MANKATO, Minn. - Lake Superior State hockey saw their season come to an end Sunday evening with a 3-0 loss against Minnesota State- Mankato in Game 3 of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Quarterfinals. The Lakers (14-22-5, 10-13-5 WCHA) were held scoreless by WCHA Goaltending Champion Cole Huggins on 22 shots, while the Mavericks scored a goal in each period to secure the victory.
Coming off a record-breaking performance in Game 2, in which he broke a WCHA playoffs record with 57 saves in regulation time, Gordon Defiel (11-14-4) did all he could to keep the Lakers close but was unable to hold up against a third-straight night of heavy pressure from the Mavericks. Defiel finished his night with 29 saves and concludes his sophomore campaign with 879 saves.
With an overall .926 saves percentage this season, Defiel finishes tied with Jayme Platt for the fifth-best single season mark by an LSSU goaltender. Defiel also finished 2015-16 with a 2.47 goals-against average, to surpass Kevin Murdock for the 10th-lowest single season rate in program history. His 11 wins are also the most by a Laker goaltender since Kevin Kapalka finished with 17 wins in 2011-12.
The Mavericks opened the scoring at 9:38 of the first period, Brad McClure netted his fourth goal of the season and second of the weekend series. McClure found a loose puck that leaked past Defiel following a Jon Jutzi shot, and McClure chipped in the power-play marker to take the 1-0 lead.
In the second period, Casey Nelson was set up with a perfect one-timer to put the Mavericks up 2-0. The goal, coming at 10:13 of the second period, was the Maverick's second power-play goal of the night. Bryce Gervais set up the play after winning a puck battle along the boards through three Lakers defensemen and fed Teddy Blueger, who eventually found Nelson alone for the goal.
The Mavericks added their third goal of the night 38 seconds into the third period to take a 3-0 lead and put the game out of reach. Blueger added his second point of the night with an attempted centering pass that careened off a Lakers defenseman. Gervais added his second assist of the night and Carter Foguth added a helper on the play.
From the third goal through the rest of regulation, the Mavericks were content playing a mistake-free brand of hockey to close out the win. The Lakers were only able to manage nine shots on goal with their backs to the wall in the final period.
The victory advances the Mavericks to face Bowling Green State in the WCHA Final Five next weekend at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich.
For the Lakers, a solid showing in Mankato, coming up short in the upset bid on the road, leaves hope for continued growth from a team that was widely expected to miss the playoffs this season by the coaches and media in the WCHA Preseason Polls. Winning the Cappo Cup series against Upper Peninsula rivals Northern Michigan, snapping lengthy losing streaks to conference powers such as Ferris State and the Mavericks, and making the WCHA playoffs for the second consecutive season were each building blocks in the rebuild of the program this season. The Lakers will count on their young core of skaters to continue to mature in the offseason and build upon this season's surprising improvements heading into the 2016-17 season.
The end of the season also concludes the collegiate careers of six seniors from the Lakers. Captain Austin McKay, assistant captains Bryce Schmitt and Eric Drapluk, as well as seniors Peter Spratte, Daniel Vernace and Zach Loesch will each leave a lasting mark on the program and have been lauded by coach Damon Whitten for their dedication to laying the ground work for a cultural change to Laker Hockey.