Question and answer with LSSU head coach Jim Roque

Special thanks to Lake Superior State University’s Hockey Head Coach for taking the time to complete the Q & A with LSSU Hockey.com. LSSUHockey.com: What where your general impressions on your first season as a head coach? Roque: The graduating seniors did a great job of allowing me to grow and never put me in any tough or bad situations. LSSUHockey.com: What is the one thing that you learned this season about being a head coach that surprised you the most? Roque: If the players feel you care about them, they will do anything you ask of them. LSSUHockey.com: Of the 12 seniors you lost this past spring who will the team miss most, and why? Roque: Colin Nicholson, unsung hero and quiet leader. He made a lot of clutch little plays. LSSUHockey.com: Trent Campbell and Troy Schwab really had breakout seasons last year who do you expect to have a breakout season next season? Roque: Jeff Rainville, Derek A. Smith, Josh Sim LSSUHockey.com: How disappointing was the last month of the season, and do you think the scheduling affected your team's performance in the playoffs? Roque: Very disappointing. I don't blame the schedule. I needed to give Jeff a night off but didn't. I also think that is the next step for the program to take - winning in late February and March LSSUHockey.com: What or who should Laker fans be most excited about for next season? Roque: I feel our skill level and skating will be better again next season. It will allow us to play up-tempo. LSSUHockey.com: What do the Lakers need to do to get past their current playoff slump, 1-18 in their last 19 games? Roque: Keep knocking on the door. It will open eventually. LSSUHockey.com: LSSU was 9-3-0 against sub .500 teams but where 6-9-7 against teams that where greater than .500, how do you take the next step up? Roque: Again, we need to keep improving and play better down the stretch. LSSUHockey.com: What are some of your thoughts on the roster you have assembled for next season? Roque: Better skill, better skating, not as big, leadership needs to surface right away. LSSUHockey.com: What should Laker fans expect to see from the incoming recruits? Roque: Patrick Inglis-Big goalie, athletic, will play some games Roque: Patrick Aubry- A lot like Colin Nicholson Roque: Mitch Edmondson - Raw, needs time to grow Roque: Jason Blain - Leadership, hard worker, honest player Roque: Matt Martello- Excellent skill - good offensive instincts Roque: Steve Kaunisto-Very good skill, local kid Roque: Nik Sellers- Good two way player - Jeff Rainville like Roque: John Scrymgeor -Excellent speed, hard working, aggressive, tenacious Roque: Simon Gysbers - Pro prospect, good size defenseman, skills Roque: Nathan Perkovich - New Jersey draft pick, big upside, late bloomer Roque: Michael George - Saskatchewan kid, Trent Campbell type Roque: Ryan Baird - Troy Schwab on Defense LSSUHockey.com: What should we expect to see with the goaltending situation for next season, do you expect Jakaitis to carry such a heavy load, or should we expect to see Inglis or Edmondson get some playing time this season? Roque: Pat Inglis will play and help Jeff Jakitis shoulder the load. Mitch will progress towards being a Division 1 goalie. LSSUHockey.com: What are the team's goals next season? Roque: Go to Joe Louis. LSSUHockey.com: LSSU looks to have a pretty touch schedule this season, being in arguably the toughest cluster in the CCHA, what are your impressions of the schedule? Roque: Hard to say, teams change all the time. Chemistry, players turning pro, but you are right. We are in a tough cluster. LSSUHockey.com: Bemidji State isn't on the schedule this season, after we where told to expect last season to expect this old rivalry to be rekindled, what happened? Roque: We are skipping one year and will be playing them in 07-08. We just could not find a weekend we both had open and we wanted to go the Badger Classic. LSSUHockey.com: Any personal thoughts on traveling back to Clarkson this season? Roque: We were supposed to play them this season but again we could not match up off weekends. Nothing personal. LSSUHockey.com: The home and Joe series, with the University of Michigan, this year is a Friday-Sunday match up, is there a reason for the change in days from the normal Thursday-Saturday? Roque: We have GLIAC basketball on Thursday this year at home and we did not want our fans to have to choose. LSSUHockey.com: We have several alumni that watch junior hockey games regularly, is there anything that they can do to assist you in your recruiting efforts? Roque: As alums, you must be careful because of NCAA rules. All you can do is send us names of good players. LSSUHockey.com: Any chance you can get Doug Weight to bring the Stanley Cup to the Taffy Abel Arena for a game? Roque: They only get the cup for one day in the summer and Doug will dedicate his day to his father.

