LSSU looks to Capitalize on struggling Ohio State

The Lake Superior State University (4-3-3, 3-3-2 CCHA) hockey team will travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on the slumping Ohio State Buckeyes (2-5-1, 1-4-1 CCHA) Hockey team at the Value City Arena this weekend. Lake Superior is coming off a split this past weekend against Miami who had swept Ohio State the previous weekend. Ohio State who was idle over the weekend is set to play Michigan State on Tuesday evening. Ohio State, picked to finish first in the CCHA in both the preseason media and coaches polls, has started the season with a series of disappointing performances. The buckeyes have been averaging 2.50 goals per game this season while giving up 3.00 goals per game. Ohio State's penalty play is ranked 9th in the CCHA with a .143 Power Play Percentage, while their penalty kill is also ranked 9th in the CCHA with a .783 penalty kill percentage. Ohio State has also surrendered 2 short handed goals on the season, while tallying 2 themselves. LSSU went 0-10 on the power play against Miami, recording only 7 shots. LSSU conversely surrendered 1 goal on 8 opportunities to Miami. The Lakers are currently seventh in the CCHA in penalty killing with a giving up 9 goals in 10 games with a kill rating of .827. LSSU’s power play is currently ranked 8th in the CCHA with a .182 power play percentage. Ohio State is looking to get their season pointed in the right direction with their first home stand of the season. LSSU leads the all-time series against Ohio State, 65-47-9, including a slim 26-24-5 lead in Columbus. The Lakers have struggled mightily as of late against the Buckeyes, going 2-14-2, in a streak going back to 1998. Previous to this losing steak the Lakers had gone on a 5 year streak where they went 19-0-3. Last season the Lakers fell to the Buckeyes 3-1, and 3-2 in overtime. This is the only scheduled meeting of the two teams this season. LSSU goaltender Jeff Jakaitis is currently ranked second in the CCHA with a 1.97 GAA, and sixth in the CCHA with a .915 SV%. LSSU is offensively lead by Jeff Rainville who has 3 goals and eight points, and Trent Campbell who has 4 goals and 7 points on the season. Ohio State is led offensively by sophomore Tom Fritsche who has 2 goals and 7 points in 8 games this year, after finishing last year 11-34-45. Andrew Schembr and Rod Pelley round out the top three of OSU’s scoring leaders this year. Pelley and Fritsche each had over 40 points last season and Schembr had 23 points. Rod Pelley has both of the Buckeyes' game winning goals this season. He now has 42 career goals, including six winners. Senior Dave Caruso has handled the majority of the goaltending duties for the Buckeyes this season recording a 2.41 GAA (9th in the CCHA), and .890 SV% (11th in the CCHA), posting a record of 2-4-1.