year after that he played in 49 games for Wellington and tallied 35 points. His fifth and final year in Wellington saw Lyon play in 47 games and tally 51 points.
Despite his strong play in juniors which consisted of standout defense and a huge amount of points for defenders (mostly on assists), Lyon again went undrafted due to his speed on the ice. Unfortunately for Lyon, he was said to be too slow for the Division I game in America as well. With his career hanging in the balance, Lyon decided to accept an offer to play for the Division II/III Oswego State Lakers from head coach Ed Gosek.
In his freshman year with the Lakers Lyon played in 27 games and tallied nine points in helping lead the Lakers on the defensive side of the ice to a National Championship. His sophomore year in Oswego saw Lyon play in 26 games and tally ten points. In his junior year Lyon played in 23 games and tallied 12 points. In his senior year with the Lakers, Lyon was named team captain and tallied 17 points in 29 games and played outstanding defense along the way.
Despite his strong play in college, Lyon again went undrafted out of college with scouts still complaining about his speed. However, he quickly signed a contract with the independent Pensacola Ice Flyers of the SPHL.
In his first year in Pensacola Lyon played in 55 games and tallied 19 points. He began this season with Pensacola again, adding a goal and an assist in 11 games before he was traded to the Louisiana IceGators in a three-way deal that also included the Fayetteville FireAntz, both independent teams also of the SPHL. With Louisiana, Lyon has played in 40 games and racked up an additional 21 points this season.
He looks forward to continuing his professional career and advancing through the minor league hockey system in the years to come.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to Kyle Roberts?
Most Laker fans probably won't remember Kyle Roberts. He was a defender born on January 6, 1986 and was a standout high school hockey player from Whitesboro, New York. He stood at five feet, ten inches tall and weighed 180 pounds. He shot right-handed.
Going undrafted out of college, Roberts decided to attend SUNY Oswego after being told by a recruiter in the Athletics Department that he would have a chance to tryout for the standout Division II/III hockey team on campus. This was probably a lie told by a shameless recruiter, but Roberts attended the tryout and impressed Lakers head coach Ed Gosek enough to earn a spot on the team.
But Roberts did not have a rewarding career in Lakerland, as he sat below the fourth line for most of the season and rarely dressed for a game. All told, he only played in one game the Lakers without tallying a point. At the end of the season, with new recruits coming in, Roberts was cut by Gosek and opted to leave Oswego.
Roberts again went undrafted and was unable to gain a professional contract. As another blow, Roberts was unable to gain another spot or tryout on a college hockey team. Luckily for him, he was able to gain a contract with the Wellington Dukes of the OPJHL.
While with the Dukes, Roberts played in 40 games, tallying 12 points and playing outstanding defense. Roberts was unhappy with the Juniors environment after playing in the high-octane SUNYAC for a season, and he was determined to bolt as soon as another offer from a college or pro team came his way. So when SUNY Morrisville came calling with a guaranteed spot on their newly-formed team, Roberts decided to leave Juniors.
In his first year with the Morrisville Mustangs, Roberts played in 24 games and tallied three assists. in his second year with the Mustangs, Roberts played in 22 games and tallied nine points. In his senior season in college and third in Morrisville, Roberts played in 20 games and tallied five points.
Despite being noted as one of the best defenders in all of Division II/III hockey during his three years with Morrisville, Roberts went undrafted out of college due primarily to complaints about his size, which was thought to be too small for a professional defender. However, he quickly signed a contract with the independent Rome Frenzy of the FHL.
Roberts was one of the standout players for Rome, playing outstanding defense in 44 games and tallying 13 points. However, the team suffered from extreme financial strains and ceased operations before the end of its first season, ending Roberts' professional career.
He now lives in Utica, New York and works for an accounting firm.
Most Laker fans probably won't remember Kyle Roberts. He was a defender born on January 6, 1986 and was a standout high school hockey player from Whitesboro, New York. He stood at five feet, ten inches tall and weighed 180 pounds. He shot right-handed.
Going undrafted out of college, Roberts decided to attend SUNY Oswego after being told by a recruiter in the Athletics Department that he would have a chance to tryout for the standout Division II/III hockey team on campus. This was probably a lie told by a shameless recruiter, but Roberts attended the tryout and impressed Lakers head coach Ed Gosek enough to earn a spot on the team.
But Roberts did not have a rewarding career in Lakerland, as he sat below the fourth line for most of the season and rarely dressed for a game. All told, he only played in one game the Lakers without tallying a point. At the end of the season, with new recruits coming in, Roberts was cut by Gosek and opted to leave Oswego.
Roberts again went undrafted and was unable to gain a professional contract. As another blow, Roberts was unable to gain another spot or tryout on a college hockey team. Luckily for him, he was able to gain a contract with the Wellington Dukes of the OPJHL.
While with the Dukes, Roberts played in 40 games, tallying 12 points and playing outstanding defense. Roberts was unhappy with the Juniors environment after playing in the high-octane SUNYAC for a season, and he was determined to bolt as soon as another offer from a college or pro team came his way. So when SUNY Morrisville came calling with a guaranteed spot on their newly-formed team, Roberts decided to leave Juniors.
In his first year with the Morrisville Mustangs, Roberts played in 24 games and tallied three assists. in his second year with the Mustangs, Roberts played in 22 games and tallied nine points. In his senior season in college and third in Morrisville, Roberts played in 20 games and tallied five points.
Despite being noted as one of the best defenders in all of Division II/III hockey during his three years with Morrisville, Roberts went undrafted out of college due primarily to complaints about his size, which was thought to be too small for a professional defender. However, he quickly signed a contract with the independent Rome Frenzy of the FHL.
Roberts was one of the standout players for Rome, playing outstanding defense in 44 games and tallying 13 points. However, the team suffered from extreme financial strains and ceased operations before the end of its first season, ending Roberts' professional career.
He now lives in Utica, New York and works for an accounting firm.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to Ryan Scott?
Scott was a goalie from Williamsville, New York born on April 18, 1983. He was five feet ten inches tall and weighed 195 pounds.
Scott was an outstanding goalie in high school, but he went undrafted and attempted to sign a contract with a Juniors team in Canada. When that didn't pan out, Scott instead signed with the Buffalo Lightning in Amherst, New York, who played in the OPJHL at the time (the team is now known as the Buffalo Jr. Sabres). Scott played in 29 games for Buffalo that season but was unremarkable in net. Buffalo decided not to retain Scott at the end of that season and he was unable to find a contract with a Juniors team elsewhere.
Scott went to work on his Uncle's farm for a year as he was unable to find a spot on a hockey team anywhere. After a year he decided to attend Oswego State University, in part because he was offered a tryout on the standout Division II/III Lakers. The tryout was probably a lie told to him by a shameless recruiter as Oswego scouts its players extensively and typically sets its roster well before the beginning of the season, but Scott nonetheless arrived for the tryout and impressed head coach Ed Gosek enough where he made the team.
Scott played in 17 games his freshman year, posting an 11-5-1 record and a 0.926 save percentage. He played in 25 games his sophomore year and posted a 16-7-1 record and a 0.896 save percentage. He played in 25 games his junior season and posted a 19-3-3 record and a 0.921 save percentage, leading the Lakers to a National Championship. In his senior season he played in 23 games and posted a 15-6-1 record and a 0.921 save percentage.
Scott went undrafted out of college but quickly signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins and was sent to the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.
Scott's NHL career never got off the ground though, as he rode the bench as the third string goalie for Wheeling and only played in three games in his first pro season, going 1-1 and posting a save percentage of 0.879. Following the season he was not retained by Pittsburgh and became a free agent.
Following his release from Pittsburgh he quickly signed a contract with the independent Amarillo Gorillas of the CHL.
Scott played in eight games with Amarillo before being released, going 2-5 with a 0.886 save percentage. He quickly signed a contract with the independent Richmond Renegades of the SPHL after his release from Amarillo. With Richmond he played in 33 games and went 14-13-3 and posted a 0.898 save percentage.
