Top 5 Moments in Plattsburgh-Oswego Rivalry

The rivalry between the Plattsburgh State Cardinals and the Oswego State Lakers started in 1975. Plattsburgh does have the advantage in the all time series with a 68-32-4 record against Oswego. 

The fans have played a key roll in this rivalry. The Oswegonian's Mike Kraft had this to say about the rivalry between Oswego and Plattsburgh. "Each fan base has its own traditions, which date back to 1990 when the Cardinal Hockey Booster Club began a tradition of throwing hundreds of tennis balls onto the ice after the first Cardinal goal was scored against the visiting Lakers. The idea to throw tennis balls was due in large part to the color of the tennis balls matching the Lakers road uniforms at the time and that the head coach of the Lakers was Don Unger, who was also the school’s tennis coach. The Lakers countered the tennis ball throwing with bagel throwing in 1998 after the Lakers shut out the Cardinals in Plattsburgh, denying fans the opportunity to throw the tennis balls. The idea behind bagels was that it was to signify that the Cardinals had zero on the scoreboard. When the Lakers retired their bright yellow road jerseys, Cardinals fans began throwing red tennis balls onto the ice, representing the team’s colors." The bagels would be stopped being thrown during the 2006-2007 season when the Lakers moved from the historic Romney Fieldhouse to the Campus Center Ice Arena.

These two teams will meet up this weekend in Oswego at the Campus Center and will make the trip up to Plattsburgh on Saturday February 16th at the Ronald B Stafford Ice Arena on the campus of SUNY Plattsburgh.

Below is my top five moments in this rivalry between two of the top teams in NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey.

Moment number 5: A 7-6 win on February 3, 2006 at Romney Fieldhouse - Coming back from trailing 3-0 and 4-2 to winning 7-6 on the game winning goal from Ryan Korseky. Ryan Woodward scored his 21st goal of the season and assisted on Koresky's winner. Woodward would finish with 23 goals and 24 assists.... last win for the Lakers versus Plattsburgh until the 2008-2009 season!






Moment number 4: Moment number 4 in the rivalry between Oswego State and Plattsburgh takes us to the Ronald B Stafford Ice Arena in Plattsburgh when the Lakers finally ended Plattsburgh's winning streak on Saturday November 7.2009. Eric Selleck and current Lakers Captain Jon "White Lightning" Whitelaw scored two goals each and Chris Laganiere scored what was the Game Winning Goal in Oswego's 5-2 win in enemy territory. 

Moment number 3: Moment number three takes us back to last season as the Lakers hosted the Cardinals to end the month of January. Oswego would have goals from Jesse McConney, Jon Whitelaw and Chris Ayotte. Plattsburgh would have 17 shots on net and Andrew Hare stopped them all to pick up the shutout for the first time at home since Carl Antifonario did it in 1998, setting off the famous "bagels getting thrown onto the ice after Oswego's first goal. The bagels stopped being thrown after the Lakers moved to the Campus Center from Romney Fieldhouse.

Moment number 2: Saturday November 6, 2010, an early season matchup between the Cards and the Lakers. Oswego would jump out to an early 2-0 lead with Luke Moodie and team Captain Andrew Mather getting the goals. Plattsburgh would score two goals in a span of 1:02 to tie the game at the end of the first period. Oswego would regain the lead as Tyler Leimbrock found the back of the net and Plattsburgh's Dylan Clarke would tie the game once again. Then fan favorite Ian Boots would walk right in and on his backhand beat Josh Leis to put Oswego back up by one with 97 seconds left in the game. To cap off the night, Plattsburgh's own Owen Kelly netted the empty net goal for the Lakers 5-3 win and keep the unbeaten streak alive for Oswego against Plattsburgh.

Moment number 1:   The Oswego State Lakers won their 19th game of the season the night prior of January 30th. To get the team's 20th victory of the season, they would have to fend off the Cardinals of Plattsburgh. The Lakers would score just 34 seconds into the game on a goal by Neil Musselwhite. The Cardinals would tie the game six minutes later. The Lakers would take the lead back for good on a Justin Fox tally. Jon Whitelaw would make it 3-1 Oswego early into the second period. Plattsburgh would score late in the third to make it interesting but Oswego held off Plattsburgh for their first win at home versus the Cardinals since February of 2006 at Romney Fieldhouse.

Who will win the first game in the latest installment of the Plattsburgh-Oswego rivalry. We will find out on Saturday night at the Campus Center. If you cannot be there in person, you can listen in to WNYO 88.9FM, watch the live stream courtesy of WTOP-TV 10.