In the last few years, whenever and whereever Oswego and Geneseo get together, it draws standing room crowds, enthusiastic crowds that really get into the games. Little did they know that this time in the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena, the game would get into the crowd.
With 33 seconds left in the second period, a crushing check by Oswego’s C.J. Thompson next to the faceoff circle in Geneseo’s end caused not one but two panes of glass to shatter, sending thousands of tiny pieces into the laps of the fans.
The teams were sent to the locker rooms as the remaining time was to be played just before the third period. After approximately 30-minute delay, the game finally resumed, with the capacity crowd sticking around despite the home team trailing 2-0.
Oswego extended their lead, beating Geneseo, 5-0. The significance of that score meant that Ryan Scott broke the Oswego school record for most career shutouts with seven, breaking a tie with Tyson Gajda. He finished with 28 saves.
“He played very well,” Oswego coach Ed Gosek said. “He tracked the puck very well. He was out. He was challenging. He moved the puck well. That’s the way we need him to play. I thought he was sharp.”
Before the game, Geneseo coach Chris Schultz said, “They are a more offensive team than we are, so we have to make sure our defense is perfect and then capitalize on every grade A opportunity we have to score.”
Unfortunately for Schultz, not only did his team not capitalize on every grade A opportunity, but his goaltending was far from perfect as Oswego converted not only on their grade A opportunities, but their grade C opportunities.
The game started as everyone expected, with fast skating, end to end action, and some hard hits. Early on, Geneseo had two golden opportunities to score, including a rebound shot that missed an open net.
Instead, Oswego capitalized on an innocent looking play at 2:27. Despite holding the puck deep in Geneseo’s end to the left of Derek Jokic, Garren Reisweber didn’t have many options, so he flipped a shot on net that nudged just inside the far post.
“We’re playing well defensively and then a soft goal goes in,” Schultz said.
That goal inspired Oswego, and they notched another one halfway through the opening stanza. Again, it was more the case of taking what was given them than an extraordinary offensive play. Jokic was unable to cover a loose puck despite numerous attempts to do so and despite the puck being directly in front of him as he was on all fours. Eventually, C.J. Thompson shoved it into the net for a 2-0 lead.
“The pretty goals weren’t working,” Gosek said. “Just get the puck to the net, win the battles for the rebounds, and try to get the ugly garbage goals. We needed something to get us going.”
“We’re down 2-0 after two periods,” Schultz said. “All we needed was one break and we just didn’t get it tonight. It’s probably the best 5-0 loss we played.”
The action continued in the second period, but despite some good chances, neither team scored. Some of those chances included two short five-on-three power play opportunities, one for each team. In fact, neither team scored a power play goal all night.
Gosek was worried about the long delay going into the third period: “I was worried about it. Sometimes, after a delay like that, you lose your focus, you lose your intensity, but I thought both teams went up and down the ice okay.”
Schultz took the opportunity to try and turn the delay into a positive “Of course, I took the time to tell the guys this is the perfect time to change the momentum, take the first five minutes to take it to them and score a quick goal, but I thought Scott played a pretty good game.”
Geneseo had an opportunity early in the third to stage the comeback with a power play. Instead, they gave up their weakest goal of the game, a shorthander by Neil Musselwhite. Musselwhite raced down the left side and took a shot deep in the zone. A defender got his stick in the way, slowing it down. Jokic, while moving backwards, went down in a butterfly. Perhaps due to the change of speed, his timing was off, and somehow despite Jokic’s right leg on the ice, the puck sneaked underneath. A few seconds later, Schultz replaced Jokic with Jeff Pasemko.
“He’s shown up for a lot of big games,” Schultz said of his senior goaltender. “He knows what it takes to play in a big game. He’s human. He’s not going to be able to keep us in every game. After the two goals though, he did have some big saves.”
The change didn’t help. Brendan McLaughlin scored on a shot from the face off circle with the teams skating four aside. Sixteen seconds later, Reisweber scored a goal reminiscent of his national championship overtime winner. He skated around defenders, cut across the crease, and easily deposited the puck into the net for his second on the night.
Oswego (2-2-1, 2-1-0) travels up I-390 to face Brockport. The Ice Knights (3-4-0, 3-2-0) stay home to face Cortland.