After the season Scott signed a contract with the independent Pensacola Ice Flyers, also of the SPHL. For Pensacola, Scott played in 37 games and posted a 15-17-5 record and a 0.903 save percentage. He returned to Pensacola the next season and played in 38 games, going 17-20 and posting a 0.901 save percentage.
Scott tired of the long bus rides and small venues and retired after the 2010-2011 season. He returned to Western New York where he works in customer service for Verizon.
Scott was a goalie from Williamsville, New York born on April 18, 1983. He was five feet ten inches tall and weighed 195 pounds.
Scott was an outstanding goalie in high school, but he went undrafted and attempted to sign a contract with a Juniors team in Canada. When that didn't pan out, Scott instead signed with the Buffalo Lightning in Amherst, New York, who played in the OPJHL at the time (the team is now known as the Buffalo Jr. Sabres). Scott played in 29 games for Buffalo that season but was unremarkable in net. Buffalo decided not to retain Scott at the end of that season and he was unable to find a contract with a Juniors team elsewhere.
Scott went to work on his Uncle's farm for a year as he was unable to find a spot on a hockey team anywhere. After a year he decided to attend Oswego State University, in part because he was offered a tryout on the standout Division II/III Lakers. The tryout was probably a lie told to him by a shameless recruiter as Oswego scouts its players extensively and typically sets its roster well before the beginning of the season, but Scott nonetheless arrived for the tryout and impressed head coach Ed Gosek enough where he made the team.
Scott played in 17 games his freshman year, posting an 11-5-1 record and a 0.926 save percentage. He played in 25 games his sophomore year and posted a 16-7-1 record and a 0.896 save percentage. He played in 25 games his junior season and posted a 19-3-3 record and a 0.921 save percentage, leading the Lakers to a National Championship. In his senior season he played in 23 games and posted a 15-6-1 record and a 0.921 save percentage.
Scott went undrafted out of college but quickly signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins and was sent to the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.
Scott's NHL career never got off the ground though, as he rode the bench as the third string goalie for Wheeling and only played in three games in his first pro season, going 1-1 and posting a save percentage of 0.879. Following the season he was not retained by Pittsburgh and became a free agent.
Following his release from Pittsburgh he quickly signed a contract with the independent Amarillo Gorillas of the CHL.
Scott played in eight games with Amarillo before being released, going 2-5 with a 0.886 save percentage. He quickly signed a contract with the independent Richmond Renegades of the SPHL after his release from Amarillo. With Richmond he played in 33 games and went 14-13-3 and posted a 0.898 save percentage.
After the season Scott signed a contract with the independent Pensacola Ice Flyers, also of the SPHL. For Pensacola, Scott played in 37 games and posted a 15-17-5 record and a 0.903 save percentage. He returned to Pensacola the next season and played in 38 games, going 17-20 and posting a 0.901 save percentage.
Scott tired of the long bus rides and small venues and retired after the 2010-2011 season. He returned to Western New York where he works in customer service for Verizon.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Lakers lose Heartbreaker to Plattsburgh; Season now in Jeopardy
The Lakers lost a heart-breaker in the SUNYAC Championship game last night to the Plattsburgh Cardinals in a game that could end their season. Oswego went into the game sitting in a strong first place in the SUNYAC and had breezed through the playoffs up until last night. Plattsburgh was in a strong second place and had had trouble in the playoffs, getting taken to triple overtime last week at home against Buff State.
In a game that matched two strong defensive teams with two excellent D-I transfer goalies and great penalty kills, the first period went by scoreless. Oswego got the scoring started at 9:15 in the second period when Jon Whitelaw scored on a five-on-three power play from an assist by Paul Rodrigues. Plattsburgh struck back at 18:49 in the second when Jared Docking scored on a power play with assists from Nick Jensen and Paul Puglisi.
Tied at one in the third, Plattsburgh took a lead at 4:33 on a goal by Mike Grace with an assist from Matt MacLeod. The Cardinals sealed the deal at 8:26 in the third on a second goal by Jensen with an assist from Kyle Kudroch. Oswego started a comeback only seven seconds later when Kyle Badham scored on an unassisted goal at 8:33, but were stifled by Platty's defense the rest of the way.
Plattsburgh out-shot Oswego 27 to 17. Mathieu Cadieux went 15 for 17 in the net for Plattsburgh while Andrew Hare went 24 for 27 in the net for the Lakers. Both teams demonstrated a characteristically-strong penalty kill, and Oswego essentially lost the game when they went one-for-five on power plays against the Cardinals, and their only power-play-goal came on a five-on-three power play. Plattsburgh only had two power plays and scored on one of them.
With the win and the SUNYAC crown Plattsburgh receives an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament which will culminate in the Frozen Four at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York on March 16 and 17. They are in line to be ranked as the number two or three team in the East bracket.
Oswego will now have to rely on an at-large bid from the NCAA if they have any hopes of continuing their season in the NCAA tournament. Currently ranked number one in the nation, that bid should be all-but ensured, but the keywords in that statement are "all" and "but." The number-one ranked team usually makes it into the tournament but stranger things have happened and you can never trust the at-large bid selecting committee. Last season Castleton was ranked in prime position to receive an at-large bid but were snubbed in favor of Neumann, who were ranked seven positions lower than the Spartans at the time. In addition, the well-known Oswego bias on the NCAA selecting committee could prevent them from receiving a bid into the tourney.
NCAA at-large bids, playoff rankings, and brackets will be announced tonight at 9:30.
In a game that matched two strong defensive teams with two excellent D-I transfer goalies and great penalty kills, the first period went by scoreless. Oswego got the scoring started at 9:15 in the second period when Jon Whitelaw scored on a five-on-three power play from an assist by Paul Rodrigues. Plattsburgh struck back at 18:49 in the second when Jared Docking scored on a power play with assists from Nick Jensen and Paul Puglisi.
Tied at one in the third, Plattsburgh took a lead at 4:33 on a goal by Mike Grace with an assist from Matt MacLeod. The Cardinals sealed the deal at 8:26 in the third on a second goal by Jensen with an assist from Kyle Kudroch. Oswego started a comeback only seven seconds later when Kyle Badham scored on an unassisted goal at 8:33, but were stifled by Platty's defense the rest of the way.
Plattsburgh out-shot Oswego 27 to 17. Mathieu Cadieux went 15 for 17 in the net for Plattsburgh while Andrew Hare went 24 for 27 in the net for the Lakers. Both teams demonstrated a characteristically-strong penalty kill, and Oswego essentially lost the game when they went one-for-five on power plays against the Cardinals, and their only power-play-goal came on a five-on-three power play. Plattsburgh only had two power plays and scored on one of them.
With the win and the SUNYAC crown Plattsburgh receives an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament which will culminate in the Frozen Four at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York on March 16 and 17. They are in line to be ranked as the number two or three team in the East bracket.
Oswego will now have to rely on an at-large bid from the NCAA if they have any hopes of continuing their season in the NCAA tournament. Currently ranked number one in the nation, that bid should be all-but ensured, but the keywords in that statement are "all" and "but." The number-one ranked team usually makes it into the tournament but stranger things have happened and you can never trust the at-large bid selecting committee. Last season Castleton was ranked in prime position to receive an at-large bid but were snubbed in favor of Neumann, who were ranked seven positions lower than the Spartans at the time. In addition, the well-known Oswego bias on the NCAA selecting committee could prevent them from receiving a bid into the tourney.
NCAA at-large bids, playoff rankings, and brackets will be announced tonight at 9:30.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to Rich Zalewski?
Zalewski was a defender born on January 11, 1985 in New Hartford, New York. He stood at a height of six feet and weighed 204 pounds. Zalewski was a good player at New Hartford High School but went undrafted upon graduation. He opted instead to attend SUNY Oswego where he was promised a tryout on the hockey team. Though the tryout was probably bogus, Lakers head coach Ed Gosek was impressed by what he saw and decided to give Zalewski a spot on the team. Going straight to Oswego without playing in juniors made Zalewski one of the last in the long line of a dying breed amongst the Division II/III Oswego State Lakers hockey players.
