Cover photo credit: Pete Estes
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Despite sophomore goaltender Gordon Defiel appearing to return to form in the opening game for Lake Superior State in the Catamount Cup, tournament host Vermont came away with the 1-0 shutout victory.
The Lakers (6-11-4) returned to action after the holiday break with a strong defensive showing, led by Defiel's (4-8-3) 29 saves, but were unable to find the tying goal late in the contest.
With both teams scoreless and late in the opening period, Travis Blaneleil was whistled for a 5-minute major elbowing penalty. The Lakers were unable to capitalize on their first power-play opportunity before the first intermission.
Despite a 14-1 lead in shots on goal by Vermont, the game was scoreless during the first period.
The Lakers cycled the puck well on the power play during the opening minutes of the second period until Yvan Pattyn intercepted a pass in the neutral zone. Pattyn then sprung a streaking Jonathan Turk for a short-handed goal with 40 seconds remaining on the major penalty to Blanleil.
The goal for Turk was his third of the season and went down as the game-winning goal.
LSSU outshot the Catamounts 8-7 in the second period but trailed overall 21-9 in shots and 1-0 in the score column.
With just over a minute remaining in the third period Defiel exited his crease in favor of an extra attacker.
The Lakers appeared to get the tying goal from Mitch Hults with 45.7 seconds remaining but the officials waived off the goal.
After an official video review, the on-ice referees signaled that the goal would not count.
Packy Munson (2-2-0) held off a final rush by the Lakers to secure the second shutout of his career. Munson turned aside all 23 shots by LSSU.
Neither team converted on the power play with Vermont going 0-for-3 and LSSU unsuccessful in their only attempt and surrendering the shorthanded goal.
The Lakers face ECAC opponent Brown, who defeated Colgate 7-5 in the 4 p.m. game today, for just the third meeting the history of the two programs on Wednesday in the 4 p.m. game.
Both of the previous matchups between the LSSU and Brown were during holiday tournaments with the Lakers capturing a 5-1 victory in the first-ever meeting at the Western Michigan Hockey Classic in 1980. The last last time the teams met, Brown (3-7-3 overall, 2-5-2 ECAC) claimed victory a 6-4 win at the 1993 Dexter Shoe Classic in Orono, Maine.
A live video stream for all of the Catamount Cup action is available at CatamounTV.com.