Postgame audio with Bill Crawford and head coach Damon Whitten
ANN ARBOR, Mich.- After earning a series opening win on Friday night at Michigan, Lake Superior State fell to the Wolverines (6-5-1) in the series finale on Saturday night by a score of 4-1.
As expected, Michigan came out with a heavy offensive barrage to open the game and had the Lakers (7-7-0) on their heels early on, eventually holding a 10-1 lead in shots to open the game.
The Wolverines maintained the aggressive forecheck and were rewarded with an early goal on a net-mouth scramble 4:10 into the contest. Tony Calderone was credited with the tally, his sixth of the season and Dexter Dancs also factored in the score sheet with an assist on the play.
The Lakers found their offensive success late in the first, eventually scoring a goal to tie the game at 1-1 with less than five minutes remaining in the period.
Sophomore forward Diego Cuglietta set up the goal with a heads-up pocket picking of the Wolverines player trying to exit the defensive zone and the Kamloops, B.C., native found C.J. Hayes in stride to tuck the puck between Zach Nagelvoort's legs. The goal was the first point of the season for Hayes and Cuglietta's fifth helper.
The Lakers opened the second period looking for the lead and appeared primed to find the go-ahead goal, however mid way through the period Nolan De Jong took what appeared to be a harmless shot the snuck under Gordon Defiel's blocker.
Michigan took a 2-1 lead following 40 minutes of play and led 23-14 in shots, while controlling much of the offensive chances.
The Wolverines netted two goals in the third period, despite the Lakers finishing with a 9-7 advantage in shots on goal in the final frame.
James Sanchez scored the Wolverines' third goal of the game, unassisted, after picking off an errant pass in and firing it past the unsuspecting Defiel.
Sanchez later factored on Nicholas Boka's empty net goal, putting Michigan ahead by three with 50 seconds remaining in regulation.
The split on the road leaves the Lakers with a 2-6-0 record in the month of November, a tough stretch in the schedule that featured three in-state road series and opened with a split against Minnesota State at home.
The Lakers return home for the first time in a month, next weekend, facing Bowling Green on Dec. 2-3.