In his first year with the Lakers Zalewski played in 13 games and tallied two assists. In his sophomore year with the Lakers he played in 28 games and tallied 17 points. In his junior year with the Lakers Zalewski played in 24 games and tallied another 17 points. In his senior year with the Lakers Zalewski scored in 18 games and tallied seven points.
Zalewski went undrafted out of college but quickly signed a contract with the independent Twin City Cyclones of the SPHL, where he tallied an assist in six games. Following the season he signed with the Knoxville Ice Bears, also of the SPHL, where he tallied 11 points in 31 games. He was traded to the Pensacola Ice Flyers late in the season where he played in 12 games without tallying a point. The next season Zalewski signed with the independent Rome Frenzy of the FHL, but was released after playing in one game.
Zalewski retired after being released by the Frenzy and returned to his home in nearby New Hartford. He still lives in New Hartford where he works as an auditor for a local chain of Stewart's Shops.
Zalewski was a defender born on January 11, 1985 in New Hartford, New York. He stood at a height of six feet and weighed 204 pounds. Zalewski was a good player at New Hartford High School but went undrafted upon graduation. He opted instead to attend SUNY Oswego where he was promised a tryout on the hockey team. Though the tryout was probably bogus, Lakers head coach Ed Gosek was impressed by what he saw and decided to give Zalewski a spot on the team. Going straight to Oswego without playing in juniors made Zalewski one of the last in the long line of a dying breed amongst the Division II/III Oswego State Lakers hockey players.
In his first year with the Lakers Zalewski played in 13 games and tallied two assists. In his sophomore year with the Lakers he played in 28 games and tallied 17 points. In his junior year with the Lakers Zalewski played in 24 games and tallied another 17 points. In his senior year with the Lakers Zalewski scored in 18 games and tallied seven points.
Zalewski went undrafted out of college but quickly signed a contract with the independent Twin City Cyclones of the SPHL, where he tallied an assist in six games. Following the season he signed with the Knoxville Ice Bears, also of the SPHL, where he tallied 11 points in 31 games. He was traded to the Pensacola Ice Flyers late in the season where he played in 12 games without tallying a point. The next season Zalewski signed with the independent Rome Frenzy of the FHL, but was released after playing in one game.
Zalewski retired after being released by the Frenzy and returned to his home in nearby New Hartford. He still lives in New Hartford where he works as an auditor for a local chain of Stewart's Shops.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
All-SUNYAC Selections
Five Lakers landed spots on the 2011-2012 All-SUNYAC teams. Junior forward Jon Whitelaw earned First Team honors, while junior forward Paul Rodrigues and junior defenseman Zack Josepher were named to the Second Team. Junior goaltender Andrew Hare and junior defenseman Taylor Farris were selected to the Third Team. Here's the full roster courtesy of sunyac.com.
First Team
F - James Cody (Brockport) 19 G, 15 A, 34 Pts
F - Bryan Ross (Fredonia) 11 G, 28 A, 39 Pts
F - Jon Whitelaw (Oswego) 18 G, 21 A, 39 Pts
D - Danny Scagnelli (Geneseo) 2 G, 10 A, 12 Pts
D - Mike Grace (Plattsburgh) 0 G, 12 A, 12 Pts
G - Mathieu Cadieux (Plattsburgh) 15-4-3, 1.78 GAA, .930 SV%
Second Team
F - Ian Finnerty (Brockport) 11 G, 25 A, 36 Pts
F - Paul Rodrigues (Oswego) 13 G, 22 A, 35 Pts
F - Sy Nutkevitch (Potsdam) 9 G, 31 A, 40 Pts
D - Michael Hayward (Brockport) 6 G, 8 A, 14 Pts
D - Zach Josepher (Oswego) 3 G, 18 A, 21 Pts
G - Kevin Carr (Buffalo State) 11-12-2, 2.94 GAA, .910 SV%
Third Team
F - Drew Klin (Buffalo State) 16 G, 14 A, 30 Pts
F - Zachary Vit (Geneseo) 12 G, 19 A, 31 Pts
F - Kyle Kudroch (Plattsburgh) 9 G, 13 A, 22 Pts
D - Taylor Farris (Oswego) 3 G,10 A,13 Pts
D - Erick Ware (Potsdam) 4 G, 13 A, 17 Pts
G - Andrew Hare (Oswego) 19-2-2, 1.71 GAA, .931 SV%
After analyzing the results the LeRoy Crew has minimal disagreements with most of the position player selections. We understand that while more Lakers could have made the list on pure numbers the SUNYAC likes to spread the wealth around and include all teams. They do this for two reasons, first the SUNYAC is a liberal organization that abides by the "everyone's a winner" philosophy, similar to Pete's soft economic views. Secondly, they believe that this will allow outsiders to view the SUNYAC as a highly competitive league. Even though most followers will tell you that Oswego and Plattsburgh are the only two teams that can compete on a national level.
However, we have a serious disagreement when it comes to the goalie selections. Oswego's Andrew Hare has the best numbers of any goaltender in the league but the selection committee still ranks him lower than Plattsburgh's Cadieux and Buff State's Carr. After seeing all three goalies in action we believe Hare is the most talented and should be the clear winner. Now the numbers between Cadieux and Hare are similar and you could make the argument that Hare plays on a more talented team but there is no excuse for ranking Carr over Hare. Especially when the Buff State netminder has a losing record and gives up almost three goals per game. There is a clear bias at work within the selection committee. Could it be because Hare is a D-I transfer and not a true product of the SUNYAC? Could it be because the committee believes Hare is the second best goalie on his team behind a health Paul Beckwith. We'll let you decide.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Oswego tops Fredonia to Advance to SUNYAC Championship
The Oswego State Lakers hosted the Fredonia Blue Devils in the quarter finals of the SUNYAC Tournament at the Campus Center Ice Arena yesterday. Fredonia advanced to the quarterfinals after topping Geneseo 4-1 in the semi-final play-in round. The winner of this game would advance to the SUNYAC Tournament championship game next Saturday.
Fredonia got the scoring started at 7:09 in the first period on an unassisted penalty shot goal by Bryan Ross. Oswego struck back late in the first on a power play goal by Jon Whitelaw with assists from Chris Ayotte and Zack Josepher at 18:01 to even the score at one. Oswego scored again only seconds later on a goal by Josepher with an assist from Ayotte at 18:13 in the first.
The Lakers got the scoring started quickly early in the second period on a power play goal by Paul Rodrigues with assists from Josepher and Whitelaw at 1:02 in the second. Oswego sealed the deal only a few minutes later on a goal by Chris Brown with an assist from Jesse McConney at 3:15 in the second to move the score to 4-1.
The Lakers would tally four more times in the game, with two goals from Ian Boots and one from Hank Van Boxmeer, and an additional goal from P-Rod. Tyler Leimbrock and Chris Muise would add two assists for the Lakers and Luke Moodie would tally one, with McConney adding another assist.
Fredonia tallied twice more in the lost-cause losing effort. They received goals from Brett Mueller and Stepehn Castriota and assists from Mike Monfredo and Brad Nunn as well as an additional assist from Ross.
Andrew Hare went 17/20 in save opportunities to get the win for the Lakers. Mark Friesen suffered the loss for Fredonia and went 42/50 for the Blue Devils. Jeff Holloway also saw a little over three minutes in net for the Blue Devils and made one save.
Oswego will host Plattsburgh next week in the SUNYAC Championship game at the Campus Center Ice Arena. Plattsburgh received a bye into the quarterfinals and advanced to the Championship game by beating Buff State 4-3 in triple overtime. Oswego went 1-0-1 against Plattsburgh in the regular season, beating them 3-0 at the Campus Center last week.
