Lakers make it four in a row

The Lake Superior State hockey team succeeded in its goal of sweeping its four-game homestand by polishing off this weekend's series with 16th-ranked Alaska Fairbanks with a 3-2 victory. The Lakers twice came back from one-goal deficits to win the game and improve to 8-5-3 overall and 5-5-2 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. They moved up to at least a tie for fourth place in the league. They also improved to 4-3-1 against ranked opponents this season. After a scoreless first period, UAF (6-6-2 overall, 4-5-1 CCHA) took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Kyle Jones at 13:21 of the second period. LSSU's Colin Nicholson tied it with an unassisted goal at 17:57. The Nanooks regained the one-goal edge on Kyle Greentree's 5-on-3 power-play goal at 4:15 of the third period. The Lakers killed off the remaining 1:44 of the second penalty and dominated the rest of the third period. Troy Schwab tied it 2-2 at 6:24, and Nathan Ward scored the game-winner at 9:54 during a three-man rush that included Trent Campbell and Marty Gurnoe. Ward and Campbell also assisted on Schwab's goal. UAF pulled goaltender Chad Johnson in favor of an extra attacker with 1:07 to go, but LSSU secured the win when the Nanooks picked up a penalty with 17 seconds left. The Lakers out-shot UAF 13-5 in the third period and 22-20 for the game. LSSU goaltender Jeff Jakaitis improved his record to 7-5-3. LSSU was 1-for-9 on the power play, while UAF finished 2-for-7. The Lakers play their next seven games on the road, beginning with a non-conference series Dec. 9-10 in Bemidji, Minn., against old-time rival Bemidji State.