LSSU Look to Gain Ground in CCHA this Weekend Against WMU

The Lake Superior State hockey team will play its next two series on the road beginning with its first series at Western Michigan since November, 2005. The Lakers (5-16-5 overall, 3-13-4 Central Collegiate Hockey Association), who are riding their first three-game unbeaten streak of the season, take on the Broncos (7-19-2 overall, 3-16-1 CCHA) at 7:35 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at Lawson Arena. Both games will be broadcast live on Rock 101 FM and simulcast on www.lssulakers.com. LSSU and WMU are desperately trying to move up in the CCHA standings. The Lakers trail 10th-place Ohio State by only one point, while the Broncos are in 12th place, three points behind Lake Superior State. Ohio State travels to fifth-place Nebraska-Omaha, and ninth-place Northern Michigan plays host to third-place Michigan State. This could be a pivotal weekend if either the Lakers or Broncos sweep the series. LSSU travels to No. 2-ranked Michigan on Feb. 15-16. Lake Superior State’s three-point weekend included a 3-2 win and 1-1 tie at home against Ferris State, which is currently tied for seventh place with Alaska. Laker freshman goalie Brian Mahoney-Wilson was solid in earning his fourth win of the season Friday. Sophomore goalie Pat Inglis started for the first time since Jan. 18 and was outstanding while stopping 36 of 37 shots on goal, including all five in overtime Saturday. Sophomore forward Zac MacVoy scored a power-play goal early in the second period Friday for his second game-winning goal in as many contests. Senior Jason Blain’s first goal of the season was the Lakers’ lone goal on Saturday. He has centered the grinder line for most of the season, but his line has had more offensive punch with the addition of leading scorer Nathan Perkovich (13-4—17) during the last three games. LSSU is 3-3-0 in its last six games against Western Michigan, which were all played in Sault Ste. Marie. Last season, the teams split the series with the Broncos winning 3-1 on Feb. 23, 2007, and the Lakers coming back with a 4-3 victory on Feb. 24. Alaska swept WMU in Fairbanks last weekend with back-to-back 3-2 decisions. Friday’s loss dropped the Broncos to 0-5-2 in overtime games. Western Michigan is a team that has struggled with goals-allowed in the second period of games this season. The Broncos have given up 36 goals in the middle stanza compared to 25 goals in the first period and 24 in the second. The Lakers have an even distribution of more than 30 goals-allowed in all three periods this season. But part of the reason for their recent success is that they shut out Ferris State in the third period of both contests. WMU’s penalty-killing unit is ranked 23rd nationally at .853. The Broncos held Alaska scoreless on nine power-play chances last weekend. Notes: The starting time for LSSU’s game at Michigan on Friday, Feb. 15, is now 8:05 p.m. That game will be televised live on CSTV, while the Saturday, Feb. 16, game will be televised live on FSN-Detroit at 7:35 p.m….LSSU will celebrate Senior Night on Saturday, Feb. 23. The Lakers will also pay tribute to Diane Floyd during that game. Floyd, who was killed in a car accident last November, devoted decades of service to the Sault Michigan Hockey Association and was a former president of the Hiawatha Skating Club.