Fredonia got the scoring started at 7:09 in the first period on an unassisted penalty shot goal by Bryan Ross. Oswego struck back late in the first on a power play goal by Jon Whitelaw with assists from Chris Ayotte and Zack Josepher at 18:01 to even the score at one. Oswego scored again only seconds later on a goal by Josepher with an assist from Ayotte at 18:13 in the first.
The Lakers got the scoring started quickly early in the second period on a power play goal by Paul Rodrigues with assists from Josepher and Whitelaw at 1:02 in the second. Oswego sealed the deal only a few minutes later on a goal by Chris Brown with an assist from Jesse McConney at 3:15 in the second to move the score to 4-1.
The Lakers would tally four more times in the game, with two goals from Ian Boots and one from Hank Van Boxmeer, and an additional goal from P-Rod. Tyler Leimbrock and Chris Muise would add two assists for the Lakers and Luke Moodie would tally one, with McConney adding another assist.
Fredonia tallied twice more in the lost-cause losing effort. They received goals from Brett Mueller and Stepehn Castriota and assists from Mike Monfredo and Brad Nunn as well as an additional assist from Ross.
Andrew Hare went 17/20 in save opportunities to get the win for the Lakers. Mark Friesen suffered the loss for Fredonia and went 42/50 for the Blue Devils. Jeff Holloway also saw a little over three minutes in net for the Blue Devils and made one save.
Oswego will host Plattsburgh next week in the SUNYAC Championship game at the Campus Center Ice Arena. Plattsburgh received a bye into the quarterfinals and advanced to the Championship game by beating Buff State 4-3 in triple overtime. Oswego went 1-0-1 against Plattsburgh in the regular season, beating them 3-0 at the Campus Center last week.
SUNYAC Semifinal: Fredonia at Oswego
Courtesy WNYO Sports
Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to Bryan Gent? Gent was a defender born on March 29, 1981 in Milton, Ontario. He stood at 6'2" and weighed 205 pounds. He shot right-handed.
Gent was a good player in high school but went undrafted after graduation as scouts thought that he was a little slow and too raw. He played a year in a semi-pro league following graduation but quickly tired of the long bus rides and small venues.
Following that season he signed a contract to play for his hometown Milton Merchants of the OPJHL. That season he scored one goal in seven games. The following season he signed a contract with the Port Hope Predators and tallied seven points in 47 games while playing very strong defense. He tired of playing in the small venues following his second season in juniors and accepted an offer to play Division II/III college hockey for head coach Ed Gosek and the Oswego State Lakers.
Gent played 28 games in his freshman season and tallied two assists. He added another two assists in 27 games played in his sophomore campaign. He played in 26 games and scored three goals in his junior season. His senior year saw him play in another 27 games and tally four more assists. He went undrafted out of college but quickly signed a contract with the independent Chicago Hounds of the UHL.
He only played six games with the Hounds without tallying a single point before beign released. He quickly signed a contract with the independent Quad City Mallards also of the UCHL, but was released after tallying one assist in only five games. He then signed a contract with the independent Florida Seals of the SPHL but was again released playing ten games and not tallying a point. He then signed with the independent Jacksonville Barracudas also of the SPHL where he finished the season, scoring two goals in 33 games. He tired of the long bus rides at the end of the season and retired, returning to Canada to join a semi-pro team.
Following a year playing semi-pro Gent officially ended his playing career. He took a job as an assistant coach with his hometown Milton Icehawks of the OJHL. He was not retained for a second season and ended his professional hockey career.
Gent now works as an accountant in Canada.
Gent was a good player in high school but went undrafted after graduation as scouts thought that he was a little slow and too raw. He played a year in a semi-pro league following graduation but quickly tired of the long bus rides and small venues.
Following that season he signed a contract to play for his hometown Milton Merchants of the OPJHL. That season he scored one goal in seven games. The following season he signed a contract with the Port Hope Predators and tallied seven points in 47 games while playing very strong defense. He tired of playing in the small venues following his second season in juniors and accepted an offer to play Division II/III college hockey for head coach Ed Gosek and the Oswego State Lakers.
Gent played 28 games in his freshman season and tallied two assists. He added another two assists in 27 games played in his sophomore campaign. He played in 26 games and scored three goals in his junior season. His senior year saw him play in another 27 games and tally four more assists. He went undrafted out of college but quickly signed a contract with the independent Chicago Hounds of the UHL.
He only played six games with the Hounds without tallying a single point before beign released. He quickly signed a contract with the independent Quad City Mallards also of the UCHL, but was released after tallying one assist in only five games. He then signed a contract with the independent Florida Seals of the SPHL but was again released playing ten games and not tallying a point. He then signed with the independent Jacksonville Barracudas also of the SPHL where he finished the season, scoring two goals in 33 games. He tired of the long bus rides at the end of the season and retired, returning to Canada to join a semi-pro team.
Following a year playing semi-pro Gent officially ended his playing career. He took a job as an assistant coach with his hometown Milton Icehawks of the OJHL. He was not retained for a second season and ended his professional hockey career.
Gent now works as an accountant in Canada.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Whatever Happened to..? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to Derrell Levy?
Levy was a forward from Markham, Ontario. He stood at 5'10" and weighed 187 pounds and shot right-handed.
Levy was a good player in high school and was scouted by professionals as an amateur, although they felt that he was small and a little light for the pros. They also did not like the fact that he shot right-handed and that he was black. After his amateur career ended he signed a contract with the North York Rangers of the OPJHL.
He scored 12 points in 45 games in his first year with North York. Following that season he signed a two-year deal with his hometown Markham Waxers. In his first year with Markham he scored 22 points in 41 games. In his second year he scored 22 points in 45 games.
Following his third season in juniors Levy tired of the long bus rides and small venues and accepted an offer to play for the Division II/III Oswego State Lakers under head coach Ed Gosek.
In his freshman year with the Lakers he tallied five points in 19 games in a bench role. In his sophomore year with the Lakers he tallied ten points in 27 games to help the Lakers win the Frozen Four. He added 11 points in 26 games in his junior season. His senior year saw Levy rack up a career-high 17 points in 25 games.
Levy went undrafted out of high school due once again to his skin color, right-handed shot, and smaller stature. However, he quickly signed a contract with the independent West Michigan Blizzard of the AAHL.
He scored 28 points in 24 games with West Michigan but tired of the long bus rides and low pay at the end of the season and retired. He now lives in Canada and works as a recruiter and coach for the Markham Waxers.
Levy was a forward from Markham, Ontario. He stood at 5'10" and weighed 187 pounds and shot right-handed.
Levy was a good player in high school and was scouted by professionals as an amateur, although they felt that he was small and a little light for the pros. They also did not like the fact that he shot right-handed and that he was black. After his amateur career ended he signed a contract with the North York Rangers of the OPJHL.
He scored 12 points in 45 games in his first year with North York. Following that season he signed a two-year deal with his hometown Markham Waxers. In his first year with Markham he scored 22 points in 41 games. In his second year he scored 22 points in 45 games.
Following his third season in juniors Levy tired of the long bus rides and small venues and accepted an offer to play for the Division II/III Oswego State Lakers under head coach Ed Gosek.
In his freshman year with the Lakers he tallied five points in 19 games in a bench role. In his sophomore year with the Lakers he tallied ten points in 27 games to help the Lakers win the Frozen Four. He added 11 points in 26 games in his junior season. His senior year saw Levy rack up a career-high 17 points in 25 games.
Levy went undrafted out of high school due once again to his skin color, right-handed shot, and smaller stature. However, he quickly signed a contract with the independent West Michigan Blizzard of the AAHL.
He scored 28 points in 24 games with West Michigan but tired of the long bus rides and low pay at the end of the season and retired. He now lives in Canada and works as a recruiter and coach for the Markham Waxers.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to Mike Novak?
