Phone: (716) 673-3105
Fax: (716) 673-3135
Web: www.sunyac.com
Email: sunyac@netsync.net
For Immediate Release: March 6, 2004
Contact: Chris Gondek, SUNYAC Publicist
Cardinals
defeat Lakers twice in overtime in classic series
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - The much-anticipated showdown between
the top seeded Cardinals and the defending champion Lakers exceeded everyone's
expectations as the two rivals battled to overtime in both last night and
tonight's games with Plattsburgh emerging 4-3 and 3-2 to claim the 2004 SUNYAC
Championship. With the victories, the Cards claim their 17th conference title
and seventh in the last eight years. Tonight's game marked the fourth time
this season that an Oswego-Plattsburgh game has been separated by just one
goal.
Plattsburgh sophomore center Dave Friel (Mississauga, ONT/Streetsville
Derbys) clinched the title for Plattsburgh tonight with just 37 seconds
gone in the first overtime. Junior Conor McDonough (Burlington, ONT/Burlington
Cougars) assisted on the play. The goal was Friel's second the game and
24th of the year. Oswego took the lead early in the first period on a Tony
DuFour (Cap Rouge, QUE/Cowichan Valley) strike at the 7:13 mark. SUNYAC
Tournament Most Valuable Player Chad Kemp (Glencoe, ONT/Strathroy Rockets)
tied it for the Cards on the power-play with only 1:47 left in the opening
period to send both teams into the first intermission deadlocked at one. Friel
made it 2-1 with 15:28 gone in the second period but Oswego State senior Mike
Lukajic (Mississauga, ONT/Oakville Blades) drew the Lakers even at two
with only seven seconds left in the second period. The Cards were outplayed
in the period as the Lakers outshot them 20-10 but Plattsburgh goaltender
Craig Neilson (Markham, ONT/Ajax Axemen) came up big stopping 19 of
the 20 shots he faced. The two teams fought through a scoreless third period
before Friel's heroics in overtime provided the 3-2 margin.
Last night, junior Paul Kelly (West Peabody, MA/Boston College) was
the hero for Plattsburgh as he found the net with 3:39 gone in overtime for
a 4-3 win. The Cardinals, after leading 2-1 after the first period, found
themselves down 3-2 early in the second period and into the third after second-period
power-play goals from Lakers Ryan Woodward (Picton, ONT/Wellington Dukes)
and Rob Smith (Belleville, ONT/Wellington Dukes). Plattsburgh turned
it around in the third period outshooting the Lakers 12-4 in the period and
tying the game at three with Doug Carr's (Pickering, ONT/Pickering Panthers)
tally with 7:15 left in regulation. In overtime, the Cardinals got the only
three shots of the period, with Kelly putting the final one past Oswego senior
goaltender Tyson Gajda (Westfield, MA/Northwood Prep).
Plattsburgh (22-4-3) will find out their NCAA Tournament opponent Sunday evening.
The Lakers (19-9-3) will hope for one of the at-large bids in the nine-team
field.
2004 SUNYAC Ice Hockey All-Tournament Team
Paul Kelly, Plattsburgh
Ryan Woodward, Oswego
Mike Lukajic, Oswego
Doug Carr, Plattsburgh
Craig Neilson, Plattsburgh
Chad Kemp, Plattsburgh (MVP)
-end-