Lakers get Third Player from SJHL for 2007-08 Season

The SJHL has announced Yorkton Terrier forward Chad Nehring has made a verbal commitment to attend Lake Superior State University on an NCAA scholarship, beginning in the Fall of 2007. Nehring, a 1987 born forward will forego his final Junior 'A' season to suit up with the Lakers. LSSU has a strong history of recruiting out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and Nehring is the third SJHLer to earn a scholarship with that institution this season (Tyson Hobbins of Nipawin and Dillin Stonehouse of Melfort are the others). Nehring played with Canada West in the recent World Junior 'A' Challenge and was a member of the gold medal winning team. He also played in the inaugural CJAHL Prospects Game in December 2005. As a Terrier, Nehring has played on two Credential Cup championship teams as well as one team that won the ANAVET Cup and went to the finals of the RBC Royal Bank Cup. The 5’-11” 195lb center scored 25-goals and 36-assists in 51-games this past season. For his career, Nehring played 151-games and scored 59-goals and 70-assists for 129-points. Players formerly of the SJHL who are on this year's Lake Superior club include the team's top three scorers (Troy Schwab and Josh Sim of Kindersley, and Trent Campbell of La Ronge). Former Estevan Bruin Derek Smith is seventh on the team in scoring.

The End of an Era, as LSSU Plays Final Home-and-Joe Series

Wearing throwback jerseys that brought the fans back to the 60’s and 70’s the Lake Superior State University hockey team suffered a heartbreaking loss, 3-1, on Sunday afternoon, in front of a sparsely populated crowd of less than 5,000. With the conclusion of this game LSSU brought to an end a 12 year tradition of playing a home game in Detroit, Michigan. Under an arrangement with the Ilitch family pertaining to the contribution that they gave to the "Gem of the North" project, the Lakers have played one of their home games against the University of Michigan or Michigan State every year since the 1995-96 season. Off the ice these games have been extremely successful for LSSU in that the school has been able to provide a local game for LSSU alumni that live in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. The majority of these games have also been broadcast statewide on cable television giving the school further exposure. Although technically a home game for the Lakers U of M or MSU fans greatly outnumber LSSU fans at these games. With the Detroit metro area having the largest population of LSSU alumni outside of Chippewa County, the games in Detroit have been great meeting places for meeting up with long lost friends in the form of former alumni. LSSU alumni have treated this game as an annual pilgrimage coming to Detroit from Southern Ontario and across the United States to meet up with old friends, and take in a Laker hockey game. LSSU's exposure in the Detroit area due to these games has had a tremendous impact on LSSU's present and future with alumni bringing their friends and family to give them an introduction to Lake State. On the ice these games have been anything but successful for the Lakers going 1-10-1 in these games that see the Lakers playing a home game in the Soo then traveling to Detroit for the game at the Joe less than 48 hours later. Unfortunately the heart of this agreement has coincided with the same time frame in which LSSU's hockey program has struggled under the guidance of former head coaches Scott Borek and Frank Anzalone. With the program on an upswing after alumnus Jim Roque took over the program before last season it is a shame that this tradition has come to an end. Results wise LSSU will probably be better off with this agreement in the past, taking advantage of an extra home game at the Taffy Abel Arena. But the exposure that LSSU has received by playing a single game a year in the Detroit Metropolitan area is immeasurable and irreplaceable.

Dillin Stonehouse Coming to LSSU

One of the top defenseman in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, Dillin Stonehouse of the Melfort Mustangs has given Lake Superior State University a verbal commitment for next season. The 6’-0”, 180lb defenseman recently traveled down to the Sault for a campus tour and decided to attend LSSU next season. Stonehouse participated in the SJHL all star game and is a nominee for the SJHL Top Defenseman Award. In 57 games this season the Elkhorn, Manitoba native has recorded 12 goals and 36 assists with 10 goals coming on the powerplay. Stonehouse is ranked 5th in the league in powerplay points with 38, and second in the league for points by defensemen with 48 points. Last season for the Mustangs Stonehouse had 4 goals and 13 points in 40 games. http://www.melfortmustangs.com/video_popup.aspx?vid_id=280

LSSU Claims Cappo Cup

THE CAPPO HAS LANDED -- Lake Superior State’s hockey team gathers around the Father Cappo Cup, which is awarded annually to the winner of the LSSU-NMU hockey series. The LSSU Hockey team took a total-goals tally, 9-4, to win the cup for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. The Lakers rebounded from Friday’s 1-0 loss at Northern to win 2-1 on Saturday at Taffy Abel Arena. Earlier this season, the Lakers swept NMU, 2-0 and 5-2, to end a seven-game losing streak against the Wildcats. The Cappo Cup was first awarded in 1991-92.

Tribute to NMU Puckhead

This article isn't LSSU related but it is a great article on NMU Puckhead Kujo