Novak was a defender born on July 16, 1985 in Milton, Ontario. A big man, he stood at 6'3", and weighed 202 pounds.
Novak was a good hockey player as an amateur who was known for his size and physicality on defense. Scouts liked both of those things as his amateur career was beginning to come to an end, but they did not like his speed which was inferior in most ways. He went undrafted out of high school and signed a contract with his hometown Milton Merchants, a juniors team in the OPJHL.
He only played one game with Milton in his first year with the team but was brought back for a second season. In his his second year he tallied four assists in 15 games played. Following this he signed a two year contract with the Wexford Raiders and tallied three points with them in his first season there. In his second season he played in 48 games and tallied 16 points. After four years in juniors he tired of the long bus rides and small venues and accepted an offer to play hockey at Oswego State University for Lakers head coach Ed Gosek.
He played in 16 games for the Lakers in his freshman season, tallying five points in 16 games. The next season he played in 21 games and added three assists to help the Lakers win a national championship. In his junior year he played in 24 games and added one assist. And in his senior campaign he played in 24 games and tallied five points. Following graduation he signed a contract with the independent Muskegon Lumberjacks of the IHL.
He played in two games with Muskegon in 2009 before being released without tallying a single point and his professional career ended. He now works as a market research analyst in Buffalo, New York and lives with girlfriend, the beautiful Quinn Makin.
Novak was a defender born on July 16, 1985 in Milton, Ontario. A big man, he stood at 6'3", and weighed 202 pounds.
Novak was a good hockey player as an amateur who was known for his size and physicality on defense. Scouts liked both of those things as his amateur career was beginning to come to an end, but they did not like his speed which was inferior in most ways. He went undrafted out of high school and signed a contract with his hometown Milton Merchants, a juniors team in the OPJHL.
He only played one game with Milton in his first year with the team but was brought back for a second season. In his his second year he tallied four assists in 15 games played. Following this he signed a two year contract with the Wexford Raiders and tallied three points with them in his first season there. In his second season he played in 48 games and tallied 16 points. After four years in juniors he tired of the long bus rides and small venues and accepted an offer to play hockey at Oswego State University for Lakers head coach Ed Gosek.
He played in 16 games for the Lakers in his freshman season, tallying five points in 16 games. The next season he played in 21 games and added three assists to help the Lakers win a national championship. In his junior year he played in 24 games and added one assist. And in his senior campaign he played in 24 games and tallied five points. Following graduation he signed a contract with the independent Muskegon Lumberjacks of the IHL.
He played in two games with Muskegon in 2009 before being released without tallying a single point and his professional career ended. He now works as a market research analyst in Buffalo, New York and lives with girlfriend, the beautiful Quinn Makin.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Oswego Sweeps home Weekend
The Lakers swept two wins at home this weekend at the Campus Center Ice Arena in Oswego, New York. The scoring got off started quick on Friday night against the Fredonia Blue Devils. Luke Moodie got the scoring started a 4:47 in the first period on assists from Paul Rodrigues and Jon Whitelaw. The Lakers tallied another goal a minute later from Chris Brown on assists from David Titanic and Chris Carr. Whitelaw tallied another goal a couple of minutes later on an assist from Moodie, and that was about all that the Lakers needed. Still, they scored another goal mere seconds later on a shot by Chris Ayotte with assists from Matt Singleton and Kyle Badham. The Lakers added a fifth goal near the end of the period on a shot by Whitelaw with an assist by P-Rod to stretch their lead to 5-0.
The Lakers got the scoring started again in the second period on a goal by Chris Muise with an assist from Tyler Leimbrock. Fredonia got on the board after that with a power play goal from Mike Monfredo and assists from Brad Nunn and Ben Waldman. In the second half of the period Singleton scored a goal on assists from Hank Van Boxmeer and Ayotte. The Lakers added a power play goal after that from Ian Boots on assists from Van Boxmeer and Muise. And they added another power play goal a couple of minutes later on a shot by Muise with assists from Boots and Leimbrock to stretch their lead to 9-1.
The Lakers got the scoring started in the third period on an unassisted goal by Taylor Farris five minutes into the period. Fredonia added a goal at 11:48 by Mike Muhs on assists by Bryan Ross and Matt Hehr, but it was too little, too late as the Lakers won this one 10-2. Andrew Hare made 25 saves for the Lakers while Mark Friesen made three saves for Fredonia.
The Lakers hosted the Buff State Bengals on Saturday to complete the home weekend against their SUNYAC opponents. The first period was a defensive match up as neither team scored. Buff State got the scoring started at 6:46 in the second period on a shot by Justin Knee with an assist from Eric Bajc. Leimbrock tallied the first goal for the Lakers at 13:08 in the second on an assist from Muise. The Lakers scored again 30 seconds later on a power play goal by Whitelaw with assists from Moodie and P-Rod to take a 2-1 lead, and that was all the Lakers would need.
Whitelaw added a second goal on a power play at 11:25 in the third with assists from Ayotte and Hare. Fredonia attempted to execute a Bob Embry special late in the third but got burned as Whitelaw completed the hat trick on assists from Moodie and P-Rod to seal the victory at 4-1 for the Lakers. Hare made 28 saves for the Lakers while Kevin Carr made 37 for the Bengals.
Oswego will set their sights on the last series of the regular season, and it will not be an easy one. Whiteout weekend is next weekend, with the Plattsburgh Cardinals coming to town on Friday and the Potsdam Bears arriving on Saturday for seniors night.
The Lakers got the scoring started again in the second period on a goal by Chris Muise with an assist from Tyler Leimbrock. Fredonia got on the board after that with a power play goal from Mike Monfredo and assists from Brad Nunn and Ben Waldman. In the second half of the period Singleton scored a goal on assists from Hank Van Boxmeer and Ayotte. The Lakers added a power play goal after that from Ian Boots on assists from Van Boxmeer and Muise. And they added another power play goal a couple of minutes later on a shot by Muise with assists from Boots and Leimbrock to stretch their lead to 9-1.
The Lakers got the scoring started in the third period on an unassisted goal by Taylor Farris five minutes into the period. Fredonia added a goal at 11:48 by Mike Muhs on assists by Bryan Ross and Matt Hehr, but it was too little, too late as the Lakers won this one 10-2. Andrew Hare made 25 saves for the Lakers while Mark Friesen made three saves for Fredonia.
The Lakers hosted the Buff State Bengals on Saturday to complete the home weekend against their SUNYAC opponents. The first period was a defensive match up as neither team scored. Buff State got the scoring started at 6:46 in the second period on a shot by Justin Knee with an assist from Eric Bajc. Leimbrock tallied the first goal for the Lakers at 13:08 in the second on an assist from Muise. The Lakers scored again 30 seconds later on a power play goal by Whitelaw with assists from Moodie and P-Rod to take a 2-1 lead, and that was all the Lakers would need.
Whitelaw added a second goal on a power play at 11:25 in the third with assists from Ayotte and Hare. Fredonia attempted to execute a Bob Embry special late in the third but got burned as Whitelaw completed the hat trick on assists from Moodie and P-Rod to seal the victory at 4-1 for the Lakers. Hare made 28 saves for the Lakers while Kevin Carr made 37 for the Bengals.
Oswego will set their sights on the last series of the regular season, and it will not be an easy one. Whiteout weekend is next weekend, with the Plattsburgh Cardinals coming to town on Friday and the Potsdam Bears arriving on Saturday for seniors night.
Fredonia Highlights: Courtesy WNYO Sports
Buff State Highlights: Courtesy WNYO Sports
Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to Matt Whitehead?
Whitehead was a forward from Newmarket, Ontario who was born on November 26, 1984. He stood at a minuscule 5'7" and weighed a light 160 pounds, while shooting left-handed.
Whitehead was a promising amateur player in Canada but went undrafted out of college due to his small stature. Getting ready to play juniors, he signed with his hometown Newmarket Hurricanes, where he played three seasons. He tired of Ontario after three years in juniors and - having no professional contract offers and being spurned by Division I universities due to his small size - he accepted an offer to play hockey from Lakers head coach Ed Gosek at Oswego.
