Lakers Top Broncos to Start Second Half of CCHA Action

Six different players scored goals for the 19th-ranked Lake Superior State hockey team, which beat Western Michigan 6-1 on Friday in its first Central Collegiate Hockey Association game of 2006. The Lakers (11-6-4 overall, 7-6-2 CCHA) improved their regular-season series record against WMU (4-12-3 overall, 4-7-2 CCHA) to 3-0. It is the first time they have beaten an opponent at least three times in a season since taking three of four games against Northern Michigan during the 1999-00 season LSSU also enjoyed its highest goal output in a CCHA home game since posting a 6-2 victory over Alaska Fairbanks on Nov. 12, 2004. Senior Mike Adamek broke a 1-1 tie with a short-handed unassisted goal at 11:38 of the second period and ignited a Laker surge. A Bronco player deflected Laker defenseman Kory Scoran's clearing pass from the corner to Adamek, who took off on a 2-on-1 break-away with Josh Sim. Adamek faced the pass and beat WMU starting goaltender Daniel Bellissimo. Derek R. Smith scored 2:13 later to make it 3-1, and Troy Schwab, Dan Eves and Dominic Osman added goals in the third period. LSSU led 1-0 on a power-play goal by Trent Campbell at 15:24 of a close first period. The Broncos out-shot the Lakers 12-11 in the opening period, and tied it 1-1 on a Mike Lesperance goal at 1:20 of the second period. The Lakers went on to out-shoot WMU 30-22 and finish 3-for-6 on the power play. Schwab and Eves also had power-play markers. LSSU goaltender Jeff Jakaitis stopped 21 of 22 Bronco shots, and the Laker defense held WMU scoreless on four power-play chances. Drawing assists for LSSU were Nathan Ward with two, and Derek R. Smith, Derek A. Smith, Schwab, Jeff Rainville, Eves, Osman and Campbell with one each. Bellissimo gave up five goals and totaled 21 saves through 42:32. He was replaced by Eric Marvin, who stopped three of four shots on goal. The Lakers and Broncos wrap up their series at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Taffy Abel Arena.