Weight Makes it Back to Back Stanley Cups for LSSU Alumni

Lake Superior State University alumnus Doug Weight has become the fourth Laker to win the Stanley Cup, with the Carolina Hurricanes. Weight, from Warren Michigan, played at Lake Superior State from 1989-91, tallying 50 goals and 94 assists in 88 games. Weight has gone on to play 982 regular season games in the NHL scoring 239 goals and 646 assists for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, and the Carolina Hurricanes. Weight also amassed 92 playoff games scoring 23 goals to go with 48 assists. Weight suffered what is believed to be a 3rd degree shoulder separation in game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The injury forced him to miss games 6 and 7 of the series, but did not prevent him from hoisting the Stanley Cup. Weight graduated from Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods, Michigan in 1989 where he stared on the varsity hockey team. Weight chose to attend college in hockey mad Sault Ste Marie at Lake Superior State over other options such as the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, all of whom where trying to acquire Weight’s services. Weight’s has represented the United States 9 times in international play since 1991 scoring 10 goals and 39 assists. Weight participated in the 1998, 2002, and 2006 Olympics, but has been held goalless and has recorded only 6 assists in 14 games. Other former Lakers with their names on the Cup are Jim Dowd, Brian Rolston, and John Grahame. Photo courtesy of Reuters

2006-07 Schedule Finalized

LSSU finds them selves in the “Cluster of Death” for the 2006-07 season, they will play Northern Michigan, Miami University, and Ohio State 4 times each this season. The schedule looks pretty balanced for LSSU with 7 home games coming before Christmas and 10 home games coming after the Christmas break. Highlights of the season appear to be an exhibition game to be played at Pullar Stadium, why not the “Gem of the North” has open for over ten years, why not go back to the old barn to play. Rumor has it that the Lakers may wear throw back uniforms for the game. LSSU will be traveling to New York to take on Coach Roque’s old team at Clarkston; this should prove to be good series and possible future rivalry. The Golden Knights where 18-17-3 last season, but they only lost 2 seniors to graduation. Miami of Ohio will once again be coming to the Soo the weekend of Veterans Day. This should be a good weekend for out of town alumni to make a trek back to LSSU to see the Lakers take on the defending CCHA champions. The next weekend the Lakers take on Wayne State University, great news for Detroit area alumni, we should see the Lakers play a series against WSU in Detroit next season. The last time the Lakers played WSU was the first year of the Anzalone experiment, where we saw the Lakers fall in two games attended by mostly LSSU alumni and friends. The Lakers will be in Alaska for Thanksgiving this year, great to see that they won’t be playing in front of an empty home rink this year around. For anyone who actually cares about the Northern Michigan “rivalry” they will start the battle for the Cappo Cup with a home and home series on December 1 & 2, and finish up the season series with a home and home on February 2 and 3. Over the Christmas break the Lakers will play in the Badger Classic in Madison Wisconsin, they will open against Providence on December 29th and play either Wisconsin or Clarkson (again) the following night. The biggest challenge for the Lakers will be the one month stretch from January 19 thru February 18th. During this time they will open with a series in East Lansing followed by OSU in the Soo, then a home and home against NMU, then down to Oxford for a pair, followed by the home and Joe against Michigan. The home and Joe series will be on the 16th and 18th of February this season, against the University of Michigan. Faceoff is slated for 3:05 again this year at the Joe. For success this season it will be imperative for the Lakers to come out strong early in the season like we saw them do last year. Fortunately they will play more of their tough late season games at home where they where 10-6-4 last season. Date Opponent Location Outcome/Time 09/30/06 Blue-White Game Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:00 PM 10/07/06 Lakehead (Exhibition) Pullar Stadium, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:05 PM 10/13/06 Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 7:05 PM 10/14/06 Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 7:05 PM 10/20/06 Clarkson Potsdam, N.Y. 7:00 PM 10/21/06 Clarkson Potsdam, N.Y. 7:00 PM 10/27/06 American International Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:35 PM 10/28/06 American International Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 5:05 PM 11/03/06 Bowling Green Bowling Green, Ohio 7:05 PM 11/04/06 Bowling Green Bowling Green, Ohio 7:05 PM 11/10/06 Miami Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:35 PM 11/11/06 Miami Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:05 PM 11/17/06 Wayne State Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:35 PM 11/18/06 Wayne State Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:05 PM 11/24/06 Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska 11:05 PM 11/25/06 Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska 11:05 PM 12/01/06 Northern Michigan Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:35 PM 12/02/06 Northern Michigan Marquette, Mich. 7:35 PM 12/08/06 Ferris State Big Rapids, Mich. 7:05 PM 12/09/06 Ferris State Big Rapids, Mich. 5:05 PM 12/16/06 USNTDP (Exhibition) Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:05 PM 12/29/06 Providence (Badger Classic) Madison, Wis. 5:07 PM 12/30/06 Clarkson/Wisconsin (Badger Classic) Madison, Wis. TBA 01/05/07 Nebraska-Omaha Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:35 PM 01/06/07 Nebraska-Omaha Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:05 PM 01/12/07 Notre Dame Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:35 PM 01/13/07 Notre Dame Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:05 PM 01/19/07 Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 7:05 PM 01/20/07 Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 7:05 PM 01/26/07 Ohio State Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:35 PM 01/27/07 Ohio State Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:05 PM 02/02/07 Northern Michigan Marquette, Mich. 7:35 PM 02/03/07 Northern Michigan Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:05 PM 02/09/07 Miami Oxford, Ohio 7:35 PM 02/10/07 Miami Oxford, Ohio 7:05 PM 02/16/07 Michigan Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:35 PM 02/18/07 Michigan Detroit, Mich. (JLA) 3:05 PM 02/23/07 Western Michigan Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:35 PM 02/24/07 Western Michigan Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 7:05 PM