His career got off to a good start at Oswego, where he was nicknamed "Midget" by Gosek, and played in 18 games as a freshman and scored six points. He started all 26 games in his sophomore season and tallied 16 points. His junior year was an improvement as he played in every game again and tallied 22 points. He was scratched for two games in his senior year, although he still managed to tally 19 points.
Whitehead went undrafted after graduating, but signed a contract with the independent Pensacola Ice Flyers of the SPHL, where he tallied 36 points in 36 games. He returned to Pensacola the next season and tallied 62 points in 56 games. The 2011-2012 season has been an eventful one for Whitehead, as he began with the Fayetteville FireAntz of the SPHL, tallying one assist in six games. After that he accepted a contract offer from the independent Bloomington Blaze of the CHL, tallying 17 points in 15 games. He got his first taste of the NHL after that, signing a contract with the Vancouver Canucks and being assigned to the ECHL Kalamazoo Wings, where he tallied two points in five games before being released. He returned to the SPHL after that, signing with the independent Mississippi RiverKings, where he has since scored seven points in eight games.
Whitehead was a forward from Newmarket, Ontario who was born on November 26, 1984. He stood at a minuscule 5'7" and weighed a light 160 pounds, while shooting left-handed.
Whitehead was a promising amateur player in Canada but went undrafted out of college due to his small stature. Getting ready to play juniors, he signed with his hometown Newmarket Hurricanes, where he played three seasons. He tired of Ontario after three years in juniors and - having no professional contract offers and being spurned by Division I universities due to his small size - he accepted an offer to play hockey from Lakers head coach Ed Gosek at Oswego.
His career got off to a good start at Oswego, where he was nicknamed "Midget" by Gosek, and played in 18 games as a freshman and scored six points. He started all 26 games in his sophomore season and tallied 16 points. His junior year was an improvement as he played in every game again and tallied 22 points. He was scratched for two games in his senior year, although he still managed to tally 19 points.
Whitehead went undrafted after graduating, but signed a contract with the independent Pensacola Ice Flyers of the SPHL, where he tallied 36 points in 36 games. He returned to Pensacola the next season and tallied 62 points in 56 games. The 2011-2012 season has been an eventful one for Whitehead, as he began with the Fayetteville FireAntz of the SPHL, tallying one assist in six games. After that he accepted a contract offer from the independent Bloomington Blaze of the CHL, tallying 17 points in 15 games. He got his first taste of the NHL after that, signing a contract with the Vancouver Canucks and being assigned to the ECHL Kalamazoo Wings, where he tallied two points in five games before being released. He returned to the SPHL after that, signing with the independent Mississippi RiverKings, where he has since scored seven points in eight games.
Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to T. J. Manasersky?
Manasersky was a defender from Oakville, Ontario. He shot left-handed and stood at 5'11", 195 pounds.
Manasersky played hockey as a youth in Canada and was impressive as an amateur, although he went undrafted out of high school. He decided to play juniors and signed with the Streetsville Derbys of the OPJHL, where he played for two seasons. He played for the Oakville Blades for a year after that, and then signed a two-year contract with the Georgetown Raiders. After five years in juniors he was ready to make the next step to the pro level, but once again went undrafted as he entered his 20th year. He was scouted by college scouts however, but most of them considered him too slow for the next level of the game. Lakers head coach Ed Gosek, though, saw something that caught his eye about Manasersky and convinced him to attend college at Oswego.
Manasersky had a decent year in his freshman campaign, playing in 16 games, mostly as a reserve. His sophomore year saw him become a starter, as he played in 23 games and tallied seven assists.
His two years in college were the only higher education he would receive however, as he signed a contract with the independent Richmond Renegades of the SPHL in the summer of 2006. He played in 11 games with Richmond before being released without tallying a point.
His playing career ended following his one season in the pros, and he returned to Canada to play semi-pro and work construction. After a year in which he tired of long bus rides and tough hours on buildings Manasersky took a position as an assistant coach with Canisius College. Following a season coaching at Canisius he took a job with Fredonia of the SUNYAC, and he is currently in the middle of his third season with the Blue Devils.
Manasersky was a defender from Oakville, Ontario. He shot left-handed and stood at 5'11", 195 pounds.
Manasersky played hockey as a youth in Canada and was impressive as an amateur, although he went undrafted out of high school. He decided to play juniors and signed with the Streetsville Derbys of the OPJHL, where he played for two seasons. He played for the Oakville Blades for a year after that, and then signed a two-year contract with the Georgetown Raiders. After five years in juniors he was ready to make the next step to the pro level, but once again went undrafted as he entered his 20th year. He was scouted by college scouts however, but most of them considered him too slow for the next level of the game. Lakers head coach Ed Gosek, though, saw something that caught his eye about Manasersky and convinced him to attend college at Oswego.
Manasersky had a decent year in his freshman campaign, playing in 16 games, mostly as a reserve. His sophomore year saw him become a starter, as he played in 23 games and tallied seven assists.
His two years in college were the only higher education he would receive however, as he signed a contract with the independent Richmond Renegades of the SPHL in the summer of 2006. He played in 11 games with Richmond before being released without tallying a point.
His playing career ended following his one season in the pros, and he returned to Canada to play semi-pro and work construction. After a year in which he tired of long bus rides and tough hours on buildings Manasersky took a position as an assistant coach with Canisius College. Following a season coaching at Canisius he took a job with Fredonia of the SUNYAC, and he is currently in the middle of his third season with the Blue Devils.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to Rick Varone?
Rick Varone was a center who originally hailed from Woodbridge, Ontario. Small for his position, he stood at a reported 5'9" but weighed an impressive 195 pounds. Born February 23, 1983, Varone began playing hockey at a young age.
By 1999 Varone was ready to play juniors and was signed by the Vaughan Vipers of the OPJHL. The next couple of seasons saw him playing for the Bramalea Blues. He was signed to a two-year deal after that to play for the Georgetown Raiders but was traded late in the second season to the Newmarket Hurricanes.
But it was with Newmarket that he drew the attention of both professional and college scouts. Professional scouts felt that - although he was talented - he was too raw for the professional game and he went undrafted out of Newmarket. College scouts were leery about his height, a reported 5'9" in skates and there was some doubt about whether he was that tall. But head coach Ed Gosek liked what he saw and wooed Varone to committ to Oswego. Varone thought that he could still play professionally and turned Gosek down, opting to play a year in a semi-pro league. When that did not lead to a contract he reached out to Gosek once again, and the Lakers Coach told him that there was still a spot open for him on the team.
He came to Oswego in Fall '05 and settled in on the team, tallying 15 points in his freshman year. He followed that up with six points his sophomore year.
He was expelled following a disciplinary hearing after the end of the 2007 playoff campaign (a year in which the Lalers won the Frozen Four) and he left college for good, with only two years completed and no degree to speak of. He returned to Ontario and joined a semi-pro league the next season. But his two years in college served him well, as he once again drew the attention of professional scouts and was signed to a contract by the independent Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL.
He scored an impressive 55 points in his first year as the center for the Komets. He returned to Fort Wayne the next season, but was released after scoring 14 points in 23 games. He was picked up late in the season by the Bloomington PrairieThunder and managed to tally another 20 points with them. He returned to the PraireThunder, now of the CHL, the next season but was released after tallying two points in one game. He opted to retire and return to semi-pro hockey in Canada where he works construction.
Rick Varone was a center who originally hailed from Woodbridge, Ontario. Small for his position, he stood at a reported 5'9" but weighed an impressive 195 pounds. Born February 23, 1983, Varone began playing hockey at a young age.
By 1999 Varone was ready to play juniors and was signed by the Vaughan Vipers of the OPJHL. The next couple of seasons saw him playing for the Bramalea Blues. He was signed to a two-year deal after that to play for the Georgetown Raiders but was traded late in the second season to the Newmarket Hurricanes.
