OSWEGO, N.Y. – For the 24th time in program history and for the first time since 2016-17, the sixth-ranked and second-seeded Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team can call itself the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) champion, as the Cardinals edged 11th-ranked and top-seeded Oswego State, 2-1, in the championship game of the SUNYAC Tournament on Saturday evening at the Deborah F. Stanley Arena. With the victory, Plattsburgh State earns the SUNYAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
 
Plattsburgh State is ranked at No. 6 in the DCU/USCHO.com Men's Division III Top-15 Poll, while Oswego is ranked at No. 11.
 
First-year goaltender Eli Shiller (Toronto, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) was named the Tournament MVP and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by sophomore defenseman Jack Ring (Hingham, Mass./Northeast Generals), junior forward Carson Gallagher (Courtice, Ontario/Sacred Heart University) and junior forward Bennett Stockdale (Ottawa, Ontario/University of Alabama in Huntsville) of Plattsburgh State and senior defenseman Quinn Warmuth and senior forward Tommy Cahill of Oswego.
 
The Lakers finished with a 27-20 edge in shots on goal, while both teams were scoreless on the power play, with Plattsburgh State going 0-for-3 and Oswego going 0-for-4.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 20-5-2 overall with the win, while Oswego falls to 17-9-1 overall with the loss. The full bracket for the NCAA Division III Tournament will be announced via a selection show on Monday, March 6, at 10 a.m. on www.ncaa.com.
 
Senior forward Adam Tretowicz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) gave the Cardinals an early lead when he scored 1:45 into the game. Tretowicz forced a turnover in the left corner before scoring short side on the back hand on the inside edge of the left face-off circle.
 
After Oswego finished the first period with a 6-5 edge in shots, Plattsburgh State owned a 7-6 advantage in the second period.
 
The two teams continued to battle with both goalies continuing to stand tall before Gallagher scored an important insurance goal at 16:11 of the third period. Junior forward Trey Thomas (Williams Lake, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits) sent a stretch pass forward to help spring Stockdale and Gallagher forward in an odd-man rush. Stockdale received the pass on the right wing and centered a feed to Gallagher in the high slot, and Gallagher one-timed a shot through the five-hole.
 
Oswego pulled its goalie in favor of the extra attacker with 1:52 left following a timeout, and the Lakers cashed in with 52.9 seconds left in regulation to cut the deficit to one. Cahill won a puck battle in the right circle before skating out into the high slot and scoring on a shot that went in over Shiller's blocker-side shoulder. Senior forward Alex DiCarlo earned an assist on the score.
 
The Lakers had to wait nearly 30 seconds to pull first-year goaltender Cal Schell again, as an icing call brought the puck down to the Cardinals' end. Shiller made two more saves, including one right before the final horn, to complete the SUNYAC-title-clinching victory for Plattsburgh State.
 
Shiller made 26 saves in the win for the Cardinals, while Schell turned aside 18 shots in the loss for the Lakers.