Re: Friday 1/21 Scores, Drop the puck
Just got back from the Oswego-Buffalo State game, a couple of preliminary thoughts:
-Oswego has to stop playing down to competition. This is not a knock against Buffalo State, but merely an observation of the Lakers' team. The Lakers dominated 55 minutes of the game, even on the penalty kill, but they really tried to make the perfect pass all game.
-I have to admit, Buffalo State's arena is really nice. I feel like that's the type of rink schools with not a ton of spectators each game should build; good sight lines, nice seating arrangement, and wide spaces in the hall to get around.
-Buffalo State's goalie is very very good. He's going to be quite the player over the next couple of years. Not only does he cut down the angle well, he also has great rebound control.
-The rest of the Buffalo State team just could not skate with the Lakers tonight. Midway through the 1st period you could see the Bengals just physically exhausted from the hitting and the back-checking. By the middle of the second, the Lakers realized that they were better in the corners and quicker from side to side in the defensive zone. They started putting 3 men in the neutral zone and playing the defensemen at the blue line, forcing Buff State to try and dump the puck, which they did not have the speed to do.
-The refs weren't bad, but towards the end of the game they started buying into some diving. Boots slashed (it was a slash) a Buff State player on the elbow and about two strides after that happened the player just acted like he was undercut by a car. Boots, by the way, has to stop taking dumb penalties.
-Beckwith looked great in net; the goal he was really hung out to dry by his defensemen.
-The crowd was predominantly Oswego fans. A lot of alums, parents, students, and former players. There were a couple of junior players in the crowd to watch presumably both teams. A couple of Canisius College hockey players and their coach were there.
-A pair of Buffalo State fans put up a Justin Bieber cutout with a Buffalo State hockey jersey on behind the Lakers' bench, uhh good, uhh intimidation?
-The collegehcky2's Prez puck bunny rating was an 8 tonight (woulda been a 10 had Buff State started classes). The Oswego women really brought it. A effort ladies.