But it was with Newmarket that he drew the attention of both professional and college scouts. Professional scouts felt that - although he was talented - he was too raw for the professional game and he went undrafted out of Newmarket. College scouts were leery about his height, a reported 5'9" in skates and there was some doubt about whether he was that tall. But head coach Ed Gosek liked what he saw and wooed Varone to committ to Oswego. Varone thought that he could still play professionally and turned Gosek down, opting to play a year in a semi-pro league. When that did not lead to a contract he reached out to Gosek once again, and the Lakers Coach told him that there was still a spot open for him on the team.
He came to Oswego in Fall '05 and settled in on the team, tallying 15 points in his freshman year. He followed that up with six points his sophomore year.
He was expelled following a disciplinary hearing after the end of the 2007 playoff campaign (a year in which the Lalers won the Frozen Four) and he left college for good, with only two years completed and no degree to speak of. He returned to Ontario and joined a semi-pro league the next season. But his two years in college served him well, as he once again drew the attention of professional scouts and was signed to a contract by the independent Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL.
He scored an impressive 55 points in his first year as the center for the Komets. He returned to Fort Wayne the next season, but was released after scoring 14 points in 23 games. He was picked up late in the season by the Bloomington PrairieThunder and managed to tally another 20 points with them. He returned to the PraireThunder, now of the CHL, the next season but was released after tallying two points in one game. He opted to retire and return to semi-pro hockey in Canada where he works construction.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update
Whatever happened to Jocelyn Dubord?
The first question most people would ask at this point in time is who is Jocelyn Dubord? Well, Dubord was a forward who played for the SUNY Oswego Lakers from 2002 until 2006, when he graduated. He was born in LaChenaie, Province of Quebec on January 12, 1981. He stood an impressive 6'1" and weighed 200 pounds and shot left-handed.
Dubord was one of the last of a dying breed for the Lakers: He never played in juniors. After a couple of years of playing on the semi-pro circuit in Quebec Dubord got tired of pointless bus rides and high expenditures and gave up his dream of playing professional hockey in favor of an education.
And it was his education that brought him to Oswego, New York. When touring the campus a tour guide told him about the Division II/III hockey team present on the campus and told him - probably dishonestly - that he would have the opportunity to try out for the team. Dubord took the bait and opted to attend Oswego on the basis for the potential to continue playing hockey while getting an education. Like most other walk-on tryouts he was only given a token chance to play by head coach Ed Gosek, but Dubord caught Gosek's eye and in a surprising move was kept on the team. And for good reason: He had 37 points in his freshman year with the team. Not bad for a kid who couldn't get a spot on the juniors circuit in Canada. He had another 29 points his sophomore year, 38 points his junior year, and a career-high 43 points his senior year.
Dubord went undrafted out of college and attended several tryout camps but was not offered a professional contract. He returned to Quebec and took a job teaching in a junior high school and resumed playing in the semi-pro circuit. And it was there, ironically in the same semi-pro league that he had begun his adult career in, that he was finally noticed by a scout and was offered a tryout in front of several independent minor league teams. He signed a contract with the independent Odessa Jackalopes of the CHL and tallied 13 points in 37 games with the club.
He tired of the long bus rides and low pay near the end of the season and retired from professional hockey. He lives in Quebec and teaches junior high school English classes and still plays in a semi-pro league.
The first question most people would ask at this point in time is who is Jocelyn Dubord? Well, Dubord was a forward who played for the SUNY Oswego Lakers from 2002 until 2006, when he graduated. He was born in LaChenaie, Province of Quebec on January 12, 1981. He stood an impressive 6'1" and weighed 200 pounds and shot left-handed.
Dubord was one of the last of a dying breed for the Lakers: He never played in juniors. After a couple of years of playing on the semi-pro circuit in Quebec Dubord got tired of pointless bus rides and high expenditures and gave up his dream of playing professional hockey in favor of an education.
And it was his education that brought him to Oswego, New York. When touring the campus a tour guide told him about the Division II/III hockey team present on the campus and told him - probably dishonestly - that he would have the opportunity to try out for the team. Dubord took the bait and opted to attend Oswego on the basis for the potential to continue playing hockey while getting an education. Like most other walk-on tryouts he was only given a token chance to play by head coach Ed Gosek, but Dubord caught Gosek's eye and in a surprising move was kept on the team. And for good reason: He had 37 points in his freshman year with the team. Not bad for a kid who couldn't get a spot on the juniors circuit in Canada. He had another 29 points his sophomore year, 38 points his junior year, and a career-high 43 points his senior year.
Dubord went undrafted out of college and attended several tryout camps but was not offered a professional contract. He returned to Quebec and took a job teaching in a junior high school and resumed playing in the semi-pro circuit. And it was there, ironically in the same semi-pro league that he had begun his adult career in, that he was finally noticed by a scout and was offered a tryout in front of several independent minor league teams. He signed a contract with the independent Odessa Jackalopes of the CHL and tallied 13 points in 37 games with the club.
He tired of the long bus rides and low pay near the end of the season and retired from professional hockey. He lives in Quebec and teaches junior high school English classes and still plays in a semi-pro league.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Lakers win, tie on Toughest road trip of Year
The Oswego State Lakers skated to a tie against Plattsburgh and a win against Potsdam this past weekend in men's ice hockey action. Both games were on the road and this tough trip probably ranks as their toughest one of the season.
The Lakers beat the Bears last night at Maxcy Hall in Potsdam by a score of 6-4. This game was a lot closer than it probably should have been with the Lakers having a rough defensive game, but it was still an easy win for Oz, who enjoyed a two-goal advantage for the majority of the game.
The scoring was started by Jon Whitelaw early in the first period on assists by Paul Rodrigues and Luke Moodie. Taylor Farris then found the net on an assist by Chris Ayotte less than three minutes later. A little over two minutes after that Trevor Cope got the Bears on the board on a power play goal with assists from Adam Place and Erick Ware. The Lakers scored one more time late in the third on a power play goal by Eli Kim-Swallow with assists by Whitelaw and Moodie. The first period ended with a 3-1 Oswego lead.
Max Fogel scored a four-on-four goal late in the second to start the scoring in that period with assists from Kenny Simon and Matt Viola. Cope found the net again four minutes after that with assists from Sy Nutkevitch and Dan McCamey. This tied the game at 3-3, and Lakers Coach Ed Gosek opted to yank Dan Jones from the game and replace him with the resting Andrew Hare. Tyler Leimbrock scored an unassisted goal a couple of minutes later to regain the lead for the Lakers. The second period ended with a 4-3 Oswego lead, but Potsdam won the period 2-1.
Leimbrock scored late in the third period to give Oswego a two-goal advantage again, with assists from Ian Boots and Kim-Swallow. This proved to be the game-winner, although Ware found the net for the Bears on a Power Player a minute later with assists from Nutkevitch and Mike Arnold to make this game close once again. But the Lakers scored one more time with less than a minute to go on an open-netter to seal the deal, with Chris Muise scoring on assists by Andrew Mather and David Titanic.
The game in Plattsburgh was a different story. Whitelaw got the scoring started for the Lakers early in the first period on assists by Rodrigues and Moodie. This proved to be the only scoring in the period and Oswego won the first by a score of 1-0.
Paul Puglisi got the scoring started on an unassisted goal very early in the second period to knot the game up at 1-1. Ayotte found the net five minutes later on assists by Matt Singleton and Titanic to regain the lead for the Lakers at 2-1. But Alex Jensen scored for the Cardinals a minute later on an assist from Patrick Jobb to tie the game once again at 2-2. The second period ended with the game tied, although Platty won the period 2-1.
The third period was one of the most exciting full periods the Lakers have played witness to this season, as both teams played their hearts out trying to put this game away. It was a period for the goaltenders, though, as this game remain tied and went into overtime.
