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The nationally-ranked Oswego State men's ice hockey team opened 2018 and the PathFinder Bank Hockey Classic with a 4-1 win over Skidmore College (1-12-1) on Friday night in the Marano Campus Center Arena. With the victory, No. 4 Oswego improves to 10-2-1 on the year and advances to Saturday's title game, scheduled for 7 p.m.
Manhattanville College and the Lakers will face off in the championship bout as the Valiants won over No. 7 Hobart College in the day's first game. Hobart and Manhattanville tied 3-3 after one overtime period and the Valiants moved on with a 1-0 triumph in a best of three shootout. It will be just the fourth matchup of the two programs and the first since the 2001-02 season. The Lakers hold the all-time series record 2-1-0 over the Valiants.
Oswego came out of the gates hot on Friday, scoring less than five minutes into the contest. Cameron Berry was able to beat the Thoroughbred goalie at 4:56 of the first off passes from Mitch Herlihey and Carter Allen. It was the assistant captain's seventh goal of the campaign.
Later in the first, AJ D'Orazio cashed in his second of the year on a backhand rebound attempt at 9:43. Tyson Bruce through a puck across the crease to Jody Sullivan, who tried to stuff the puck past the goaltender. After the goalie was unable to retain the save, D'Orazio swooped in and lifted the chance over the glove and into the back of the net.
David Richer stood on his head in the first 20 minutes, stopping 13 Skidmore on-goal attempts, including a few challenging beauties. In the second, the sophomore faced five shots and allowed the Thoroughbreds only tally, through no fault of his own. He stopped another nine shots in the third to ice the game and help send Oswego to the championship with 26 saves.
Josh Zizek came alive in the final period, scoring an unassisted goal for insurance at 10:10 before assisting on the Lakers' fourth goal as the final seconds waned. Tanner Spink was the recipient of the final Zizek pass, scoring on an empty net as Skidmore had pulled its goalie for an extra skater in the final minute.
Both penalty kill units were superb, stopping each other's power-play squads on three opportunities. Oswego won the battle in the faceoff circle, 29-25.
