Lakers Set to Open Home CCHA Slate Against Bowling Green

Lake Superior State played its first two conference hockey series on the road, and both times the Lakers returned home with splits. The only two Central Collegiate Hockey Association teams that have fared better than the Lakers on the road so far this season are Notre Dame, which is 2-0, and Miami, which is 2-0-1-0. The Lakers (2-3-1 overall, 2-2-0-0 CCHA) finally get to play a CCHA series at home and entertain Bowling Green State at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Taffy Abel Arena. Both games will be broadcast live on Rock 101 FM with free audio web streaming on www.rock101.net. A pay-per-view video webcast is available on the B2 Network via www.lssulakers.com. BGSU (3-4-1 overall, 2-2-0-0 CCHA) ended the Lakers’ 2007-08 season with a 4-3 overtime victory during Game 3 of the CCHA First-Round Playoffs. LSSU was 2-3-0 against the Falcons last season with every game being close except a 6-1 LSSU win during Game 2 of the playoff series. Several returning Lakers posted impressive numbers during last season’s five games against Bowling Green State. Junior defenseman Simon Gysbers led the way with two goals and six assists. Three players had six points – junior defenseman Steven Kaunisto (2-4—6), junior forward Nathan Perkovich (3-3—6) and senior forward Troy Schwab (1-5—6), and junior forward Zac MacVoy contributed five points (1-4—5). MacVoy assisted on both Laker goals during last Friday’s 2-1 victory at Ferris State and scored two goals during last Saturday’s 4-3 loss in Big Rapids. He currently leads LSSU in points with 4-4—8. Against CCHA competition, he is tied for sixth in the league in points with 3-3—6. Kaunisto is tied for second in the league in total points by defensemen against CCHA opponents with 1-3—4, and he has 1-4—5 overall. Freshman forward Fred Cassiani is tied for fourth in freshman scoring with 3-0—3. Sophomore goaltender Brian Mahoney-Wilson is currently ranked third in the CCHA and 15th nationally in save percentage at .932. Bowling Green State split a home series with Nebraska-Omaha last weekend, winning 3-2 on Friday and losing 5-3 on Saturday. Falcons sophomore forward Dan Sexton is tied for fourth in overall CCHA points with 3-8—11, while sophomore forward David Solway is tied for seventh with 4-4—8. Sexton and senior forward Brandon Svendsen both have 2-3—5 against CCHA competition. The line of Svendsen, Solway and Sexton is responsible for 11 of the Falcons’ 20 goals this season. The threesome accounted for all but one point Friday and five of eight points Saturday against UNO. This weekend’s series is the Falcons’ only two-game road series between Oct. 31 and Jan. 30. BGSU has single road games at Notre Dame on Nov. 21 and Dec. 13, and at Michigan on Jan. 6, and plays 15 home games during that stretch. Notes: LSSU welcomes the Yes-FM Fan Box winners to Friday’s game. The group sitting in the alumni box is receiving V.I.P. treatment courtesy of Northern Star Broadcasting, Balloons ‘N Moore, Bordertown Chiropractic and Soo Line Limo Service…LSSU also welcomes the parents of the 2008-09 hockey team to this weekend’s series. They will be introduced during second intermission Saturday.