Six players sign NLIs to play hockey at Lake Superior State

SAULT STE. MARIE – During the spring signing period, four forwards, a defenseman and a goaltender have signed National Letters of Intent to play hockey at Lake Superior State, and the Lakers will have an 11-man freshman class heading into the 2006-07 season. “We tried to find players who fit the way officials are calling games now,” LSSU head coach Jim Roque said. “Maybe we won’t be as big as we’ve been in the past, but we will skate a lot better. One of the kids has already been drafted (by the National Hockey League), and two others are rated to be drafted in the top five rounds.” Players who have signed an NLI during the spring recruiting period include forwards Pat Aubry (Ottawa, Ont.), Matt Martello (North York, Ont.), John Scrymgeour (Pickering, Ont.) and Nik Sellers (Plymouth, Mich.), defenseman Steven Kaunisto (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) and goaltender Pat Inglis (Calgary, Alta.). The six players join fall signees Ryan Baird (Thunder Bay, Ont.), Michael George (Battleford, Sask.), Simon Gysbers (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Nathan Perkovich (Canton, Mich.). The Lakers are expected to add a walk-on freshman goaltender and a mid-season transfer to the roster. This recruiting class will make up for the loss of 12 seniors to graduation. LSSU will be returning 14 letter winners in 2006-07, including six seniors. “This freshman class won’t be leaned on to carry the program,” Roque said. “We can be patient with them, and they can play with good players. If someone gets to play with Troy Schwab or Trent Campbell, they will get good experience right out of the gate.” Kaunisto, a 6-0, 180-pound defenseman, will join Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., native Marty Gurnoe on the Lakers’ blue line. Last season, Kaunisto totaled three goals and 11 assists in 57 games for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders (United States Hockey League). He notched two goals in the USHL Playoffs and totaled 78 penalty minutes. Scrymgeour, a 6-0, 190-pound forward, was the No. 3 scorer for the St. Michael’s Buzzers with 28 goals and 30 assists in 45 games. St. Mike’s won the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League title with a 49-12-5-3 mark and was ranked as high second in the Canadian Junior A national rankings. Sellers, a 5-10, 180-pound forward, led the former Soo Indians in points and assists in 2004-05, then went with Kaunisto to Cedar Rapids in 2005-06. He compiled 15 goals and 26 assists in 59 games with the Rough Riders. Martello, a 6-0, 205-pound forward, led the Vaughan Vipers in scoring with 28 goals and 38 assists in 48 games and was named the most-improved player in the OPJHL South Division. He was ranked 17th in the OPJHL in scoring. Aubry, a 6-1, 185-pound forward, was the Kanata Stallions’ No. 2 scorer with 22 goals and 39 assists in 59 games. The Stallions compete in the Central Junior Hockey League. Inglis, a 6-4, 205-pound goaltender, finished second in the Alberta Junior Hockey League in saves with 1,660. During the 2005-06 season with the Calgary Canucks, he was 21-28-4 with a 2.97 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. Perkovich, an eighth-round NHL draft pick by New Jersey in 2004 who committed to LSSU last fall, finished 17th in the USHL in scoring in 2005-06. He totaled 28 goals and 24 assists in 56 games with the Chicago Steel. Gysbers is ranked 153rd on the NHL’s Central Scouting List for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, which will be held June 25. He was the OPJHL Northern Conference Defenseman of the Year after totaling eight goals, 24 assists and 94 penalty minutes for the Stouffville Spirit, who won the North/West Conference title with a 26-10-9 record. George, finished fourth in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in scoring with 35 goals and 39 assists for 74 points. He led the Battleford North Stars to a 38-12-2 regular-season record and Itech Conference title. George totaled 74 goals in three seasons with the North Stars. Baird’s Fort Williams North Stars team beat St. Mike’s to claim the Dudley-Hewitt Cup (central Canada Junior A title) and reached the Royal Bank Cup (Canadian national) semifinals. Baird totaled 14 goals, 42 assists and 96 penalty minutes in 46 games for the North Stars, who finished 50-2-0 in the Superior International Junior Hockey League.