SAULT STE. MARIE - Lake Superior State hosts Bemidji State this weekend for a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series after spending two of the last three weeks on the road against two of the league's top teams.
This weekend the Lakers (9-17-4, 6-10-4 WCHA) seek to right the ship with a two-game home stand against the Beavers (11-11-5, 7-9-4 WCHA). LSSU is 3-7-0 in their last 10 games, including losing their last five contests while scoring just three goals and allowing 22 goals against during that stretch.
The series opens with a 7:37 p.m. meeting with the Beavers on Friday with the series finale coming at 7:07 p.m. on Sunday. Both games will be broadcast live on 99.5 YES FM and a live-video stream can be purchased at http://WCHA.tv.
The Lakers ask that fans wear white to Friday's game for a special whiteout in honor of the White Ribbon Campaign's initiative to end domestic violence. Saturday is Sponsor Appreciation Night, as well as, Faculty Appreciation Night and LSSU Softball hosts their annual Sweetheart Spaghetti Dinner from 5-7 p.m. in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium prior to the game.
The first matchup between the two programs dates back to the 1966-67 season, which ended with a series split in Sault Ste. Marie. The following season the Lakers joined the Beavers in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as members of the International Collegiate Hockey Association and played met in the first NAIA Championship game, which the Beavers won 5-4. From 1967-68 through 1973-74 the Lakers and Beavers met four times in the NAIA Championship with the Beavers winning three of the head-to-head championship meetings.
Since the Lakers joined the Beavers in the WCHA in 2013-14, the Lakers have posted a 4-3-1 record over the Beavers, including a four-game unbeaten (3-0-1) streak. Last season, in the only series between the teams, the Lakers earned their only sweep of the season with a pair of wins over BSU at home.
The last time the Lakers and Beavers met was a Nov. 20-21 series in Bemidji. The Lakers captured three points on the weekend with a 3-2 victory in the series opener and battled to a 1-1 draw in the Saturday finale.
All-time, the Lakers lead the rivalry 27-21-3 overall and 13-10-1 in games played in Sault Ste. Marie.
With eight games left on the schedule and two points behind the Beavers, the Lakers are in a tie with Alaska Anchorage for 7th and final two spots in the WCHA playoffs. The Lakers could position themselves ahead of the Beavers with a sweep and could add distance between themselves and the idle Alaska schools with a win or tie in either game.
Against No. 15 Michigan Tech last weekend the Lakers fell victim to their second-consecutive sweep on the road against a ranked opponent. In fact, the Lakers have played the top three teams MTU, Minnesota State and Bowling Green during three of their last four series and have gone 1-5-0 in those meetings.
Leading the Lakers in scoring this season has been sophomore newcomer J.T. Henke with six goals and eight assists for 14 points in 27 games played. Behind Henke, Mitch Hults (6-6--12) and Gage Torrel (5-7--12) are tied for 2nd on the team in scoring and lead the LSSU freshman class in scoring. Hults ranks tied for 2nd in points among WCHA freshmen and Torrel is tied for third in goals by a freshman.
Another impressive rookie in the Lakers lineup, Anthony Nellis (3-8--11) leads the WCHA in power-play points among freshmen with a goal and seven assists on the extra-man advantage.
Between the pipes the Lakers have received consistent play from sophomore goaltender Gordon Defiel and freshman Nick Kossoff. Defiel sports a 2.78 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage, while Kossoff has a .923 save percentage and a 2.25 goals-against average.
BSU opens the week on the road against Minnesota Duluth on Tuesday. Entering the week, the Beavers have gone 6-2-2 in their last 10 games, including a victory over Big 10 member Minnesota at the North Star College Cup.
Gerry Fitzgerald leads the way for the Beavers with 12 goals and nine assists for 21 points in 23 games played this season. When the Lakers and Beavers last met, Fitzgerald scored a power-play goal during the Lakers' 3-2 victory in the series opener.
Following Fitzgerald in points for the Beavers are Markus Gerbrandt (5-14--19) and Brendan Harms (4-15--19) each with 19 points in 27 games. Gerbrandt registered an assist in the first game of the November series and scored the game-tying goal on Nov. 21.
Michael Bitzer has improved his numbers since the Lakers earned the 3-2 decision over him in the teams' first meeting. Since losing to the Lakers on Nov. 20, Bitzer has gone 6-5-2, produced a 1.74 goals-against average and .931 save percentage, and has three shutouts.
LSSU travels to Alaska to take on the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves next weekend before hosting Northern Michigan on Feb. 26-27 for their final home series of the regular season.