The five minute overtime period was even more exciting than the third, with sudden death spelling victory for one team and doom for the other. But the goalies reigned supreme again as the period ended scoreless and the game ended in a tie.
Notes:
The Lakers beat the Bears last night at Maxcy Hall in Potsdam by a score of 6-4. This game was a lot closer than it probably should have been with the Lakers having a rough defensive game, but it was still an easy win for Oz, who enjoyed a two-goal advantage for the majority of the game.
The scoring was started by Jon Whitelaw early in the first period on assists by Paul Rodrigues and Luke Moodie. Taylor Farris then found the net on an assist by Chris Ayotte less than three minutes later. A little over two minutes after that Trevor Cope got the Bears on the board on a power play goal with assists from Adam Place and Erick Ware. The Lakers scored one more time late in the third on a power play goal by Eli Kim-Swallow with assists by Whitelaw and Moodie. The first period ended with a 3-1 Oswego lead.
Max Fogel scored a four-on-four goal late in the second to start the scoring in that period with assists from Kenny Simon and Matt Viola. Cope found the net again four minutes after that with assists from Sy Nutkevitch and Dan McCamey. This tied the game at 3-3, and Lakers Coach Ed Gosek opted to yank Dan Jones from the game and replace him with the resting Andrew Hare. Tyler Leimbrock scored an unassisted goal a couple of minutes later to regain the lead for the Lakers. The second period ended with a 4-3 Oswego lead, but Potsdam won the period 2-1.
Leimbrock scored late in the third period to give Oswego a two-goal advantage again, with assists from Ian Boots and Kim-Swallow. This proved to be the game-winner, although Ware found the net for the Bears on a Power Player a minute later with assists from Nutkevitch and Mike Arnold to make this game close once again. But the Lakers scored one more time with less than a minute to go on an open-netter to seal the deal, with Chris Muise scoring on assists by Andrew Mather and David Titanic.
The game in Plattsburgh was a different story. Whitelaw got the scoring started for the Lakers early in the first period on assists by Rodrigues and Moodie. This proved to be the only scoring in the period and Oswego won the first by a score of 1-0.
Paul Puglisi got the scoring started on an unassisted goal very early in the second period to knot the game up at 1-1. Ayotte found the net five minutes later on assists by Matt Singleton and Titanic to regain the lead for the Lakers at 2-1. But Alex Jensen scored for the Cardinals a minute later on an assist from Patrick Jobb to tie the game once again at 2-2. The second period ended with the game tied, although Platty won the period 2-1.
The third period was one of the most exciting full periods the Lakers have played witness to this season, as both teams played their hearts out trying to put this game away. It was a period for the goaltenders, though, as this game remain tied and went into overtime.
The five minute overtime period was even more exciting than the third, with sudden death spelling victory for one team and doom for the other. But the goalies reigned supreme again as the period ended scoreless and the game ended in a tie.
Notes:
- There were 2,288 people at the Stafford Ice Arena for Friday's game, not exactly Campus Center numbers but a good crowd for Platty and a much better crowd than the 213 who turned out to watch the game in Potsdam on Saturday.
- Bob Emery brought in the best officials in D-III for Friday night's game, probably the only reason to enjoy watching a game with Emery in Plattsburgh. The four were Drew White, John Everett, Adam Wood, and Larry Legault. The game in Potsdam featured a more pedestrian crew of Mike Jones, Will O'Malley, Wood, and Travis Hanson.
- Speaking of Emery, the Bears got burned late in the third on a "Bob Emery Special" (open-net goal) to drill the nail in the coffin on Saturday.
- The Platty game is always intense for both sides in both arenas, but despite the intensity the game was played very cleanly both ways, with the whistle only being blown three times, all on two-minute penalties. The aggressive Lakers only sent one player to the box. Neither team recorded a power play goal.
- The goaltending was spectacular in Plattsburgh. Hare made 35 saves and only allowed two goals to score. His save percentage for the game was 94.59 %. Platty's Matthieu Cadieux saved 34 of 36.
- The Platty game was probably the most evenly-matched game of hockey in the SUNYAC in recent memory, with the game ending in a tie and being close to even in almost every category. The Cardinals out-shot the Lakers 37-36.
- By contrast, the Lakers out-shot the Bears 53-27, nearly doubling the output by Potsdam.
- The Bears made the most of their shots though, getting four into the net.
- The goalie problem in Oswego continues and the presence of Paul Beckwith is still sorely missed. Although Hare stepped up big against Platty, he clearly doesn't have the full confidence of Gosek. Jones was given the start in place of Hare against the lowly Bears on Saturday. Hare probably would have benefited from a day off after a rigorous game against Platty and Potsdam usually is a pushover. But Jones played terribly, allowing a fifth of the shots against him into the net and Hare was forced into action. This is the fourth time in four years that Beckwith has been replaced by a backup due to injury or illness. Chris Hyk was an abysmal failure and Tim Potter was passable in 2008-2009. Kyle Gunn-Taylor played very well in 2009-2010 and led the Lakers to the Frozen Four. And now we have had Hare and Jones for parts of the past two seasons. Lakers fans have already had to endure images of Tyler Laws and Joe Hall dressed in goalie garb during Beckwith's much-maligned tenure, and things haven't gotten a whole lot better with Jones getting serious playing time this season, although he generally plays well. All-in-all though, there's a reason he's a third-string goalie.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Oswego to Face Fredonia in SUNYAC Playoffs
Top seeded Oswego will host the Fredonia State Blue Devils Saturday night at the Campus Center Ice Arena in the SUNYAC semi-final playoff round. Fredonia, the sixth seed upset Buffalo State 3-2 Wednesday to move on in the tournament. Oswego defeated Fredonia in both regular season match ups, 3-0 at home and 5-4 in OT on the road. Saturday's game should be another exciting one. (4) Plattsburgh will visit (3) Geneseo in the other SUNYAC semi-final on Saturday after elminating Morrisville 4-3 in overtime Wednesday night.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
SUNYAC Hockey Playoff Bracket
Oswego will face the lowest remaining seed at the Campus Center on Saturday Feb. 26th at 7pm.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Wake Up SUNYAC Officials
For the past two weeks I have witnessed some of the worst officiating in my four plus years covering Oswego State Laker Hockey. This past weekend vs. Morrisville we had Mike Jones and Mike St. Louis to thank. Oswego was sent to the box 5 times for 21 minutes. I guess being bigger than your opponent and hitting too hard now warrants a penalty. Especially in the case of Dan Bremner, when a massive hit earned him a five minute major and an ejection. When Morrisville wasn’t crying to the refs they took pleasure in blowing kisses to the Oswego faithful. However, in the end the beat us straight up so I don’t blame the loss on officiating.
Two weeks ago I travelled to down to Cortland and witnessed a thrilling Laker comeback. But up until 16:52 in the third, ref’s Will O’Malley and John Everett had most of my attention/verbal abuse. O’Malley and Everett may be the worst SUNYAC crew I’ve seen this season. Maybe they deserve an award, I’ll remember that for when we issue LeRoy’s post season hockey awards. O’Malley and I have a bit of history together which makes for an entertaining story.
Here goes:
Once upon a time, a few seasons ago I attended a house party in the land of Oz. The party was thrown by an associate of referee (at that time linesmen) Will O’Malley. O’Malley happened to be working a game in Oswego that night so he stopped over to have a few “apple juices”. This seemed odd to me because he was at least 20 years older than everyone else at the party. One too many “apple juices” later things started to get sloppy. This was followed by several games of “water pong” and several sexual advances at 18-20 year old college girls. After considerable rejection his night ended with a face full of Zonies (sounds a lot like our contributor Pete). Watching all of this take place was a source of hilarious entertainment that is still brought up today for those who were witnesses. I figured it would be entertaining to share with the class, hope you enjoyed it.
Note to SUNYAC officials, swallow your whistles, let our boys play.
Note to SUNYAC officials, swallow your whistles, let our boys play.
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