HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech completed the sweep of Lake Superior State in Saturday's Western Collegiate Hockey Association weekend series with a 3-1 victory to secure the MacInnes Cup as the winner of the annual MTU Winter Carnival series.
The Lakers (9-17-4, 6-10-4 WCHA) have now lost four-straight and await the results of the results from Alaska Anchorage at Northern Michigan Saturday evening to determine their standings in the league.
Freshman Nick Kossoff made the start in net for the series finale and posted a career-high 45 saves but was tagged with three goals in the loss.
Jamie Phillips was sharp in net for the second-consecutive game of the series and made 22 saves in earning the victory. Phillips was 56 seconds away from notching his second shutout of the series but freshman forward Gage Torrel was able to score on a penalty shot.
Torrel's free attempt at Phillips came courtesy of a whistle for displacing the net on MTU.
C.J. Eick opened the scoring for the Huskies with a shorthanded goal that came with just 1:55 left in the opening frame. Chris Leibringer added the assist on Eick's tally.
The Huskies (16-7-5, 13-6-3 WCHA) led 1-0 after the first period and doubled up the Lakers in shots, 16-8.
Just 1:53 into the second period Max Vallis scored his third goal of the series and was assisted once again by Reid Sturos. Sturos assisted on both goals by Vallis in Friday's Game 1. Michael Neville added the second assist on the goal by Vallis, which would stand as the game winner.
Moments later, the Huskies took a commanding 3-0 lead on a goal by Jake Lucchini. Luchinni's marker at six minutes into the middle period came from Brent Baltus and Alex Gillies.
Torrel's goal, only the third goal for the Lakers in their last five games, fifth goal of the season and gives him 12 points in his freshman campaign. The penalty shot was the first converted attempt for a Laker since Zach Sternberg scored on MTU's Phoenix Copley on Nov. 15, 2013.
The Lakers return home for a two-game WCHA series against Bemidji State next weekend, Feb. 12-13. LSSU earned a win and a tie against the Beavers in Bemidji back on Nov. 20-21.
