SYRACUSE N.Y. - Syracuse Men's Hockey (6-5-1) swept Oswego State University (4-5-1) in a home-and-home conference series, shutting out the Lakers 3-0 in Oswego on Thursday before returning home for a 4-1 victory Friday.

In Game One, the teams battled through a scoreless opening frame, with Syracuse dominating offensive zone time and outshooting Oswego 10-6. Sophomore goaltender Cash Lawrence was strong in net, stopping all shots he faced as the Orange killed off an early holding penalty. A tripping call with 21 seconds remaining put the Lakers back on the powerplay heading into the second period.

Syracuse opened the second period shorthanded, successfully killing off the remainder of Oswego's powerplay. The Orange's penalty kill was tested again shortly afterward when a slashing call gave the Lakers another opportunity with the man advantage.

Lawrence and Syracuse's defense held firm, preventing Oswego from breaking the scoreless tie. A hooking penalty against the Lakers eventually brought the teams to four-on-four play, easing the pressure on the Orange and giving Syracuse more room to generate offense.

The game grew more physical as the second period progressed, with a hard hit by Oswego drawing a delayed penalty call. Syracuse kept possession as play continued, using the opportunity to pressure the Lakers' defense. Before the whistle could stop play, junior forward Tanner Cole found the back of the net at 7:52 to give the Orange a 1-0 lead.

The Orange earned another powerplay opportunity just 27 seconds later following an Oswego interference penalty but were unable to extend their lead. 

Syracuse finished the middle frame with a 13-5 advantage in shots, while Lawrence turned aside all five attempts he faced to keep the Lakers scoreless heading into the third.

Syracuse entered the third period with a one-goal lead and earned a powerplay following an Oswego tripping penalty at 3:08. Although the Orange did not convert, they kept up the pressure, outshooting the Lakers 14-10 in the final frame.

"Going into the third period, I wasn't really thinking about anything aside from making the next save," Lawrence said. "I trusted my team and knew that even if they tied it up, we were more than capable of finding a way to win."

The Orange broke through at the midway point in the third when sophomore defenseman Jack Duffy sent a stretch pass to sophomore forward alternate captain Ben Brant, who dropped the puck back for Jacob Roberts. The freshman forward finished the play for his third goal of the season, extending Syracuse's lead to 2-0.

With just under six minutes to play, freshman forward Jackson Kimelman intercepted an Oswego pass at center ice. Kimelman capitalized on the turnover for his third goal of the season, an unassisted tally that gave the Orange a three-goal lead heading into the final six minutes.

Lawrence remained strong through the final minutes, turning aside all 10 shots he faced in the period to complete a 21-save shutout, the first in his collegiate career. The Orange finished with a 37-21 edge in shots to secure the 3-0 road victory.

"It meant a lot to get my first shutout with the team. It's been a culmination of hard work and trust," said Lawrence. "It''s just amazing to see how it can all come together for a moment like that."

Syracuse carried its momentum into Friday's home matchup, defeating Oswego 4-1 to complete the weekend sweep and extend its winning streak to five games.

The Orange came out strong in the opening period, generating several early scoring opportunities. Kimelman quickly set up Cole for a deflected shot, while junior forward Jack McCormick had a couple chances turned aside by the Oswego goaltender.

Syracuse eventually broke through at the 10:22 mark when Kimelman capitalized on a two-on-one rush, finding the back of the net to give the Orange a 1-0 lead. Oswego responded with a two-on-one opportunity of its own but was unable to convert.

The Orange finished the opening frame with a 14-9 advantage in shots, carrying its one-goal lead into the first intermission.

Kimelman, who scored in both games of the series and has had a hot start to his freshman campaign, reflected on his early contributions to Syracuse's offense and credited his teammates for their shared success.

"It means a lot. I'm lucky enough to play with some great players," Kimelman said. "Those wins took everyone this weekend and it's great to see the guys come together."

Syracuse continued generating offensive chances in the second period, earning an early powerplay following an Oswego cross-checking penalty. Despite sustained pressure from the Orange, the Lakers successfully killed off the penalty to keep the deficit at one. 

Oswego eventually gained momentum late in the period when a penalty against Syracuse gave the Lakers a powerplay opportunity. A second penalty against the Orange put Oswego on a five-on-three advantage, giving the visitors an opportunity to even the score.

The Lakers capitalized and found the back of the net with 2:06 remaining in the period, tying the game at one.

However, Syracuse responded quickly. With just 56.4 seconds remaining in the second period, Hamilton Nordwind scored to restore the Orange's lead at 2-1 heading into the final frame.

Despite allowing the tying goal, Syracuse maintained its offensive pressure throughout the period, holding a 24-19 advantage in shots through the first 40 minutes.

Oswego earned another powerplay opportunity early in the third period after SU was called for hooking. However, Syracuse's penalty kill held firm, preventing the Lakers from tying the game for a second time.

Sophomore goaltender Cash Lawrence continued his strong weekend performance, making multiple key saves throughout the period to preserve the Orange's one-goal advantage.

Syracuse earned another powerplay opportunity later in the period as it looked to extend its lead and put the game out of reach.

With 3:17 remaining, junior forward Bradley Parker found the back of the net to give Syracuse a 3-1 lead. Kimelman and Cole recorded assists on the goal, providing the Orange with some breathing room in the final minutes.

Syracuse was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following the goal, giving Oswego another opportunity with the man advantage. However, Syracuse's defense held firm and prevented the Lakers from cutting into the deficit.

As Oswego pushed for a late comeback, Eli Pendergrass sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with 1:10 remaining, extending Syracuse's lead to 4-1.

The Orange closed it out to complete the weekend sweep, outscoring the Lakers 7-1 across the two games. The Orange also did not allow a 5 on 5 goal against - the only Oswego tally coming on a powerplay in game 2. Kimelman played a key role in both victories, scoring in each contest and adding an assist Friday.

Despite facing pressure from Oswego throughout the series, Syracuse continued to find ways to respond, extending its winning streak to five games. Kimelman credited the team's ability to overcome challenges as a major factor in its recent success.

"The past five games have been huge for our team," Kimelman said. "We keep finding ways to win even when having to face some adversity. We hope to take this momentum into next weekend where we have a good challenge in front of us."

Syracuse will host the University of Pittsburgh next weekend at the Tennity Ice Pavilion The series will kick off with Koozie Night on Friday at 6:00pm. The first 250 fans will receive a free koozie at the door and enjoy giveaways throughout the evening courtesy of the Orange Crate. On Saturday, the series will continue at 2pm for Adaptive Sports Day. The Orange will scrimmage the CNY Flyers sled hockey team following Saturday afternoon's contest.

The Orange are red-hot, and aiming to extend their winning streak as they turn the calendar into November. 

All home games are held at the Tennity Ice Pavilion on Syracuse University's campus and are free for students and the general public. Home games are also streamed live on the SU Hockey Network.