FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia State visits Oswego on Wednesday in the first round of the SUNYAC men's hockey tournament. Game time is 7 p.m.
It'll be the third post-season meeting between the teams in the past four years, all at the Oswego Campus Center Ice Arena. The Blue Devils pulled an upset there in 2011. Going back ever further, Fredonia State also defeated the Lakers in Oswego in 2007, the second of three straight road wins resulting in a SUNYAC championship.
The teams met twice already this year -- each winning on enemy ice. Fredonia State was a 3-2 overtime winner on Nov. 1. Oswego gained revenge with a 5-1 win Jan. 24 at Steele Hall.Â
The January loss came during a stretch in which the Blue Devils earned at least one point in 9 of 11 games (5-2-4).
"All year I have been a believer," Blue Devil head coach
Jeff Meredith said, "that the most important thing in our season is the 'process' by which we do things. Keep the process intact and most times the results take care of themselves. I think that has been a big thing for us this second semester in getting our season going in the right direction."
Currently ranked No. 12 in NCAA Division III by USCHO.com, Oswego is led offensively by freshman Matt Galati, whose 20 goals is tied for the D-III lead. In addition, the Lakers are No. 6 in team offense and No. 4 in power-play proficiency.
Said Meredith: "As always, Oswego is an explosive team so we need to make sure that we are tight defensively and don't give them anything for free (and) make them earn everything. Special teams will also be important. Oswego has one of the leading scorers in the country so we have to make sure that we don't spend much time in the box. ... Obviously with our OT win there in the beginning of the season, and some of our past playoff success in that building, we are excited to go play. All year we have been talking about playing hot at the right time of the year and now it's time."
