LSSU Hockey Playoff Slide Show

Lake Superior State University has some great photos from the Lakers most recent trip to the Joe. LSSU Hockey Playoff Slide Show: http://www.lssu.edu/whats_new/articles.php?articleid=1254

Lake Superior State's Playoff Run Comes to an End

With a 6-7 loss on Saturday afternoon to Michigan State University in the CCHA consolation game, following a 0-3 loss to Notre Dame on Friday afternoon, Lake Superior State University’s first playoff run in a decade came to an end. Earning a trip to the Joe Louis Arena this spring has the potential to be a giant step forward for the LSSU hockey program. After a lackluster performance against Notre Dame on Friday LSSU found themselves playing in front of an extremely friendly LSSU crowd in the CCHA consolation game on Saturday afternoon. The Lakers may well have put in the best performance that I have seen them play in the last decade as well. Despite controlling play for much of the first 10 minutes of the game the Lakers found themselves down 0-3 just under 13 minutes into the game. All three goals where caused by defensive collapses in front of the Laker net, and Jeff Jakaitis didn’t have a chance on any of the goals. Despite playing from behind the rest of the game Lake State continued to control the play, battling back to shorten the MSU lead to one goal three times before the midway point of the third period. MSU then took a 6-4 lead with less than 6 minutes remaining in the game. Jim Roque pulled Jakaitis with 1:35 remaining in the game and MSU subsequently took a penalty giving LSSU 2 extra attackers in the MSU zone, Freshman Nathan Perkovich put in the power play goal, his third of the game, to pull the Lakers to within 1 goal. The excitement was only beginning as Trent Campbell added a second empty net goal with 20 seconds remaining to tie the game up at 6-6. LSSU was able to hold off MSU in overtime before CCHA referee Steve Piotrowski called a questionable penalty with just over 1:30 remaining in the contest to put MSU on the power play. The Spartans scored on the ensuing power play to advance to the NCAA tournament. The Lakers greeted their senior net minder following the loss, congratulated MSU’s players and coaches, and then saluted the Laker faithful sitting in the Northeast corner of the Joe brining the loudest ovation heard in the building Saturday afternoon. The questionable Piotrowski call late in overtime put a damper on a greatly played game by the Lakers and a well called game by Piotrowski up to that point. Notes: Great showing by Lakers fans at the Joe this weekend, besides all the friendly faces from the Soo, I met Laker fans that had traveled up from Indiana and Illinois to attend the games this weekend…I ran into Athletic Director Kris Dunbar between periods on Saturday, she gave Jim all the credit in the world for the Lakers performance in the CCHA playoffs. I had never met Mrs. Dunbar before and found her very friendly and accommodating to a couple of alumni catching the game. Photo courtesy of LSSU.edu

BEST IN LEAGUE

Lakers Jeff Jakaitis, left, and Derek A. Smith, along with LSSU Sports Information Director Linda Bouvet, pose with awards they received during the annual Central Collegiate Hockey Association recognition ceremony held Thursday night in Detroit. Senior goaltender Jeff Jakaitis was a finalist for the scholarship-athlete, best goaltender, and second-team all conference awards, finishing the season with a 8-11-3 record, leading the league with a .932 SV% and posting a 2.27 GAA. Smith was a finalist for best offensive defenseman finishing the season with 30 points on 10 goals and 20 assists, including 2 game winning goals, 2 short handed goals, and 5 power play points. Bouvet landed top honors for sports information director of the year out of 12 schools in the league. (Photo by John Shibley)

