OSWEGO, NY - The Cortland men's hockey team dropped a 3-0 decision at nationally sixth-ranked Oswego in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action on Saturday evening. Cortland moves to 7-7-1 (4-3-1 SUNYAC), while Oswego improves to 9-2-1 (6-1-0 SUNYAC).

Shane Shelest (Pointe-Claire, QC/Wellington Dukes) made 17 saves in goal for the Red Dragons and allowed just two goals. JC Humphreys (Canonsburg, PA/Rochester Jr. Americans) went 13-and-7 on faceoffs for Cortland.

Michael Manzi stopped 22 shots to earn the shutout for Oswego, the first time in 44 games since January 13, 2024 that the Red Dragons were shut out. Connor Gatto led the Lakers with a goal and an assist, while Justin Ryan and Tommy Bannister each recorded a goal for Oswego. 

The first period was scoreless, with the Lakers holding a slim 9-8 edge in shots on goal, but both goaltenders stopping all of the shots that they faced.

Early in the second period, Cortland went on the power play after an interference penalty on Oswego, but the Oswego defense was able to hold Cortland to just one shot on goal that Manzi saved.

A penalty for too many men on the ice to the Lakers gave the Red Dragons another opportunity on the power play just minutes later, but Oswego once against held Cortland off the board with the man advantage. 

Just before the midway point of the second frame, Oswego went on its only power play of the game after a tripping penalty on the Red Dragons, and Bannister was able to send a wrist shot through traffic in front of the Cortland goal past Shelest to give Oswego a 1-0 lead.

The game stayed 1-0 into the second intermission, with the Red Dragons holding a 17-13 edge in shots on goal. 

Ryan extended Oswego's lead to 2-0 with six minutes left in the third period, and the Lakers added an empty-net goal in the final minute of action for the 3-0 scoreline, despite Cortland outshooting Oswego by a 22-20 margin.