Lakers Take Two Points from Nebraska-Omaha

Lake Superior State University’s hockey team was able to able to pick up their first two points in league play in Omaha, Nebraska over the weekend. On Friday night LSSU weather the Nebraska-Omaha Maverick storm with LSSU goaltender Pat Inglis facing 37 shots in the game while LSSU was only able to muster 15 shots. After a scoreless first period Steven Kaunisto scored his third goal of the season with a slap shot from the blue line, at 5:21 of the second period, to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead, Josh Sim and Troy Schwab had the assists on the power play goal. After taking the 1-0 lead into the locker room after 2 periods LSSU gave up a power play goal to UNO’s Tomas Klempa less than one minute into the third period. Neither team was able to scored a goal in the extra period, resulting in a 1-1 tie, and giving LSSU their first CCHA point of the season. LSSU’s goaltender Pat Inglis recorded 36 saves on the 37 shots he faced, while the Lakers were able to get one of their 15 shots past UNO goaltender Jerad Kaufmann. Both teams went 1-for-4 on the power play on the night. LSSU’s leading scorer Nathan Perkovich did not play Friday night, the Omaha World-Herald reported that he, “tore a knee ligament in the morning skatearound.” While conflicting reports have said that he missed the game due to suffering from the flu. Saturday night saw a much better outing from the Laker’s skaters who battled back from one goal deficits twice before settling for their second tie in consecutive nights. LSSU fell behind early in the first period with LSSU’s Brian Mahoney-Wilson giving up a power play goal to UNO’s Joey Martin at 5:12 of the first period. The Lakers where able to battle back with Simon Gysbers scoring his second goal of the season at 6:10 of the second period, with assists going to Tyson Hobbins and Jason Blain. UNO was able to regain the 1-2 lead after scoring a second power play goal of the game at 9:09 of the second period, but the Lakers where able to battle back again with Perkovich scoring on the power play, his 10th goal of the season, with only 8 second remaining in the second period, Troy Schwab received the only assist on the goal. LSSU was able to take their first lead of the game at 5:38 of the third period with Will Acton scoring his first collegiate goal, tipping in a shot from Matt Cowie; Perkovich got the other assist on the goal. UNO’s Dan Charleston tied the game up at 3-3 at 14:38 of the third period. Neither team was able to capitalize in overtime for the second night in a row despite a shot from Zac MacVoy making its way past UNO goaltender Jerad Kaufmann and toward the goal before Kaufmann was able to recover and know the puck safely away from the goal. Mahoney-Wilson made 33 saves on the 36 shots he faced while Kaufmann recorded 29 saves on the 32 Laker shots he faced. LSSU went 1-for-5 on the power play (2-for-9 on the weekend), while UNO scored two power play goals on their 3 opportunities (going 3-for-7 on the weekend). Lake Superior is off the next three weeks before heading to Michigan State University on January 4th and 5th. The Lakers are still in search of their first win in CCHA action.