LSSU Heads to the Joe

Lakers fans are making plans to converge on the Joe Louis Arena this weekend to bear witness to something that hasn’t occurred in a decade. LSSU will play at the Joe for the CCHA Championship, for the first time since 1995-96, courtesy of Jeff Rainville (3 goals) and Jeff Jakaitis (1.00 GAA, .976 SV%) the Lakers swept the Miami RedHawks last weekend in Oxford Ohio to advance to the CCHA semifinals. Friday’s CCHA semifinal game against Notre Dame put two of the of the nation’s top goaltenders against each other. Notre Dame’s goaltender David Brown was named to the All-CCHA First Team and leads the nation with a goals-against average at 1.64 while LSSU’s Jeff Jakaitis was named to the All-CCHA Second Team and is ranked second nationally in save percentage at .935 In regular season play the Lakers fell to Notre Dame 3-4 in overtime on January 12th, before falling to the Irish again the following night 1-4. In action against the other CCHA semifinalists the Lakers were 1-3-0 with the lone win coming on February 16th against Michigan in the Soo. Stay tuned to LSSUHockey.com "left hand column" for all the news from LSSU's trip to the Joe. The LSSU Alumni Association will be there, with a post-game social planned for Friday evening. The Lakers take on No. 1-ranked Notre Dame at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. After the game, take the People Mover to the Millender Center station where your Alumni Association will be hosting a pizza party in the atrium of the Marriott Courtyard. Yes, this is the old Omni Hotel, the same atrium where we had many a Soo Zoo pizza bash in years gone by. We're back, and we're reviving that wonderful tradition! We will have a limited amount of pizza available from 8pm to midnight. There will be a cash bar available during that same time period. So you can stop by right after the Lakers finish up, or join us after the MSU/UM game later that evening. We'll be there until midnight, reliving the glory days and creating new memories. For more information or to RSVP email alumnirelations@lssu.edu. Tickets Tickets are on sale at the Norris Center Ticket Office for $24 (adult) and $9.50 (LSSU students). Fans can also call 313-396-7911 before 5 p.m. on Thursday and mention "LSSU Alumni" to receive a $3 discount through the Joe Louis Arena group sales office. Discounted ticket prices through the Joe Louis box office are: $27 (lower bowl, rows 1-7); $21 (lower bowl, rose 8-20); $19 (upper bowl, rows 2-12); $12 (upper bowl, rows 13-21); $7 (general admission). General admission includes the two ends behind the goals and upper bowl seats rows 22 and higher.

Lakers Tally Biggest Win in a Decade

After going 1-19 in their last 20 playoff games, LSSU was able to come back from a 0-1 series deficit to Ferris State University winning 2 consecutive playoff games to win the first round CCHA playoff series, their first playoff series win in 10 years. Lake Superior State will travel to Oxford, Ohio for the second round of the CCHA playoffs to take on Miami; LSSU was 1-3-0 in their four meetings against Miami this season.

Jakaitis Finalist for 2006-07 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award

(Kansas City, MO) – Ten finalists for the 2006-07 Men’s Hockey Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award were announced today and will compete in the all-new hockey division of the national award for NCAA senior student athletes. Lowe’s recently announced the addition of men’s hockey and three other NCAA sports to the award program that originally was launched in 2001 with basketball. Finalists were selected from a list of 30 candidates based on personal qualities that define a complete student athlete. The criteria to determine the top ten included the areas of classroom, character and community in addition to performance in the hockey rink during this season. The finalists are: Matt Anderson of Massachusetts, David Brown of Notre Dame, Billy Devoney of Air Force, Glenn Fisher of Denver, Curtis Fraser of Alaska-Fairbanks, Jeff Jakaitis of Lake Superior State, Michel Léveillé of Maine, Kirk MacDonald of Rensselaer, Ryan Mahrle of Western Michigan and Nate Raduns of St. Cloud State. These finalists will be placed on the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award ballot for a nationwide vote leading up to the NCAA Hockey Championships. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches, media and sponsors to determine the recipient of the award. Winners will be announced during the weekend of the Frozen Four. “Not only are these finalists among the nation’s best college hockey athletes, they also have a very impressive list of achievements in the classroom and in the community,” said Bob Gfeller, Lowe’s senior vice president of marketing and advertising. “We salute these tremendous NCAA student athletes for making an impact with their time and talents.” An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award was initially developed in response to the trend of college basketball players leaving school early to turn professional. Since that time, the collegiate community has embraced the award and the idea of honoring seniors for remaining committed to their university throughout their entire collegiate athletic eligibility. Earlier this year, Lowe’s announced it would extend the award beginning in 2007 to include four other NCAA sports: men’s hockey, men’s lacrosse, baseball and softball. Fan voting for the men’s hockey award will begin March 10 at www.seniorclassaward.com.